Question:
1. The different women entrepreneurs in Kenya performs critical role in resolving the electricity shortfall as women play a critical role in achieving the goal. The Lighting Africa Program has tried in engaging the non-governmental organization Practical Action which has helped in scheming business model which is advanced in nature in order to ensure that the women are included in solar energy value chain as the entrepreneurs. As per the LME program, this has been seen that more than 80 percentage of the customers at household level are the women consumers (Stojanovski, Thurber and Wolak 2017).
Proper identification along with nurturing the market of the women will be a successful factor for the Lighting Africa along with Kenya. With the help of the micro loans, the different women entrepreneurs will be having proper access to the micro loans as this will help them in purchasing the different new products and saving the groups as well. With the implementation of the institutional theory, which is inclusive of the different kinds of structures and schemes and norms which is essential for the social behaviour and approach, proper training is required to be provided and this will be helpful in meeting the energy demands of the different households effectively.
2. There are various kinds of characteristics of the female entrepreneurs which will help in influencing the success of the solar lighting project in Kenya. The three major characteristics are as follows:
With the linkage of the women energy entrepreneurs with the certified kind of suppliers, this will be beneficial for the women entrepreneurs to provide success for the solar lighting project.
Secondly, the hard working along with the goal oriented and the optimistic approach, the women entrepreneurs are successful and capable of the taking the different risks in the different tasks which are being performed by them. With the help of the assertiveness and the decision-making skills, this will be beneficial for the success of the solar lighting project and gain more competitive advantage as well
Furthermore, the improved capabilities of the women entrepreneurs in the organization in Kenya will help in improving the overall effectiveness of the business in managing the different kinds of effectiveness in the organization (Rom, Günther and Harrison 2017). The goal-oriented approach of the women entrepreneurs will be helpful in managing the different kinds of risks in such a manner and this will be helpful in creating work-life balance.
These are the different kinds of characteristics of the women entrepreneurs which will be helpful in managing the different effectiveness in an efficient manner.
3. Increasing the market penetration of quality lighting products can facilitate commercialization of the products while operating in the Kenyan markets. It has been found through research that some five percent of the retail outlets in rural areas stock the solar products for distributing. It has affected the approach of organizations in commercializing their products widely in the Kenyan regions. On the other hand, the wide commercialization of the products is assisted through the spontaneous distribution of the quality solar products at affordable price structures, which will help in ensuring the suitable distribution of the quality products.
Answer:
The spontaneous circulation of the products is based on the smooth functioning of the distribution channels. Therefore, the concerned organizations must take steps to build on the distribution channels through the resolving the issues relating to logistics in order to enhance the proper distribution of the products as per the needs of the communities (Rolffs, Byrne and Ockwell 2014). On the other hand, building up more retail stores who will be stocking quality solar lighting systems for the customers will be helping organizations in entertaining the suitable market penetration options. Moreover, the durable nature of the product and the pricing of the same will be helping organizations in upholding the efficacy of the propositions. Therefore, boosting the distribution capabilities and considering the affordability of the products will be helping organizations in commercializing their product offerings more efficiently in the Kenyan markets (Rom, Günther and Harrison 2017).
4. The key critical skills that are needed for the women entrepreneurs while engaging in the programs are knowledge on the marketing techniques and enhanced skills in record keeping. It will be helping the entrepreneurs in undertaking the smooth functioning of the business venture as per the objectives of the business (Byrne et al. 2014). On the other hand, it will be enabling the women in tracking the business performance aligning with the sales of the organizations. The involvement of women entrepreneurs in the business functions is dependent on their understanding of the needs of the community. The health related issues that are faced by the women while utilizing kerosene and other non- renewable resources can be better communicated to the communities, which will be helping in making them aware of the quality products through which the issues might be resolved.
Alternatively, the involvement of the women entrepreneurs in the business will be helping in persuading the different Kenyan customers to make a buy of the products. The women take the household decisions and thereby the active involvement of the women in the organizational practices will be helping to develop opportunities for better livelihood of the same (Langevang et al. 2015). The involvement of women in the sales practices will be supported through their capability of making the people aware of the different technologies as per the demands of women in the communities. The persuasive methods will be helping the organizations in increasing their sales volume as per the need of the customers (Gichuki, Mulu-Mutuku and Kinuthia 2014).
5. The identification of the different concepts that are associated with the entrepreneurial 5P’s has helped in understanding the success factors of female entrepreneurs while operating in Kenya. The perseverance of the women entrepreneurs will be helping the same in overcoming different resilience from the customers. On the other hand, the patience of women entrepreneurs plays a major role in maintaining the efficacy of the business while marketing the solar products in the Kenyan markets. Suitable planning of the business operations will be facilitated through the better understanding of the issues that are faced by the customers (Ekpe, Razak and Mat 2013). The involvement of the women entrepreneurs will be helping the organization in planning the operations through proper identification of the issues that are faced by the women due to lack of solar lighting and cooking solutions.
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The clear purpose of marketing the product also helps in enhancing the business operations through identification of the needs of the customers and thereby proposing products and services. The involvement of the female entrepreneurs in the business processes will be helping the organization in maintaining the efficacy of the functions through clear statement of purpose as per the analysis on the needs of the customers. The passion of the female entrepreneurs to market the solar- based products is based on maximizing the opportunities of leading a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, the active participation of the female entrepreneurs in the business processes will be helping the organizations in undertaking smooth performance through improvements in the marketing and product development aspects.
6. The issues relating to capital investments faced by the women entrepreneurs might be resolved through the implementation of mutually beneficial partnership with different Microfinance Institutions (MFIs). It will be helping the organizations in formulating different market linkages in order to support the financial needs of the women entrepreneurs (Reichborn-Kjennerud and Svare 2014). The enumeration of the different financial needs of the women entrepreneurs and thereby supporting their growth through undertaking collaborations with diverse financial institutions will be helping in developing the enterprises based on solar power products (Komunte, Rwashana and Nabukenya 2012). The linkage of the women entrepreneurs with the different financial institutions will be helping in establishing smooth functioning of the business systems as per the objectives of growth. Enhancing the financial capabilities of women entrepreneurs will be facilitating in the development of different capabilities of the businesses while operating in the Kenyan markets. On the other hand, improvement in the financial abilities of the female entrepreneurs will be helping in the wide development of the solar power supplies in the Kenyan markets (Mwangi 2012).
The women entrepreneurs might also undertake different collaborations with diverse range of companies in order to maximize their involvement in the proper functioning of the business systems while operating in the diverse markets (Lock and Lawton Smith 2016). The most viable option for the women entrepreneurs will be to recreate different advertisements and promotions in order to make different foreign institutions aware of their undertakings for earning foreign investments for the development of the respective firms (Mwobobia 2012). The changes in the organizational functioning and the models that are undertaken by the businesses will be helping to enhance the smooth functioning of the systems as per the objectives of growth of the firms.
7. The business model that is designed by Lighting Africa Kenya program is innovative from the aspects of the different promotional perspectives while operating in the diverse markets. On the other hand, the program recruited some 400 self-employed women who conducted training across the nation. It has helped the project in upholding the efficacy through the proper sharing of business knowledge attributes among the women entrepreneurs (Bank 2018). The training sessions that are provided by the program resulted to knowledge transfers relating to upgradation of business management skills (Shankar, Onyura and Alderman 2015). The training also provided the female entrepreneurs with the insights on marketing, communications, record keeping and employee-productivity management, which will be facilitating in the smooth functioning of the ventures while operating in the diverse situations (Ulsrud et al. 2015). The transmission of suitable knowledge of the business processes has helped in enhancing the operations of the business while operating in the diverse market situations. On the other hand, the active participation of the program partner has helped the authorities in devising podcasts. The podcasts helped the concerned authorities in reaching out to the reaching out to over 200 women entrepreneurs across the nation (Bank 2018). The innovative approach used by the concerned authorities in the program has helped the same in undertaking the smooth functioning through mass awareness of the procedures.
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8. The dream entrepreneurial team in the context of the Kenyan market will be based on the perfect understanding of the needs of the women in the communities in relation to selling of solar lighting products. On the other hand, the suitable understanding of the business management in the organizational context will be helping the women entrepreneurs in understanding the scope of expansion of the enterprises (Bank 2018). Different innovative technologies will be helping the organizations in maintaining the efficacy of the functions while launching and marketing the propositions. The identification of the issues that are faced by the customers and the manner in which they can be mitigated will be helping the female dominated startups in Kenya to flourish.
9. The seven stages of the journey can be implemented in the case where the research on the needs of the customers will be helping the entrepreneurs in designing the business model. On the other hand, the research on the viability of the solar product launch in the Kenyan market is an effective measure, which will be helping the organizations in maintaining the efficacy of the performance (Lay, Ondraczek and Stoever 2013). On the other hand, the assessment of the needs and the feasibility is again an important factor that will be helping the female entrepreneurs in establishing the venture and initiating the designing aspects of the product offerings. The formulation of the managerial decisions and the manner in which they are affected the by the assessments assists the organizations in maximizing the efficacy at the implementation phase. Support systems of the implementation process will be helping the organizations in maintaining the efficacy of the functions as per the objectives of the business. Therefore, it can be stated that the seven steps of the journey mapping can be implemented in the venture that is being undertaken by the female entrepreneurs through systematic review of the steps. It will be helping the venture in undertaking the operations in an organized basis.
References:
Bank, T., 2018. Case study : Kenya’s solar lighting entrepreneurs. [online] Documents.worldbank.org. Available at: https://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/764301511510075149/Case-study-Kenya-s-solar-lighting-entrepreneurs [Accessed 6 Oct. 2018].
Byrne, R., Ockwell, D., Urama, K., Ozor, N., Kirumba, E., Ely, A., Becker, S. and Gollwitzer, L., 2014. Sustainable energy for whom? Governing pro-poor, low-carbon pathways to development: lessons from solar PV in Kenya.
Ekpe, I., Razak, R.C. and Mat, N.B., 2013. The performance of female entrepreneurs: Credit, training and the moderating effect of attitude towards risk-taking. International Journal of Management, 30(3), p.10.
Gichuki, C.N., Mulu-Mutuku, M. and Kinuthia, L.N., 2014. Performance of women owned enterprises accessing credit from village credit and savings associations in Kenya. Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, 4(1), p.16.
Komunte, M., Rwashana, A.S. and Nabukenya, J., 2012. Comparative analysis of mobile phone usage among women entrepreneurs in Uganda and Kenya. African Journal of computing & ICT, 5(5), pp.74-86.
Langevang, T., Gough, K.V., Yankson, P.W., Owusu, G. and Osei, R., 2015. Bounded entrepreneurial vitality: The mixed embeddedness of female entrepreneurship. Economic Geography, 91(4), pp.449-473.
Lay, J., Ondraczek, J. and Stoever, J., 2013. Renewables in the energy transition: Evidence on solar home systems and lighting fuel choice in Kenya. Energy Economics, 40, pp.350-359.
Lock, R. and Lawton Smith, H., 2016. The impact of female entrepreneurship on economic growth in Kenya. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 8(1), pp.90-96.
Mwangi, S.M., 2012. Psychosocial challenges facing female entrepreneurs in rural informal sector and their coping mechanisms: A case study of Gucha District, Kenya. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(2), pp.15-27.
Mwobobia, F.M., 2012. The challenges facing small-scale women entrepreneurs: A case of Kenya. International Journal of Business Administration, 3(2), p.112.
Reichborn-Kjennerud, K. and Svare, H., 2014. Entrepreneurial growth strategies: the female touch. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 6(2), pp.181-199.
Rolffs, P., Byrne, R. and Ockwell, D., 2014. Financing Sustainable Energy for All: Pay-as-you-go vs. traditional solar finance approaches in Kenya.
Rom, A., Günther, I. and Harrison, K., 2017. The economic impact of solar lighting: results from a randomised field experiment in rural Kenya. ETH Zurich.
Shankar, A.V., Onyura, M. and Alderman, J., 2015. Agency-based empowerment training enhances sales capacity of female energy entrepreneurs in Kenya. Journal of health communication, 20(sup1), pp.67-75.
Stojanovski, O., Thurber, M. and Wolak, F., 2017. Rural energy access through solar home systems: Use patterns and opportunities for improvement. Energy for Sustainable Development, 37, pp.33-50.
Ulsrud, K., Winther, T., Palit, D. and Rohracher, H., 2015. Village-level solar power in Africa: Accelerating access to electricity services through a socio-technical design in Kenya. Energy Research & Social Science, 5, pp.34-44.
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