期刊名称：International Review of Management and Business Research
印刷版ISSN：2307-5953
电子版ISSN：2306-9007
出版年度：2014
卷号：3
期号：3Part 2
页码：1443-1453
出版社：Academy of IRMBR
摘要：Innovation in the leather sector at global level determines its productivity and competitiveness. Thusly, its importance in enhancing leather value chain initiatives in Africa cannot be disregarded without adverse socio-economic consequences. This is especially so when the continent is endowed with great resources with a global share of 21% of the world livestock population. However, to attain on some of the goals related to processing and product development in the leather sector innovation becomes pinnacle in the re-strategization phases of Africas agro-based development plans. It is with this background that the study analyzed the responses from the leather strata in Kenya and related the strata to innovativeness. Moreover, the research evaluated the significance of the interrelationship between various stratums that interphase in the value creation process of the leather sector under the auspicious of innovation. The study used a quantitative approach (n=244), descriptive analysis including an aggregate score to ascertain the top activities impacting on innovation in Kenya. The results indicated that the lower tier of the leather strata which encompassed the producers, butchers and traders were inept in using ICT to facilitate in their business development and transactions. In retrospect the higher tier (includes tanners, leather goods and footwear) the tanners were mostly found to engage with ICT to enhance on their operations. The shortcoming of not using ICT was observed to impact negatively on Leathergoods and footwear stratums. This was conspicuous and related to declined productivity culminating to poor competitiveness which resulted to dumping of lower quality products. Therefore, this performance deterred all efforts in developing the leather goods and footwear stratums competitiveness. In general, responses of the study were significant portending that innovation is central to the overall development of the leather sector in Kenya.
