INFLUENCE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS ON THE GROWTH OF MICRO AND SMALL ENTERPRISES OWNED BY WOMEN IN MERU COUNTY, KENYA

This study was aimed at establishing the influence of entrepreneurial skills on the growth of women owned micro and small enterprises in Meru town. The target population consisted of all women owned micro and small enterprises in Meru town. These enterprises can be classified into four types namely, trade, service, manufacturing and processing. This data was obtained from the business registration register. The study used descriptive statistics and used self- administered questionnaires to collect data. Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statictics using SPSS version 22. The study found that entrepreneurial skills such as marketing skills, financial management skills, human management skills, organizing skills among others had very strong influence on the growth of MSEs owned by women. The multiple regression analysis showed that entrepreneurial skills has a strength of 0.829 and a correlation of correlation of 0.696.The study recommended that all means to be used to ensure women entrepreneurs have the necessary enterprise running skills such as marketing skills, financial management organizing skills human resource management skills.