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The purpose of the study was to determine the factors affecting academic staff motivation and retention among selected universities in Iringa Municipal Council. The study assessed motivational and retention strategies employed by selected universities in retaining academic staff. It determined whether there is staff motivation and retention policy among the selected universities in the region.The study also analyzed whether motivation and retention policies are effectively implemented among the selected universities in Iringa Municipal Council. This study used quantitative approach and adopted case study design to establish factors affecting academic staff motivation and retention among the selected universities. Questionnaires were used as the survey instrument. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select respondents from the entire population. Then non probability sampling was used to select a representative sample from each stratum. A sample size of 100 was drawn from the study population. The data were collected by using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyze data collected from the respondents and SPSS version 20 and excel Microsoft application were used to process data.Findings on the factors affecting academic staff motivation and retention revealed that work environment, promotional practices, feedback system, recognition and appreciation, training and 2 development have weighted mean above the neutral point (3) while orientation and induction, intention to stay, academic staff expectation and motivation and retention strategies have weighted mean below the neutral point. Upon measuring the strategies, regression were employed, and findings depict that clear career path , job security, promotion opportunities were found to have a strong effect on academic staff retention with coefficient value of 0.5482, 0.4820 and 0.4263 respectively. These findings imply that the majority of respondents consider these three strategies as important compared to others; they thought security and clear career path will make them to stay long in these universities. The majority 73% pointed out that if these retention and motivation policies are not implemented accordingly, they would be forced to quit. Only 27% of all respondents agreed that these policies are implemented accordingly.

This paper examined the factors that determine customer satisfaction with ATM services offered by CDRB Bank in Tanzania specifically Iringa Municipality. Considering that there are divergent views on dimensions of customer satisfaction as regards ATMs as established by miscellaneous researchers, the current study therefore aimed at determining dimensions that truly associate with customer satisfaction and the effect of each dimension on customer satisfaction specifically in the Tanzanian context. A quantitative study described the relationship between social economic factors, various aspects of ATM services and customer satisfaction was applied to 100 respondents drawn from 340 CRDB customers who are also holders of ATM cards. Results reveal customers usually use basic ATM services such as balance inquiry and withdrawal. The relationship between overall customer satisfaction and convenience, efficient operation, security, reliability, responsiveness and cost were significant at p<0.01. Privacy was found to have a negative significant relationship with overall customer satisfaction at P<0.05. The study suggests that CRDB bank should develop strategies to motivate its customers to use emerging ATM services apart from basic.

The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of women development fund in generating women entrepreneurs in Mbulu district. Specifically, the study assessed the extent to which WDF is facilitating women to exploit business opportunities, determined effects of WDF in supplying women entrepreneurial activities in the study area and assessed the challenges of WDF credit conditions to women. The study used cross sectional data obtained from 100 the targeted population of the study is women groups and respective members who get credit from WDF. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics to determine the extent to which WDF is facilitating women to exploit business opportunities and challenges of WDF credit conditions to women. Regression analysis was used to determine the effectiveness of WDF in supplying women entrepreneurial activities. Results of analysis of the data on the extent to which WDF is facilitating women to exploit business opportunities revealed that to a large extent women entrepreneurs have failed to exploit business opportunities with WDF credits. The study revealed that, the amount of loans secured by women was not enough to the majority of them. Also results from regression have indicated that before credits from WDF, change in employment had significant effect, with coefficient value of 0.011, but after credits the correlation coefficient was 0.568. This indicates that with WDF credits women were able to employ more members in their businesses. Moreover, before WDF credits change in production had negative effects with coefficient value of-0.116. This implies that without WDF credits women failed to change their production, but the situation was different when they received WDF credits as the results indicated the correlation coefficient value of 0.214. Lastly women entrepreneurs were affected by climate change as well as price fluctuation. On Challenges, the majority of women entrepreneurs complained about inadequate market, inadequate capital and competition from other producers.

This study assessed the contribution of microfinance institutions to household welfare in Iringa Municipality. More specifically, the conditions set by MFIs in the entire process of granting credits to borrowers were analysed. The study further assessed the capacity of loan repayment among borrowers, examined the contribution of microfinance institutions to household businesses, and examined the household welfare situation prior to and upon accessing microfinance support. A cross-sectional research design with a mixed method approach was adopted. Questionnaires (constituting both open and closed ended questions), interview, and FGDs methods of data collection were used to obtain data from a sample size of 91 respondents. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while the content analysis technique was employed in the analysis of qualitative data. Controversial findings revealed that while some households' welfare improved upon loan investment into businesses, the welfare of others only worsened upon loan repayment. Furthermore, some conditions placed by MFIs such as interest rates and the requirement of collateral were some of the leading hurdles experienced in the process of securing MFIs loans. It was further revealed that the loan repayment capacity of beneficiaries is greatly challenged by the monthly and weekly instalment duration. The duration seems to be too short for them to comply. It was concluded as per findings that MFIs contributions were adequate in improving their loan beneficiaries' household welfare. It was also conclusive that some MFIs conditions are a significant barrier to the loan acquisition process thus; it is recommended that MFIs should consider revising some of the conditions observed as the most limiting to clients. MFIs should also provide credit according to their clients' demand in order to invest in LGAs that are more productive.