Title: Entrepreneurial capabilities of successful firms: a study of small and medium-scale equipment manufacturers in Nairobi, Kenya

Authors: Radha Upadhyaya; Dorothy McCormick

Addresses: Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya ' Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract: What capabilities have enabled successful entrepreneurs in developing countries to overcome the challenges of their environment? To answer this question, this study explored the entrepreneurial capabilities of a group of 19 successful metalworking firms manufacturing food processing equipment in Nairobi. Theoretically, the study is rooted in the resource-based view of the firm. The study's research design followed a mixed methods approach. The quantitative survey showed that the majority of firms attribute their success to the vision and leadership of the entrepreneur. The qualitative case study interviews highlighted several capabilities including: capability to envision and lead into the future; resilience; flexibility and adaptability; ability to hire and retain skilled workers; and the ability to interact constructively with customers. The paper shows that firms' perspectives on capabilities emphasise the 'softer' capabilities of entrepreneurs, which reside mainly in the knowledge-based strand of the resource-based view.

Keywords: entrepreneurship; industrialisation; firm capabilities; equipment manufacturing firms; entrepreneurial capabilities; Kenya; industrial policy; Sub-Saharan Africa; technological capabilities; private sector policy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTLID.2020.112226

International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, 2020 Vol.12 No.3, pp.169 - 190

Received: 14 Dec 2019
Accepted: 05 Apr 2020
Published online: 05 Jan 2021 *

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