Contextual Innovation, Growth And Income In Garment Micro Businesses: Limitations From Questionnaire-Based Data

Abstract

This paper explores the link between contextual innovation, business growth and income for garment micro-businesses based on survey data collected from Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Iringa and Mbeya Regions. The survey (on which the paper is based ) intended to find out the role of information in the promotion of micro- businesses in the carpentry and garment sub sectors. The research was important because some studies (Rogers, 1995, Kibera, 1997) show that availability of information could explain why urban-based micro enterprises perform better than semi-urban and rural ones, which suggests that purposeful interventions in the supply of information could promote micro-enterprises.

The purpose of this paper it to refocus on the limitations of linking contextual innovation with growth and income of micro-businesses involved in the garment sub sector. Knowledge on the link between innovation, growth and income is useful for indicating areas of innovation in micro-enterprises that can provide better push in business growth and income necessary for poverty alleviation. The findings suggest that there are many dimensions of innovations and factors that determine business growth and in come. It becomes even more problematic to measure growth or income.
African Journal of Finance and Management Vol.13(1) 2004: 38-47