Tanzanian female entrepreneurship: policies and strategies for start-up decision

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

This study aims at investigating environmental factors influencing the entrepreneurial decision of Tanzanian females to start-up their own businesses. The study objectives are:-

 To identify the environmental factors influencing Tanzanian female entrepreneurs to start-up their own business.
 To evaluate governmental policies and strategies influencing start-up decisions among Tanzanian female entrepreneurs.
 To develop the framework for encouraging Tanzanian females to start-up their own businesses.

Female entrepreneurs play a crucial role in the development of the world economy (Brush et al., 2006; de Bruin et al., 2006, 2007; European Commission, 2005). In this study, we used variables from the entrepreneurship decision influence model developed by Cooper, (1971) in order to develop the proper framework for encouraging females into start-up decision and encouraging Tanzanian government towards development of supporting strategies for sustainability and growth. This empirical study was conducted with a sample of 466 Tanzanian female entrepreneurs who participated by completing a questionnaire designed for gathering primary data. Environmental factors: economic conditions, accessibility and availability of capital, examples of entrepreneurial action, opportunities for interim consulting and the availability of personnel and supporting services; were potential variables used for statistical analysis of data.

This study finds out some determinants that are influencing Tanzanian female entrepreneurs to start-up their own business. At the environmental level, female entrepreneurs are highly affected by their low economic conditions with some successful female entrepreneurs as role models influencing their start-up decisions. While at the government level: policies supporting entrepreneurship, access to capital, and formal training have been found to have less influence on females’ start-ups decision. The outcome of this study will be used by researchers and policy makers to influence Tanzanian women to start-up their own businesses. Female involvement in developing their businesses provides job opportunities, ensuring that they take an active part in the development of the national economy. The study is expecting to help in providing policy makers, governmental and non-governmental organisations/institutions with additional information regarding the activities of female entrepreneurs within the developing countries. This will be useful in developing suitable strategies for helping female entrepreneurs’ start-ups. Therefore, the findings of this study will prove to be a rich resource for policy makers at every level of government, and forming the intellectual underpinnings for legislative, regulatory and business support improvements among Tanzanian female entrepreneurs. Finally, the study is anticipated to provide a comprehensive summary of the literature with regard to risk, entrepreneurial experience of women, and discussing the likely policy measures required to encourage female entrepreneurs within Tanzania and other developing countries.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the Entrepreneurship Summer University at ISCTE-IUL (2013)
EditorsAntónio Caetano, Susana Correia Santos, Sílvia Fernandes Costa
Place of PublicationLisbon
PublisherInstituto Universitário de Lisboa
Pages188-205
Number of pages18
ISBN (Print)978-989-732-207-5
Publication statusPublished - 2014
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Tanzanian female entrepreneurship: policies and strategies for start-up decision'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this