Browsing by Author "Nsubili, Isaga"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Access to bank credit by smallholder farmers in Tanzania: a case study
    (Afrika Focus, 2018) Nsubili, Isaga
    Tanzania like many other developing countries is highly dependent on agriculture for income generation and job creation for its citizens. Because the sector is mainly composed of smallholder farmers, lack of finance remains the leading obstacle to development. This study seeks to determine factors that affect access to bank credit by smallholder farmers in the Mvomero District of Morogoro, Tanzania. The study used a cross-sectional design, with data being collected via the survey method. Purposeful sampling was used to obtain the respondents who fitted into the study objective. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model. The logit regression model in particular was employed to determine factors that affect smallholder farmers’ access to bank services. The study reveals that the value of assets invested in farming activities, education and gender are significant factors affecting smallholder farmers’ access to bank credit. Policy recommendations include the establishment of a government bank that would exclusively provide financial services to agriculturalists by establishing a credit guarantee scheme, and the development of new financial products by the banks that would cater to the needs of smallholder farmers.
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    Owner-managers' demographic characteristics and the growth of Tanzanian small and medium enterprises
    (International Journal of Business and Management, 2015) Nsubili, Isaga
    This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the demographic factors that influence the growth of Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Tanzania. A survey method was used to gather data from 300 small business owners and managers located in selected cities in Tanzania. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyse the influence of owner-manager demographic factors on the growth of SMEs. Three indicators for growth namely employment, sales and assets were used to measure growth. The results suggests that workshop, vocational training, industrial and managerial experience and family background do influence the growth of SMEs. Entrepreneurial experience and level education successfully completed by the owner-manager are not important in explaining SMEs growth. The results suggest that policy measures that promote workshops, role models and previous experiences may have the greatest impact in terms of helping to facilitate SMEs growth in Tanzania. However, the results are limited to a single survey and the data was collected from only one sector (furniture sector) in Tanzania. Replication of this study using larger samples to different sectors and a broader geographic base is suggested for cross validation purposes
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    SMEs’ Performance in developing countries: Suitability of personal wealth measures
    (European Journal of Business and Management, 2020) Kibeshi, Kiyabo; Nsubili, Isaga
    This study tested the suitability of personal wealth in measuring SMEs’ performance as compared to already known firm growth measures. Guided by the knowledge-based view, the study aimed at determining the influence of learning orientation on SMEs performance under the mediation of competitive advantage using firm growth and personal wealth measures. A structured questionnaire was used to collected data from 300 owners-managers of welding industry SMEs located in Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, and Morogoro urban centres in Tanzania. Measurement and structural models were developed by the aid of SmartPLS 3 software through application of structural equation modelling technique. Determination of indirect influence of learning orientation on SMEs’ performance through competitive advantage was accomplished by bootstrapping the original sample using 5000 samples. Findings inform that competitive advantage mediates the relationship between learning orientation and SMEs’ performance for both firm growth and personal wealth performance measures. This study has contributed to the understanding that learning orientation influences SMEs’ performance under the mediation of competitive advantage using personal wealth as measures of SMEs’ performance. The findings imply that the knowledgebased view is suitable in describing not only physical resources but also intangible resources such as learning orientation. Literature will benefit from future studies that will investigate the influence of other constructs on SMEs’ performance under the mediation of competitive advantage using the same firm growth and personal wealth performance measures. Such studies will ascertain whether the findings of this study are specific to learning orientation construct or applicable to other constructs as well.
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    The relationship of personality to cognitive characteristics and SME performance in Tanzania
    (Emerald Publishing Ltd, 2018) Nsubili, Isaga
    Purpose– Focussing on the relationship between personality traits and small and medium enterprise (SME) performance in Tanzania’s furniture sector, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of cognitive characteristics as a mediating variable. Design/methodology/approach– A total of 300 SMEs in furniture sectors from four different regions in Tanzania were involved in this study. Structural equation modelling approach was used to test simultaneously the direct and the indirect effects of the characteristics of the entrepreneurs on the SMEs performance. Findings– The findings show that personality traits have a significant influence on SMEs performance through cognitive characteristics. Research limitations/implications– The study’s data were collected from businesses in only one industry (furniture) in Tanzania. Future research may extend the approach to other business sectors. Practical implications– Since entrepreneurial characteristics are considered an important driver of a country’s economic development and performance, it is hoped that governments and sector associations implement suitable policies and incentives to develop an entrepreneurial culture among citizens. Originality/value– Current knowledge about entrepreneurial characteristics and their relationship with SME performance in developing countries, especially Tanzania, is very limited. The present study suggests that cognitive characteristics are necessary mediators of the link between personality traits and SME performance.