SBE Hosts Symposium on Leveraging Digital Technology for SME Growth and Sustainability
Mount Kenya University’s School of Business and Economics successfully hosted a symposium on February 20, 2025, at the Mwai Kibaki Convention Center under the theme “Leveraging Digital Technology for Growth and Sustainability of SMEs.” The event brought together academia, students, SMEs, and exhibitors to explore how digital technology can transform small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly for women entrepreneurs.
The symposium marked the culmination of two years of research investigating the challenges and opportunities in digital adoption among SMEs. In his opening remarks, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deogratious Jaganyi encouraged students to embrace entrepreneurship and leverage such platforms to develop business skills, ensuring financial independence beyond employment. Dr. Harrison Mutegi, Managing Director of Elegant Credit Limited, emphasized the need for SMEs to have a solid business foundation before seeking financial support, as banks finance businesses rather than ideas.
Engaging Sessions and Industry Collaboration
The event featured presentations, a panel discussion, an e-commerce interactive session, and a master class by Unilever Industries. Experts from Kingdom Bank and Caritas Nairobi on strategies for digital marketing, financial technology adoption, and leveraging digital platforms for business expansion.
The Principal Investigator, Dr. Mercyline Kamande, presented findings from the research, highlighting that while many women entrepreneurs are familiar with social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and WhatsApp, they struggle to effectively use them for business purposes. The study revealed a lack of clear understanding of social media performance metrics and insufficient skills to optimize these platforms for commercial success.
To bridge this gap, 41 SMEs underwent targeted training in Digital Marketing which was spearheaded by Principal Investigator Dr. Mercyline Kamande assisted by Deputy Principal Investigator Dr. Maria Mungara, the training covered Content Marketing, Email and Video Marketing, and Social Media Marketing. They received continued mentorship through a one-month diary study approach to track their progress and implementation of digital strategies.
Way Forward and Conclusion
The symposium concluded with key recommendations, including:
- Strengthening digital training programs for SMEs to ensure long-term sustainability.
- Encouraging more collaboration between academia, industry players, and SMEs to drive digital transformation.
- Enhancing financial and digital literacy programs for entrepreneurs, particularly women-led businesses.
- Creating more structured follow-up mechanisms to monitor and support SMEs in implementing digital strategies.
Appreciation
Mount Kenya University extended its appreciation to all participants, industry partners, and exhibitors for their valuable contributions to making the event a success. The University remains committed to empowering SMEs through research, capacity building, and collaboration with key stakeholders to drive digital transformation in Kenya’s business landscape.
