International Journal of Management and Leadership Studies
2025; 6(i): 861-872
ISSN:
2311 7575
CAPACITY BUILDING BY BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS’ GROWTH IN THE KENYAN MANUFACTURING SECTOR
Charles Karumba and Ms. Laura Nyaloti
Published:
01 December, 2025
Volume:
6
Issue:
i
Keywords:
Business Associations, Capacity Building, Growth, Manufacturing Sector, Kenya
Capacity building emerged as the most influential factor for organizational growth. The
research paper explores the effect of capacity-building initiatives by business associations
such as the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) on the growth of member
organizations within Kenya’s manufacturing sector. The research designs embraced a
descriptive research design focusing on 534 member SMEs of KAM. Structured
questionnaires were used to gather the primary data, which was assessed with help of
multiple regression analysis. The results showed that there is a positive and statistically
significant relationship between capacity-building programs and the growth of member
organizations. The research concludes that association-led training and knowledge
improvement programs enhance operational efficiency, innovation capability, and
competitiveness of the members. It advises that business associations must make more
investments into special trainings, mentorship, and collaboration with educational and
technical institutions in order to reinforce the performance and longevity of the sector.