Effect of Customer Intensity Strategies on The Performance of Youth-Owned Enterprises in The Lake Region Economic Bloc, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jepm.3910Keywords:
Customer Intensity, Enterprise Performance, Youth-Owned Enterprises, Lake Region Economic BlocAbstract
Purpose: Youth-owned enterprises (YOEs) in Kenya’s Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) continue to record high failure rates despite sustained government and donor support, with weak customer-focused marketing repeatedly cited as a constraint on growth. This study, therefore, sought to evaluate the effect of customer intensity strategies on the performance of youth-owned enterprises in the LREB, Kenya.
Methodology: A descriptive research design was adopted, targeting 71,890 registered youth-owned enterprises drawn from the trade, manufacturing, services, and agriculture sectors in Busia, Kakamega, Kisumu, Homa Bay, and Kisii counties. Cochran's (1977) formula, adjusted for a finite population, was used to arrive at a sample size of 382 enterprises, proportionately distributed across the five counties using stratified random sampling. A structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data, and a pilot test was conducted to assess validity and reliability. Of the 352 questionnaires administered to the quantitative sample, 320 were correctly filled and returned, translating to a response rate of 90.91%. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).
Findings: The findings revealed that most respondents perceived customer feedback usage, customer engagement, and repeat enterprise frequency as important drivers of enterprise performance. The study concluded that customer intensity, expressed through active customer engagement, quality service delivery, and responsiveness to feedback, affects performance among youth-owned enterprises in the LREB.
Unique Contribution to Theory Practice and Policy: The study recommended that youth entrepreneurs adopt affordable digital Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools to strengthen customer engagement, and that development partners mentor youth enterprises on customer service, branding, and relationship-based marketing to sustain competitiveness.
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References
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Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
Cochran, W. G. (1977). Sampling techniques (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Sage Publications.
Duru, I. U., & Ehidiamhen, P. O. (2018). Entrepreneurial marketing and youth enterprise performance in sub-Saharan Africa. African Journal of Business Management, 12(4), 88–97.
Islam, J. U., Rahman, Z., & Hollebeek, L. D. (2020). Consumer engagement in online brand communities. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 55, 102065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102065
Kamuru, P. (2018). Youth entrepreneurship in the Lake Region Economic Bloc: Opportunities and challenges. Journal of African Development Studies, 6(2), 45–58.
Kariuki, J. (2023). Social media marketing, competitiveness, and consumer loyalty in the agro-processing sector. Kenya Journal of Business and Marketing, 9(1), 12–24.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics [KNBS]. (2022). Micro, small, and medium establishments basic report. Government Printer.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics [KNBS]. (2023). Economic survey. Government Printer.
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2022). Marketing management (16th ed.). Pearson Education.
Kumar, V., Jones, E., Venkatesan, R., & Leone, R. P. (2019). Is market orientation still relevant? Insights from emerging markets. Journal of Marketing, 83(3), 125–143.
Kumar, V., Rajan, B., Gupta, S., & Dalla Pozza, I. (2019). Customer engagement in a digitalized world. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 47(1), 117–140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-018-0635-7
Lee, N., & Kotler, P. (2020). Social marketing: Behavior change for social good (6th ed.). Sage.
Morris, M. H., Schindehutte, M., & LaForge, R. W. (2002). Entrepreneurial marketing: A construct for integrating emerging entrepreneurship and marketing perspectives. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 10(4), 1–19.
Mugenda, O. M., & Mugenda, A. G. (2003). Research methods: Quantitative and qualitative approaches. African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) Press.
Ngera, S. N. (2024). Effect of entrepreneurial marketing practice on the performance of urban small and medium enterprises in Kenya. Unpublished master's thesis.
Ngugi, J., Odero-Wanga, D., & Mshenga, P. M. (2021). Determinants of customer retention in youth-led agribusinesses in Kenya. African Journal of Business Management, 15(7), 158–168.
Rather, R. A. (2021). Customer experience and engagement. Journal of Travel Research, 60(3), 567–584. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287520907732
Shapiro, S. S., & Wilk, M. B. (1965). An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika, 52(3/4), 591–611.
Smith, A., Dibb, S., & Meadows, M. (2022). Emotional engagement in youth-led enterprises. Journal of Business Research, 142, 421–432.
Thomson, M., Whelan, J., & Johnson, A. R. (2020). Brand attachment and loyalty. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 30(2), 257–273.
Wachira, P. M. (2024). Entrepreneurial capabilities and performance of youth-owned agribusiness enterprises. Unpublished master's thesis.
Wang, Y., Luo, X., & Zhang, Y. (2022). Product innovation, digital marketing, and SME performance in emerging markets. Journal of Business Research, 139, 423–431.
Al-Shaikh, M. E., & Hanaysha, J. R. (2022). An examination of entrepreneurial marketing dimensions and firm performance in small and medium enterprises. Sustainability, 14(18), 11444. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14181144
Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
Cochran, W. G. (1977). Sampling techniques (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Sage Publications.
Duru, I. U., & Ehidiamhen, P. O. (2018). Entrepreneurial marketing and youth enterprise performance in sub-Saharan Africa. African Journal of Business Management, 12(4), 88–97.
Islam, J. U., Rahman, Z., & Hollebeek, L. D. (2020). Consumer engagement in online brand communities. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 55, 102065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102065
Kamuru, P. (2018). Youth entrepreneurship in the Lake Region Economic Bloc: Opportunities and challenges. Journal of African Development Studies, 6(2), 45–58.
Kariuki, J. (2023). Social media marketing, competitiveness, and consumer loyalty in the agro-processing sector. Kenya Journal of Business and Marketing, 9(1), 12–24.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics [KNBS]. (2022). Micro, small, and medium establishments basic report. Government Printer.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics [KNBS]. (2023). Economic survey. Government Printer.
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2022). Marketing management (16th ed.). Pearson Education.
Kumar, V., Jones, E., Venkatesan, R., & Leone, R. P. (2019). Is market orientation still relevant? Insights from emerging markets. Journal of Marketing, 83(3), 125–143.
Kumar, V., Rajan, B., Gupta, S., & Dalla Pozza, I. (2019). Customer engagement in a digitalized world. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 47(1), 117–140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-018-0635-7
Lee, N., & Kotler, P. (2020). Social marketing: Behavior change for social good (6th ed.). Sage.
Morris, M. H., Schindehutte, M., & LaForge, R. W. (2002). Entrepreneurial marketing: A construct for integrating emerging entrepreneurship and marketing perspectives. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 10(4), 1–19.
Mugenda, O. M., & Mugenda, A. G. (2003). Research methods: Quantitative and qualitative approaches. African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) Press.
Ngera, S. N. (2024). Effect of entrepreneurial marketing practice on the performance of urban small and medium enterprises in Kenya. Unpublished master's thesis.
Ngugi, J., Odero-Wanga, D., & Mshenga, P. M. (2021). Determinants of customer retention in youth-led agribusinesses in Kenya. African Journal of Business Management, 15(7), 158–168.
Rather, R. A. (2021). Customer experience and engagement. Journal of Travel Research, 60(3), 567–584. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287520907732
Shapiro, S. S., & Wilk, M. B. (1965). An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika, 52(3/4), 591–611.
Smith, A., Dibb, S., & Meadows, M. (2022). Emotional engagement in youth-led enterprises. Journal of Business Research, 142, 421–432.
Thomson, M., Whelan, J., & Johnson, A. R. (2020). Brand attachment and loyalty. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 30(2), 257–273.
Wachira, P. M. (2024). Entrepreneurial capabilities and performance of youth-owned agribusiness enterprises. Unpublished master's thesis.
Wang, Y., Luo, X., & Zhang, Y. (2022). Product innovation, digital marketing, and SME performance in emerging markets. Journal of Business Research, 139, 423–431.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Anne Karani Iswan, Dr. Joseph Ndururi, Dr. Lawrence Odollo
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