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Despite the effort to increase financial inclusion, women-owned Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) continue to face challenges in the uptake of financial services. Low financial uptake is strongly associated with business failure leading to low income and living standards among women entrepreneurs in marginalized areas. Market system strategies are crucial in determining businesses' level of financial uptake. The study investigated the effect of market system strategies on the financial uptake of women-owned MSMEs in the informal settlement of Nyeri County. Specifically, it investigated the effect of business readiness, financial literacy, investor relationships, and investment impact on financial uptake among women-owned MSMEs. The study variables were anchored on Ricky Griffin's model, Theory of Change, and Refinancing theory. The study used a descriptive research design, specifically a cross-sectional design. The target population was 890 women-owned MSMEs in the informal settlements of Nyeri county. Proportionate stratified and random sampling were used to obtain a sample of 275 businesses representing approximately 30% of the study population. Data was collected using structured questionnaires. A pilot test was conducted using ten individuals to test and improve the study questionnaire Reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha, where an alpha of 0.7 was the acceptable threshold. Regression analyses indicated that the market system strategies, business readiness, financial literacy, impact investment, and investor relationship positively and significantly affected financial uptake, with p-values lower than 0.05 alpha. The study found that businesses with better market system strategies have a higher financial uptake. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that policies and interventions aimed at improving financial uptake among women-owned MSMEs should focus on enhancing business readiness and financial literacy and building strong impact investment and investor relationships. The county government, NGOs, and others interested stakeholders should encourage women entrepreneurs in informal settlements of Nyeri county to seek training and support to develop their business skills and increase their understanding of financial uptake. Furthermore, the county and national governments should connect women-owned MSMEs with impact investors and establish relationships to provide funding, support, and mentorship. Finally, policymakers and stakeholders in the financial sector should consider creating an enabling environment that supports and incentivizes impact investment in MSMEs, especially those owned by women, to increase their financial uptake.

This paper aims to examine the effect of strategic leadership, resource allocation, information technology, customer focus, and differentiation on the performance of microfinance institutions in Nairobi City County. The study was founded on a resource-based view, dynamic capability and life-cycle theories. A target of 300 employees was targeted from which a sample of 172 research participants was recruited. The sample was selected through a combination of both stratified and sampling techniques. Questionnaires were used for primary data collection. Analysis used both descriptive and multiple regression analyses. The findings of the study indicated the urgency for microfinance organizations to adopt growth strategies that encompass innovative digital advancements, the introduction of novel products, innovation-focused strategies, and the digitization of services. The findings further highlighted the pivotal roles played by strategic positioning, strategic leadership, information technology integration, and differentiation in significantly shaping microfinance institutions’ performance. The findings also indicated that a unit enhancement of strategic positioning indicator had a significant enhancement on their individual performance. However, the effect of customer focus and resource allocation did not exhibit the same level of significance. The study recommended the reinforcement of strategic positioning, optimized resource allocation, embracing technological integration, and an unwavering focus on customer needs. The study recommended the exploration of diverse leadership styles, resource allocation strategies, and the undertaking of comparative analyses to draw insights into the effects of these factors on microfinance institutions.

In the current dynamic world, those with no or little access to key financial products and services suffer a great deal of disservice. This study examines the effect of remittance channels (commercial banks and alternative sources) have on financial inclusion and then check the moderating effect of money remittance regulation on the relationship between the remittance channels and financial inclusion in Kenya. It uses the World Bank and Central Bank of Kenya’s dataset on remittances and financial inclusion covering the period from 2009 to 2018. We estimate our model using the Ordinary Least Square assumptions to find the association. We find that remittances from alternative channels other than commercial banks influence financial inclusion in Kenya. We further notice that the money remittance regulations have no moderating effect on the relationship between remittance channels and financial inclusion in Kenya. Our results suggest that commercial banks are not able to appropriately sell their products and services to remittance-receiving households while fintech and other internet remitting service providers seem to roll on products and services that enhance the use of savings and credit facilities. We suggest that more avenues and policies should be enacted to foster the use of alternative sources while improving structures within commercial banks to empower financial inclusion in Kenya

Despite the effort to increase financial inclusion, women-owned Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) continue to face challenges in the uptake of financial services. Low financial uptake is strongly associated with business failure leading to low income and living standards among women entrepreneurs in marginalized areas. Market system strategies are crucial in determining businesses' level of financial uptake. The study investigated the effect of market system strategies on the financial uptake of women-owned MSMEs in the informal settlement of Nyeri County. Specifically, it investigated the effect of business readiness, financial literacy, investor relationships, and investment impact on financial uptake among women-owned MSMEs. The study variables were anchored on Ricky Griffin's model, Theory of Change, and Refinancing theory. The study used a descriptive research design, specifically a cross-sectional design. The target population was 890 women-owned MSMEs in the informal settlements of Nyeri county. Proportionate stratified and random sampling were used to obtain a sample of 275 businesses representing approximately 30% of the study population. Data was collected using structured questionnaires. A pilot test was conducted using ten individuals to test and improve the study questionnaire Reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha, where an alpha of 0.7 was the acceptable threshold. Regression analyses indicated that the market system strategies, business readiness, financial literacy, impact investment, and investor relationship positively and significantly affected financial uptake, with p-values lower than 0.05 alpha. The study found that businesses with better market system strategies have a higher financial uptake. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that policies and interventions aimed at improving financial uptake among women-owned MSMEs should focus on enhancing business readiness and financial literacy and building strong impact investment and investor relationships. The county government, NGOs, and others interested stakeholders should encourage women entrepreneurs in informal settlements of Nyeri county to seek training and support to develop their business skills and increase their understanding of financial uptake. Furthermore, the county and national governments should connect women-owned MSMEs with impact investors and establish relationships to provide funding, support, and mentorship. Finally, policymakers and stakeholders in the financial sector should consider creating an enabling environment that supports and incentivizes impact investment in MSMEs, especially those owned by women, to increase their financial uptake.

This paper aims to examine the effect of strategic leadership, resource allocation, information technology, customer focus, and differentiation on the performance of microfinance institutions in Nairobi City County. The study was founded on a resource-based view, dynamic capability and life-cycle theories. A target of 300 employees was targeted from which a sample of 172 research participants was recruited. The sample was selected through a combination of both stratified and sampling techniques. Questionnaires were used for primary data collection. Analysis used both descriptive and multiple regression analyses. The findings of the study indicated the urgency for microfinance organizations to adopt growth strategies that encompass innovative digital advancements, the introduction of novel products, innovation-focused strategies, and the digitization of services. The findings further highlighted the pivotal roles played by strategic positioning, strategic leadership, information technology integration, and differentiation in significantly shaping microfinance institutions’ performance. The findings also indicated that a unit enhancement of strategic positioning indicator had a significant enhancement on their individual performance. However, the effect of customer focus and resource allocation did not exhibit the same level of significance. The study recommended the reinforcement of strategic positioning, optimized resource allocation, embracing technological integration, and an unwavering focus on customer needs. The study recommended the exploration of diverse leadership styles, resource allocation strategies, and the undertaking of comparative analyses to draw insights into the effects of these factors on microfinance institutions.

In the current dynamic world, those with no or little access to key financial products and services suffer a great deal of disservice. This study examines the effect of remittance channels (commercial banks and alternative sources) have on financial inclusion and then check the moderating effect of money remittance regulation on the relationship between the remittance channels and financial inclusion in Kenya. It uses the World Bank and Central Bank of Kenya’s dataset on remittances and financial inclusion covering the period from 2009 to 2018. We estimate our model using the Ordinary Least Square assumptions to find the association. We find that remittances from alternative channels other than commercial banks influence financial inclusion in Kenya. We further notice that the money remittance regulations have no moderating effect on the relationship between remittance channels and financial inclusion in Kenya. Our results suggest that commercial banks are not able to appropriately sell their products and services to remittance-receiving households while fintech and other internet remitting service providers seem to roll on products and services that enhance the use of savings and credit facilities. We suggest that more avenues and policies should be enacted to foster the use of alternative sources while improving structures within commercial banks to empower financial inclusion in Kenya