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Footwear chain and participation of micro and small enterprises in Tanzania: What are their coping strategies?
(Enterprenuership and Bussiness Development Research Cluster, 2005) Kuzilwa, Joseph A.; Karia, Francis P.
The local footwear environment in Tanzania in which micro and small footwear enterprises are embedded influences the capacity of the firms to cope with the vagaries of liberalization and globalization. This paper has used value chain, clustering and firm level institutions theories to develop the conceptual frame which has examined this phenomena. An in-depth case study approach involving content analysis of six cases of micro and small enterprises was used as the methodology of study. The findings showed that micro and small footwear enterprises (MSEs) use a variety of strategies, including product differentiation, market diversification, market targeting, and product exporting (cross-border trade) as ways of dealing with imports of cheap second hand and new shoes in the local market. The study also showed that predisposing factors, particularly training and experience gained in the trade, played a vital role in influencing the enterprises strategic posture. On the other hand, the study showed that little clustering and cooperation existed amongst the footwear MSEs despite the potential advantages such as collective efficiency that could be gained, for example, from joint input procurement, joint selling and information sharing. Overall, the study showed that despite their disconnectedness, MSE in this sector have managed to survive and some have even grown.
Investigation into factors that influence the diffusion of innovation among households in Tanzania: The case of MSEs innovated cooking stoves in Shinyanga region
(Enterprenuership and Bussiness Development Research Cluster, 2005) Nsana, Bernard J. M.
This study investigates into factors that influence the adoption and diffusion of innovations in cooking stoves among rural households in Tanzania. It is a case study conducted in Meatu and Shinyanga districts. The design of study was that of a survey within a case study, as 100 households were surveyed to arrive at the results.
The findings revealed that for the two districts adoption and diffusion of the innovations was still very low, with the rate of 0.66% for Meatu district and 0.20% for Kahama district- an average of 0.43% for the two districts.
The study revealed several factors that were behind the low rates. These include: status quo syndrome, lack of awareness of where to find the stoves, cultural values, absence of networks etc., as demonstrated in chapter four. Despite the low rates of adoption, there are some factors that point to market optimism, such as the high value the respondents place on the quality and efficiency of the stoves. Poor marketing and some negative cultural factors inhibited wide adoption. The study concludes with some recommendations that point to ways and strategies that could bring about wider adoption of the innovations. It also suggests areas for further research.
Process and constraints incross-border trade in Tanzania: The case of maize trade in Sumbawanga and Nkasi districts in Rukwa region.
(Enterprenuership and Bussiness Development Research Cluster, 2005) Rutebinga, Philbert
This study focused on the process and constraints in cross-border trade in Tanzania. The main research question was on what process the trade was being carried out and the constraints it was facing in the realization of the expected benefits. Data were collected from farmers, traders, agents, the agricultural offices, TRA, Immigration, Village and Ward Offices and Transporters. Interviews and questionnaires were used in the process. The analysis was based on descriptive statistics that include tables and percentages.
Opinion survey indicated that prices of maize were better compared to period’s pre-cross border trade. However, price differences between farm gate price and prices across the border having deducted transaction and transportation costs were quite big. This reflected the unwillingness of cross-boarder traders to share the benefits with the farmers.
The major constraints obtained by the study included, high prices of farm inputs, yet poor transport, inadequate storage capacity at household and village level, poor capital base, lack of a single market and divided farmers and traders.
The study recommends the establishment of markets where maize and other products could be sold and bought, developing strategies of improving transportations, creation of cross-border traders union as well as one for farmers for purposes of eliminating unfair competition. The benefits of cross border trade do exist; it is organizational management, which hinders the accruing of the same, equitably to all parties concerned.
Bridging the digital divide in Tanzanian higher education: A pragmatic assessment of library users’ knowledge and awareness of digital resources in Morogoro universities
(The sub Saharan Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (SJSSH), 2026) Mbugunde, Neila; M’kulama, Abel C.
The transformative potential of digital library resources (DLRs) in higher education remains unrealized when users lack adequate knowledge and awareness, a challenge particularly acute in Sub-Saharan African contexts where infrastructural and sociology-cultural factors intersect. In Tanzanian universities, despite growing investments in digital platforms, empirical evidence on the actual levels of user knowledge and awareness, and the specific gaps that constrain effective utilization, remains scarce. This study pragmatically assesses the knowledge and awareness of DLRs among library users in five selected universities in Morogoro, Tanzania, employing a cross-sectional mixed-methods design. Data were collected from 150 respondents via structured questionnaires, 10 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) involving 89 participants, and 16 key informant interviews, with quantitative analysis using IBM SPSS v20 and qualitative data organized thematically. The results reveal critically low levels: only 34.3% of respondents possessed adequate knowledge of DLRs, while awareness levels were even more limited, just 6% were aware of the concept and practices of DLRs, 4.8% could identify specific resources and strategies, and merely 3.5% could accurately describe or explain them. These findings empirically demonstrate a profound second-level digital divide, where access does not translate into capability, and confirm that inadequate knowledge directly predicts poor awareness and underutilization. The study makes a significant policy contribution by showing that socio-demographic factors (age, education level) and institutional support (training frequency) are stronger predictors of DLR engagement than mere physical access, challenging supply-side only interventions. For practice, it recommends mandatory, curriculum-embedded digital literacy modules, structured library sensitization campaigns, and a national framework for continuous ICT skills training for both students and staff. Conclusively, without targeted, sustained educational interventions, investments in digital infrastructure in Tanzanian universities will continue to yield suboptimal returns, perpetuating educational inequality
March - April 2024 Tanzania education review: A synthesis of media reports/coverage
(Tanzanian Newspapers, 2024) The Guardian; Daily News; Habari Leo; Nipashe
Recent reforms in Tanzania's education sector focus on enhancing academic rigor, teacher welfare, and curriculum diversity to produce globally competitive graduates. The National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA) has implemented a new Standard Seven examination format that replaces multiple-choice questions with written responses to foster critical thinking and eliminate guesswork. Simultaneously, the government launched the Global Partnership for Education Teachers Support Programme (GPE-TSP), backed by significant international funding, to improve teacher housing, incentives, and performance standards. Furthermore, Advanced Level subject combinations have been expanded from 16 to 65 to align with modern job markets, although stakeholders have noted the urgent need for corresponding increases in textbooks and specialized staff. These initiatives are complemented by massive infrastructure developments in Zanzibar and private-sector mentorship programs, such as the GGML-Ladies initiative, which equips female students with the confidence and career guidance necessary to enter technical fields like mining