The Open University of Tanzania Online Journals System
Not a member yet
933 research outputs found
Sort by
Impact of Higher Learning Institutions in Provision of Quality Socio-Economic Development in Tanzania
No full textThe objective of this study was to investigate the impact of Higher Learning Institions (HLIs) in provision of quality socio-economic development in Tanzania. In the new knowledge economy, the main roles of HLIs are: to provide high level manpower needs of the society, provide new knowledge and diffusing it into the national economy, provide services to the community and provide employment to the community. In reality, however, not much of the above mentioned roles has been done. If higher education is to become the drivers of high productivity, competition and socio-economic development, the following factors need to be taken on board: First, there is a need to re-think and to re-define the purpose of establishing the higher education to match with the local needs. Second, there is a need to prepare students for the future by building capacity for curiousity, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and imagination. Finally, the curriculum of the higher education must be liberated from the tyranny of the course book and content. Teaching and learning must be thematic, driven by experimentation, discovery and problem-solving based approaches
The Relationship between Inflation and Unemployment in Ghana: Analysis of the Philips Curve
No full textThe aim of this study is to explore the relationship between inflation and unemployment in Ghana. The study also aims to test for the existent of the Philips curve in Ghana using the new Keynesian Philips curve model on annual time series data sampled from 1970 to 2013. The sample period was divided into two subsamples -from 1970 to 1982 and 1983 to 2013- in order to test for the effect of the Economic Recovery Programme on the relationship between inflation and unemployment. The empirical estimate reveals that, changes in unemployment does not brings about changes in inflation both subsample periods. Again, the study rejects evidence of the Philips curve in Ghana. This is attributed to the fast growing labour force that lack the appropriate skills to earn them a job placement, alarming rate of rural-urban migration, imperfect market information which has resulted in mismatch of that makes inflation unresponsive to changes in unemployment. Monetary policies to influence inflation would not bring about any trade-off between inflation and unemployment. To reduce the ever increasing unemployment in Ghana, policy direction should focus on creating job opportunities for both uneducated and educated individuals
Revenue Generation Capacity in Developing Countries: Implications for Physical and Human Capital Development in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda
No full textThis paper is an attempt to investigate the effects of tax revenue generation capacity on public spending in Sub-Saharan Africa drawing empirical lessons from three East African countries-Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. It employs the co-integration and error-correction modeling framework to analyze the effects of erratic and inadequate revenue generation on physical and human capital development in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda using time-series data over the period 1970-2005.The results unambiguously demonstrate that changes in tax revenue have strong impacts on physical and human capital development spending in the three countries. The policy lessons that can be drawn from the findings of this paper is that the three countries should strike a balance of the composition of government expenditure; reprioritize public expenditure into productive spending and strive to generate sufficient tax revenue to finance budget expenditures on physical and human capital development in order to reduce poverty and promote long-run economic development
The 2008 Economic Crisis: Implications and Responses in the Banking Sector
No full textThis article documents and discusses the impacts of and responses to the 2008 global financial and economic crisis (GFEC). General impacts and responses are outlined with some example from some specific countries. The discussion on the general impacts and responses are followed by discussions on the impacts of and response to the crisis in the banking subsector of the broader financial sector. The major findings of the study indicate that there have been substantial impacts of the crisis in the banking sector in the more economically and financially developed and integrated part of the world such as Europe and North America than in the less developed and intergated part of it such as Africa. Within Africa, the more economically developed and financially integrated countries such as South Africa and Nigeria were more affected by the crisis in general and in their financial sector in particular. There have also been various responses to the 2008 economic crisis in general and within the banking sub-sector in particular both globally and within Africa. The model that has been developed by the author indicates among other things that some of responses to economic crisis by the banking sector can lead to yet another chain of impacts, both positive and negative. The paper is mainly informed by a desk research in form of intensive literature review and discussion of the same
Free Cash Flows, Agency Costs and Performance of Firms Listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange
No full textFirm performance is affected by various factors, both internal and external. Internal factors include firm characteristics such as firm size, age, liquidity, leverage, profitability, growth prospects among others. External factors include regulation, agency costs and general macro-economic factors. This paper sought to establish the influence of agency costs on the relationship between free cash flows and firm performance. The second objective was to assess the influence of agency costs on the relationship between free cash flows and performance of firms listed at the Nairobi securities exchange. The study used both primary data and secondary panel data which were obtained from all firms listed at the NSE for the period 2006 to 2015. Panel data and simple regression analyses using OLS were employed in the study. Results indicate that free cash flows have a significant positive relationship with firm performance, and, agency costs have a positive significant moderating effect on the relationship between free cash flows and firm performance. All the predictor variables had a joint positive and significant effect on performance. The main academic contribution of the study is that free cash flows have a positive relationship with firm performance and that agency costs; and specifically, firm monitoring and corporate governance has a positive and significant effect on the performance of firms listed at the NSE. Firm managers, shareholders, practitioners, the government and other regulators should, therefore, enhance firm monitoring and corporate governance because the benefits derived from investing therein seem to outweigh the costs
Smallholder Farmers Awareness and Perceptions of Climate Change in Moshi Rural District, Tanzania
No full textFarmers’ perception of climate change is a pre-requisite for undertaking adaptation actions. However little is known on how smallholder farmers in different agro ecological zones of Tanzania perceive climate change. This study examined the perception of climate change among smallholder farmers in different agro ecological zones of Moshi Rural district, Tanzania. Primary data were obtained from 359 household heads and 35 key informants. Data collection methods for this study were questionnaire survey, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observation. Questionnaires were administered to 359 household heads while in-depth interviews were administered to key informants. Historical data for rainfall and temperature were obtained from Tanzania Meteorological Agency. Analysis involved descriptive statistics for quantitative data and content analysis for qualitative data. Findings from this study revealed that majority (98.3%) of farming households were aware of climate change in terms of increasing temperature and reduced rainfall. Furthermore, 92.5 % of respondents perceived that temperatures have increased, while 74.9 % perceived that rainfall has decreased. However, these perceptions differed between the different agro ecological zones. Most farmers perceived that amounts and duration of rainfall had decreased. Rainfall has been more unpredictable, unevenly distributed, as well as starts late and ends early. Farmers perceived that the wet season is getting shorter because they perceived that currently, the wet season starts late. The study has indicated that majority of farmers are aware of climate change, but failed to understand the nature and extent of its impacts due to limited access to updated climate related information. Therefore, provision of timely, relevant and user-friendly climate information should strategically reach smallholder farmers.Â
Diversity and Utilization of Wild Edible Plant Species from the Uvinza Miombo Woodlands, Tanzania
No full textAn assessment of the diversity of wild edible plants utilized by people in Uvinza Miombo Forests, Tanzania was undertaken in 2014-2015. Structured interviews, descriptive statistics and informant consensus were used to collect, compile and analyze data. One hundred and forty-three informants aged over 18 years from four study villages: Uvinza, Basanza, Mwamila and Chakulu were interviewed on the use of wild edible plants. A majority of respondents (86.7%) said they have been using wild plants for foods. Sixty-three wild food plant species were recorded. Highest informant consensus value was for Anisophyllea bohemii Engl. reported by 104 (72.2%) followed by Vitex doniana Sweet, Vitex mombassae Vatke, and Vitex ferruginea Schum Thonn reported by 95 (66.4%), 91 (63.6%) and 91 (63.6%) respondents respectively. Euphorbiaceae, Verbenaceae, Anacardiaceae and Apocynaceae were the major families recorded. Fruit species (82.5%) constituted the largest plant parts collected for food. Seventy-one respondents (68.9%) collected wild food from farmlands. Seventy-seven respondents (76.7%) of the wild food collectors were youths. The local community in the study area possesses indigenous knowledge on uses of wild plants for food. Efforts are needed to create awareness and sensitizing the communities on sound utilization of the particular miombo ecosystem which are important for safeguarding biodiversity
Effectiveness of the Domestic Cat (Felis silvestris catus) Urine Extracts Odour against Commensal Rodents
No full textThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an extract of cat urine odour as a repellant of commensal rodents in houses. Cat urine was drawn and stored frozen in universal bottles at -200C until use. The stored cat urine was then thawed and mixed with maize starch to form a thick dough and then granulated and dried at room temperature before being packed in a hermetically closed jar. Initially, rodent foot marks on tracking soot coat tiles were used to estimate the rat population before the cat urine extracts application. Twenty households with high and low rodent activities were selected purposively in the study area. Ten houses were treated with the urine extracts and ten others were kept untreated (control). Both treated and untreated houses were categorized at two levels (i.e. low and high rodent activities) as determined by the tracking tile foot prints. One tracking tile was placed in each of the selected houses and rodent foot marks were counted. Collected data were subjected to analysis of variance and the results showed a significant difference in rodent activities which however, depended on the sex of the cat that donated the urine base. Female cat urine extract repelled significantly more commensal rodents as compared to male cat urine extract. The repellent effect was observed from day 1 to 4; but not beyond. Our findings suggest that cat urine odour has the potential to repel commensal rodent pest species; with female cat urine being more effective than male cat urine. Â
New Institutional Economics and Agrocredit Markets in Agrarian Economies: A Theoretical Perspective
No full textIn this paper we outline the relevance of the New Institutional Economics (NIE) approach in analysing the current behaviour of suppliers of agrocredit in remote areas of developing economies. The paper covers the definition of NIE and its relevancy in modern economics, basic features of NIE, transaction cost economics (TCE) and modelling of transaction costs, application of transaction cost economics in agriculture sector, and review of empirical research using TCE theory. The application of NIE theory in advancing understanding of the development path of agrocredit market and other related markets has proved very relevant particularly in less developed areas of the developing world
The Prevalence of Ecto and Endoparasites in Pigs in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas of Mwanza City, Tanzania
No full textParasitism is the most serious constraint causing continuous ill-health and lowered productivity in livestock in Tanzania and sub-Saharan Africa as a whole. This study was carried out in urban and peri-urban areas of Mwanza city and aimed to determine the prevalence of parasitic infections in pigs kept by small holder livestock keepers. A random sample of 14 urban farmers with a total of 213 pigs and 14 peri-urban farmers with a total of 155 pigs were selected. Faecal samples were collected from each pig. Ectoparasites were examined and their morphological characteristics recorded. Direct smear floatation and sedimentation methods were employed to detect endoparasites in the faeces. The prevalence of different types of endoparasites in urban Mwanza city pigs were: Strongylid nematodes (11.7%) Entomoeba ssp (27.2%), Ascaris suum (1.8%) Balntidium coli (3.8%)Â and Coccidia spp (3.3%)Â and the only ectoparasites found was sarcoptic mange (1.4%). In the peri -urban area the endoparasites found were Entomoeba spp (51.6%), Strongylid nematodes (9.7%), Coccidia spp (5.8%). Ascaris suum (12.9%)Â Balantidium coli 20.6%) and Trichurus suis (3.8%) and the ectoparasites was sarcoptic mange (21.9%). Every piggery where samples were taken, the management system was assessed. The difference in the livestock management systems in the two areas clearly explains the observed high prevalence of parasite infection in the peri-uban compared to the urban areas of Mwanza city. The negative impact of these parasites on livestock production and their public health importance -since some of them are zoonotic in nature- cannot be underestimated. The present study validates the need to bring awareness to the farmers and the public at large so that they may embark on cost effective development of parasite control strategies