Youth Empowerment through Entrepreneurship Management: A Pathway to Sustainable Job Creation in Kenya

Abstract

Youth unemployment is an increasing problem around the world that makes poverty and dependency cycles worse, which slows down progress. In response, governments and development partners have introduced national policies, programs, and funding to furnish young people with the essential knowledge and skills to overcome these challenges. Despite the efforts made by various stakeholders to enhance youth empowerment, the outcomes have consistently fallen short of expectations. The education levels in Kilifi County, currently at 60%, have significantly impacted coastal youth's access to entrepreneurial training. The research aimed to determine the impact of entrepreneurship management practices on youth empowerment in Kilifi County, Kenya. The study extensively analyzed the effects of resource orientation, entrepreneurship culture, growth orientation, and management structure on youth empowerment programs in Kilifi County, Kenya. The empowerment theory, stakeholder’s theory, dynamic capability theory, and theory of innovation anchored the study. The study used a descriptive and explanatory research design. The target population consisted of four hundred youths participating in youth empowerment initiatives across seven distinct sectors; however, a sample size of two hundred was chosen via stratified and random sampling methods. Data were collected using semi structured questionnaires and analyzed through regression modeling. Findings indicated that entrepreneurship management practices significantly and positively influence youth empowerment programs (R² = 0.774, p < 0.01). Specifically, entrepreneurship culture, growth orientation, management structure emerged as the strongest predictors of youth empowerment. The study concluded that ongoing evaluation of the needs of young individuals, the strategic distribution of financial, human, and material resources, along with proactive collaboration with various stakeholders, fosters accountability, optimizes decision-making processes, and improves operational effectiveness.