SOCIAL–CULTURAL ATTRIBUTES INFLUENCING THE PERFORMANCE OF WOMEN FUNDED BUSINESS: A CASE OF SABOTI SUB-COUNTY, KENYA HELEN NAMALWA WEKESA A Research Project Report Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management, University of Nairobi 2019 i DECLARATION ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This project was successful due to the support of many individuals, to whom I owe gratitude. First , I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Patrick Simiyu Cheben for tireless guidance during my project writing besides the lecturers who taught me various units during coursework and enabling me to identify a study area. Secondly, I thank my fellow students of University of Nairobi for invaluable criticism, inspiration and moral support which led to the successful completion of this work. Thirdly, I thank my colleagues in the place of work for emotional and spiritual support. Fourthly , I wish to thank my children for their moral support and motivation during the involving period of writing this project. Last but not least, I register thanks to the respondents of this study for their cooperation. iii DEDICATION This Research Project Report is dedicated to my loving son Kevin Holi, my daughters Vivian Naliaka and Mitchelle Wamyova for their encouragement. iv TABLE OF CONTENT Title Page……………………………………………………………………………………………..i DECLARATION........................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................ ii DEDICATION.............................................................................................................................. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................. v LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS .................................................................... x ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. xi CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1Background of the study ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Statement of the problem .................................................................................................. 5 1.3. Purpose of the study........................................................................................................... 6 1.4. Research objectives ............................................................................................................ 6 1.5 Research questions .............................................................................................................. 7 1.6. Significance of the study .................................................................................................... 7 1.8. Limitations of the study ..................................................................................................... 8 1.9. Research assumptions ........................................................................................................ 8 1.10 Definition of key terms ..................................................................................................... 8 1.11 Organization of the study ................................................................................................. 9 CHAPTER TWO ........................................................................................................................ 11 LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 11 2.2. Concept of the women funded business and social cultural attributes ....................... 11 2.3. Personal characteristics and performance of WFB ...................................................... 12 2.4. Women experience in business and performance of WFB .......................................... 14 2.5 Family characteristics and performance of WFB .......................................................... 15 v 2.6. Domestic roles and performance of WFB ...................................................................... 17 2.7. Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................... 19 2.7.1. The Resource Based Theory .................................................................................... 19 2.9 Conceptual Framework .................................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................... 23 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................. 23 3.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 23 3.2. Research Design ............................................................................................................... 23 3.3. Target Population ............................................................................................................ 23 3.4. Sample Size and Sampling Procedures .......................................................................... 24 3.5. Data Collection Instrument ............................................................................................. 25 3.6 Validity of the Research Instrument ............................................................................... 26 3.7 Reliability of the Research Instrument ........................................................................... 26 3.8. Data Collection Procedures ............................................................................................. 27 3.9 Data Analysis Technique .................................................................................................. 27 3.10. Operationalization of the variables .............................................................................. 28 3.11. Ethical Considerations .................................................................................................. 29 CHAPTER FOUR ....................................................................................................................... 30 DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION ........... 30 4.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 30 4.2. Questionnaire Response Rate ......................................................................................... 30 4.3. Findings Related to Background Information of Respondents ................................... 30 4.4. Descriptive Findings Related to Research Questions ................................................... 35 4.4.1. Personal characteristics of women and Performance of WFB ............................. 35 4.4.2. Women experience in business and performance of WFB.................................... 38 4.4.3. Family characteristics and performance of WFB .................................................. 40 4.4.4. Domestics roles and performance of the WFB ....................................................... 41 4.5. Qualitative Findings from Interviews: Thematic Analysis .......................................... 43 4.6. Discussion of findings ...................................................................................................... 43 4.6.1. Personal characteristics of women and Performance of WBFP ........................... 44 4.6.2. Women experience in business and performance of WFB.................................... 45 vi 4.6.3. Family characteristics and performance of WFB .................................................. 47 4.6.4. Domestics roles and performance of WFB ............................................................. 48 CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................ 51 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH ..................................................................... 51 5.1. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 51 5.2. Summary of Findings ................................................................................................... 51 5.2.1. Personal characteristics of women and performance of WFB ......................... 51 5.2.2. Women experience in business and performance of the WFB ......................... 52 5.2.3. Family characteristics and performance of