Review Article
Examining the Role of Visionary Leadership in Unveiling the ‘Singapore Dream’ for Economic Transformation and Political Expediency in Kenya: A Critical Review
Evans Okemwa Achuti*
Issue:
Volume 12, Issue 4, December 2026
Pages:
212-228
Received:
13 September 2026
Accepted:
23 September 2026
Published:
9 October 2026
Abstract: This review explores how visionary leadership has supported Singapore’s rapid and resilient economic transformation and evaluates the adaptation of such leadership to the Kenyan context. It identifies leadership elements crucial to Singapore’s success, assesses how political expediency and patronage shape Kenya’s reform capacity, compares governance paths, and suggests frameworks that align Kenya’s political realities with its developmental goals. A PRISMA-aligned search (2015-2026) of Scopus, Web of Science, JSTOR, and Google Scholar used Boolean keywords linking visionary leadership with economic transformation, the Singapore model, and political factors. Two reviewers screened, assessed, extracted, and appraised the data and integrated the findings through narrative synthesis. Singapore’s transformation is linked to strategic foresight, innovation-driven policy, meritocratic governance, anti-corruption, and institutional integrity, which ensure continuity and stability in policies. In contrast, Kenya’s political expediency, decentralization challenges, patronage, and institutional fragility lead to fragmented implementation, reversals, and weak accountability, as seen in persistent poverty (approximately 36% below the poverty line), uneven growth (approximately 5.7% annually), and high perceived corruption (124/180 on the Corruption Perceptions Index), which deter innovation and investment. Synthesizing Adaptive Cognitive Reframing, Political Economy, and Transformational Leadership theories, this study proposes an adaptive leadership framework that combines cognitive flexibility, strategic engagement, and collective action mobilization with systemic reforms. The key implication is that Kenya’s modernization and equity depend on embedding adaptive leadership within reforms, reducing patronage, strengthening institutions, and expanding governance, supported by leadership development and knowledge exchange with Singapore, alongside future empirical validation.
Abstract: This review explores how visionary leadership has supported Singapore’s rapid and resilient economic transformation and evaluates the adaptation of such leadership to the Kenyan context. It identifies leadership elements crucial to Singapore’s success, assesses how political expediency and patronage shape Kenya’s reform capacity, compares governanc...
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Research Article
Bank of Industry’s SMEs Financing and the Growth of Fashion and Beauty Enterprises in Anambra State, Nigeria
Issue:
Volume 12, Issue 4, December 2026
Pages:
229-242
Received:
1 August 2026
Accepted:
22 August 2026
Published:
14 October 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijsdr.20261204.12
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Abstract: The Bank of Industry (BOI) was established to provide financial and advisory support services for SMEs in the formal and informal sectors of the Nigerian economy. Several studies have been conducted to evaluate the effects of commercial banks’ credits on the growth of SMEs; however, empirical studies on the contributions of the BOI to the expansion of small businesses in Nigeria have remained inadequate. Against this backdrop, the study examined the effect of the BOI SMEs lending scheme on the growth of fashion and beauty businesses in Anambra state, from 2015 to 2025. Methodologically, the study employed a survey design, utilizing questionnaires and interviews to collect primary data. The quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative descriptive methods. The survey results showed that the BOI SMEs lending initiative did not enhance the growth of the selected fashion and beauty enterprises in Anambra state during the study period. This is due to the BOI’s strict lending conditions, which mandated that the SMEs’ applicants must provide collateral (e.g., landed property) and high-ranking civil servants (as guarantors) as preconditions for loan procurement. The study recommends the review of the BOI lending policy to ensure that loan requirements, rates, maturities, and payback terms are flexible, complementary, and intended to enhance business profitability, stability, and growth of SMEs. The study also suggests that the operating facilities of the SMEs should be used as collateral, while the volume, frequency, and consistency of cash flows in their bank account statements should be used as a benchmark to determine the amount of money to lend to these businesses that they have the capacity to repay.
Abstract: The Bank of Industry (BOI) was established to provide financial and advisory support services for SMEs in the formal and informal sectors of the Nigerian economy. Several studies have been conducted to evaluate the effects of commercial banks’ credits on the growth of SMEs; however, empirical studies on the contributions of the BOI to the expansion...
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