Immigrant Entrepreneurship and Performance of Small and Medium Enterprise Firms Owned by Burji Community in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Purpose: This study aimed at establishing the influence of immigrant entrepreneurship on the performance of Burji-owned SME firms in Nairobi City County. Immigrant entrepreneurship is situation where immigrants engage in business activities in the host country, mainly for survival. Immigrants' inclination towards entrepreneurship is partially explained by social-cultural factors such as religion, saving culture, work ethics, and social values. Research on immigrant entrepreneurship is today multidisciplinary, and it includes business, management, political sciences, and sociology. The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of immigrant entrepreneurship on the performance of Burji-owned SME firms in Nairobi City County. Methodology: Hypothesis was formulated to address this objective. The study adopted a cross sectional descriptive survey design, using a sample of 363 Burji community-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating within Nairobi City County. Findings: The study found a significant and positive relationship between immigrant entrepreneurship and performance of SME firms owned by Burji Community in Nairobi City County. The study underscores that immigrant entrepreneurship within the Burji Community does not operate in isolation. Instead, it is deeply embedded in and influenced by cultural identity, financial capacity, and the institutional setting. Together, these factors contribute to the enhanced performance of SMEs owned by this community in Nairobi City County. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The results of this study have contributed to theory and better understanding of the antecedents of immigrant entrepreneurship providing reference for further research. The study recommended that future studies should consider expanding the geographic scope beyond Nairobi City County to include other urban and rural areas in Kenya. This will allow for comparative analysis across different regional contexts, offering a broader understanding of how location-specific factors such as infrastructure, market dynamics, and institutional support influence entrepreneurial outcomes among immigrant communities.