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The Role of Urban Agriculture in Alleviating Poverty Facing Women in Tanzania: A Review
Get PDFThis paper examines the role of urban agriculture in alleviating poverty facing women in Dar es Salaam Region in Tanzania. This is a review paper where different literatures including books, reports and journals have been surveyed to answer the identified specific objectives. The findings proved that women’s participation in urban agriculture contributes to food security, increases household income, offers employment and reduces poverty. This review paper also found that women engaged in urban agriculture are able to get an average net income of Tshs 58,356.2 per month. Urban farms make the life in the city much easier by creating jobs for women and other family members engaged in it. Urban agriculture offers ecological benefits by reducing the city waste, improving urban biodiversity and air quality, and reducing the environmental impact related to soil erosion and land degradation. Despite its contributions, there are number of bottlenecks facing women’s involvement in urban agriculture such as poor markets, water shortage, land shortage, seeds unavailability and lack of capital. Other constraints include unavailability of inputs, crude working tools (hand hoe), lack of government support, lack of water pumping machines for irrigation, poor storage facilities and lack of agricultural extension services. It is recommended that urban farmers should be assisted in transforming the practice of traditional farming into modern, sustainable and environmentally friendly ones in order to increase productivity
Relationships Among Job satisfaction, Organizational Affective Commitment and Turnover Intentions of University Academicians in Tanzania
Get PDFUniversities play a pivotal role in any country’s economic development goal by creating the required human capital, generating and preserving knowledge, and by offering technical advisory services to businesses and communities. Effective and efficient performance of this role depends largely on the quantity and quality of their satisfied and committed academic staff. Universities in Africa, Tanzania in particular, are suffering from low academic staff capacity. Yet such low capacity is further threatened by high rates of turnover. To manage this threat, universities need to manage not only the turnover of their academic staff but also their turnover intentions. Turnover intentions are the best predictor of actual turnover. Managing this threat requires among other things, an understanding of the predictors of turnover intentions. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between two job attitudes (job satisfaction and affective commitment) and the behavioural outcome of turnover intentions. Data was collected through a survey administered on 300 academicians conveniently selected from five public universities in Tanzania and analysed through descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis, and the Hayes’ Process Tool v.3.4.1. Both job satisfaction and affective commitment statistically negatively predicted turnover intentions, even after controlling for the influence of tenure and education qualifications. Affective commitment significantly but partially mediated the job satisfaction – turnover intentions relationship. It is therefore recommended that universities should have in place work systems that are pro-job satisfaction to reduce turnover intentions among the academicians. Moreover, coupling these efforts with measures capable of enhancing affective commitment adds value in managing turnover intentions
The Effect of Marketing Capabilities on Small and Medium Enterprises’ Performance: A Dynamic Capabilities Approach to Rwanda Manufacturing Sector
Get PDFThe issue of what contributes to performance heterogeneity among firms has, since, been within the business strategic management literature. Some scholars have focused on external factors while others, recently, focused on internal factors (resources) to explain inter- firm performance differences. Falling into the second wave focusing on internal factors, this study, therefore, investigated the contribution of marketing capability on small and medium enterprises’ performance in the Rwanda manufacturing sector. Grounded on the dynamic capabilities theory, the study specifically thought to determine the effect of innovation-marketing capability and brand-marketing capability on firm performance. By the mean of a survey questionnaire, data were collected from 210 selected manufacturing companies and the qualified respondents were marketing managers. Using a structural equation modelling approach, it was empirically proved that marketing capability has a positive significant impact on firm performance, especially, it was found that a firm’s innovation-marketing capability and brand- marketing capability both positively and significantly influence firm performance. It is suggested that manufacturing companies lay more emphasis on improving their branding capability since it is the most critical in boosting firm performance. The findings implied that firms with strong marketing capability innovate and implement new processes to meet customer needs
Pension Fund Investment and Capital Market in Nigeria
Get PDFThe paper examines the dynamic and causal relationship between pension fund investment and capital market development in Nigeria. The paper employed the Autoregressive distributed lag model to estimate the cointegration relationship between the variables. The results indicate that in the long-run, the impact of local ordinary share (LOC) on total market capitalization was positive and statistically significant while Pension fund investment asset (PFI) and monetary policy rate (MPR) were positive and statistically insignificant. Also, when the total value of shares traded was used as a measure of capital market development, the results indicate that increase in lag one and lag three of the total value of stock traded and lag one of pension fund investment results in an increase in the total value of stock traded. In terms of which variable granger causes the other, the results indicate that none of the variable Granger causes each other meaning that both variables (Pension fund investment and Market Capitalization) are determined independently. That is, neither pension fund investment causes total market capitalization nor Total Market Capitalization granger cause Pension fund investment. Based on the findings of the study the paper, therefore, concludes that over the years the investment of pension funds into the capital market has assisted to engender the development of the Nigeria Capital market. The paper recommends that more pension fund investment should be channeled to the capital market to develop and strengthen the Nigerian capital market and make the market more competitive
Comparison of abundance and diversity of small mammals between the Wooded Grassland and Primary Forest in Pande Game Reserve, Tanzania
Get PDFSpecies diversity and trap success (abundance) between the two sites were assessed. Animals were sampled using four types of traps; Bucket pitfalls, Sherman, Tomahawk and Snap traps. A total of 103 animals comprising of 18 species in 8 families were captured; 73 of them from the Wooded Grassland and 30 from the Primary Forest. Species richness in the Wooded Grassland was 14 species and in the Primary Forest (11species). Using the Welch's t-test, species diversity between the Wooded Grassland (H’=0.78) and that of the Primary Forest (H’= 0.71) did not differ significantly. The Sørensen Coefficient (CCs) value of 0.56 indicates a low similarity in the species inhabiting the two study sites. Small mammals species which disappeared for many years in the past could now be found inhabiting the Game Reserve. Most of it is still a secondary forest but it will recover into a primary forest in the near future if efforts to curb illegal tree harvesting and wild fires continue to be taken seriously
Tourist Sites Development for Sustainable Tourism in Tanzania: Experience of Mbeya and Songwe Regions
Get PDFTourist sites hold the key to tourism, yet only the developed ones are amenable for tourists’ attraction. The study examined the status of tourist sites in the Mbeya and Songwe regions. It based on the hypothesis that the southern regions of Tanzania have many tourist sites that are lesser-known compared to the northern regions which have been well-known for a tourism destination in the country. The study employed an explorative research methodology. The study used an interview to collect data. Local government officials and traditional leaders in Mbozi and Rungwe districts were the main respondents. The study found that the southern regions of Mbeya and Songwe have rich in potential tourist sites. However, the sites are poorly developed for tourism purposes hence few tourists visit the places. These regions face limited budgetary issues for site development and poor management and use of the sites. The paper, therefore, recommends the government to develop and promote tourist sites in the two regions to suit tourist attractions and investment of tourism services
An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Library Electronic Security Systems in Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania: A Case Study of UDSM and NM-AIST Libraries
Get PDFThis paper assessed the effectiveness of library electronic security systems in higher learning institutions in Tanzania with specific reference to the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Nelson Mandela - African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) libraries. The objectives of the paper were to assess the application of the electronic security systems; evaluate effectiveness of electronic security systems; find out the pros and cons of the electronic security systems to the libraries, universities and users of the systems; and to identify the challenges of using of library electronic security systems. The paper adopted quantitative and qualitative research approaches. Findings indicated that the performance of library electronic security systems face the challenges such as; poor libraries management, absence of users training and education programs, unreliable electrical power resources, lack of commitments among library staff, poor library budgets and inadequate funds. Based on the findings, it was concluded that the electronic security systems in the university libraries were effectively designed and optimally used to safeguard information resources except that challenges were exacerbated by inadequate libraries management. It is recommended that there should be adequate staff training and education programs on managing and operating library electronic security systems, reliable electrical power resources to library buildings, and commitment among library staff
Effect of Exchange Rate Fluctuation on Rwandan Tea Price and Exports
Get PDFAbstract: In small and developing economies, exchange rate volatility is important as it creates gains or losses to farmers and exporters. This paper analyses the effect of exchange rate volatility on Rwanda tea price and exports. The analysis used monthly time series data on bilateral exports and real effective exchange rates from January 2001 to December 2016. The analysis is done with the co-integration methods and error correction model using the autoregressive distributed lag procedure and GJR-GARCH model. The findings show that an increase in exchange rate volatility resulted in an increase in Rwandan tea exports price in the long run and decrease in tea exports in the short run. The real income in importing country increases tea price and volume exports in the long run and short run. There should be the review of monetary policy to address the volatility of exchange rate and hedging system introduction to respond and to stabilize the exchange rate
Pastoral Maasai’s Perceptions of the Value of Education and Completion Rates in Primary School in Longido District, Tanzania
Get PDFThis article aims to reveal the progress of attaining compulsory primary school education among the pastoral Maasai community. It explored the perceptions of the pastoral Maasai of the value and completion rate of primary education in Longido District. The study adopted a social justice theory, which stress equal opportunities to cater for the needs of the disadvantaged members of the society. A qualitative approach and case study design was used to allow an in-depth understanding of pastoral Maasai perceptions and completion rate. A total of 35 participants were involved in the study. Face to face semi-structured interview, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and documentary review were used in the data collection process. The findings revealed that the pastoral Maasai had several negative perceptions of the value of primary education. This made them to attribute higher priority to herding livestock than education. The Pastoral Maasai associated the impacts of formal education with cultural alienation and loss of labour power. The study results showed that in some of the sampled schools, the completion rates were low as more than fifty percent of the pupils who were enrolled in Grade One in the year 2008 dropped out from the school before completing the primary school education cycle due to the value attached to education. The study calls for pastoralists’ role models who have benefited from education to organize sensitization campaigns to each individuals, family and pastoral society on the value of primary school education.
 
Influence of Financial Motivation on Teachers’ Job Satisfaction in Public Secondary Schools in Kigoma District, Tanzania
Get PDFThere have been complains for many years among stakeholders about the status of secondary education in Tanzania. Teachers’ attrition, absenteeism and low teaching morale have attributed to the decline of educational quality in many countries including Tanzania. Inadequate financial motivation among educators has been the important agenda in provision of quality education in many parts of the world. Therefore, the study on the influence of financial motivation to job satisfaction among secondary school teachers was imperative. Specifically, this study intended to examine the extent of financial motivation to public secondary school teachers; find out levels of job satisfaction among secondary school teachers and establishing if there is a relationship between financial motivations and job satisfaction among public secondary school teachers in Kigoma district. The study was underpinned on scientific management theory and utilized descriptive survey design particularly cross-sectional survey. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 82 teachers while 10 Academic masters/mistresses and heads of schools were purposively included. Data were collected through questionnaires and interview schedules. Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively (frequencies and percentages) and inferentially (Chi-square test and spearman rank correlation method at .05 and .01 significant levels) while qualitative data from interviews was managed through thematic techniques. Generally, it was found out that there is a significant difference in financial motivation among public secondary school teachers. It was also found out that there is a significant difference in teachers’ job satisfaction among public secondary school teachers in Kigoma district. Furthermore, the study revealed that there is a positive relationship between financial motivation and job satisfaction among public secondary school teachers in Kigoma district (r=.355, p=.003) The study therefore recommends that policymakers in educational sector should enforce school managers and administrators to provide compensational rewards to teachers which reflect teachers’ status