Policies for supporting women entrepreneurs in developing countries: the case of Tanzania

Abstract

PurposeWhile the topic of women's entrepreneurship continues to grow in academic appeal, the policy aspect is one that has received limited scholarly attention, especially in the context of developing countries. To address this gap in scholarship, the purpose of this paper aims to critically explore women's entrepreneurship policy in Tanzania. The research question asks: How are policies designed to encourage and support entrepreneurship in Tanzania gendered, and how might such policies be (re)designed so that they are more relevant to women entrepreneurs in the Tanzanian context? The authors contribute to extant scholarship by: drawing attention to the particular context for women's entrepreneurship in Tanzania; identifying gender biases inherent in current entrepreneurship policies; offering some recommendations for policymakers and identifying areas worthy of future research attention in this area.Design/methodology/approachThe study builds on the Global Women's Enterprise Policy project. The authors apply an adapted reading guide technique to analyse and critique relevant entrepreneurship policy documents in Tanzania. The reading guide examines the category and type of document being analysed, key themes, content, language and imagery, as well as the key policy recommendations being offered and their relevance to women's entrepreneurship in Tanzania and the wider sub-Saharan African region. Completed reading guide templates are then coded and collated into an excel spreadsheet. Findings are discussed and critiqued within a regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive framework.FindingsThe study provides rich and valuable insights into the unique context for women's entrepreneurship in Tanzania, shedding new light on how women's entrepreneurship is supported in a particular region of sub-Saharan Africa. Findings reveal that while current policy acknowledges the important role women play in their communities, especially in terms of their contribution to labour, it is geared more towards small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development than entrepreneurship; this is despite the fact that entrepreneurship is identified as a means to address sustainable development challenges (notably unemployment and poverty) and expand opportunities for socially disadvantaged groups, especially women. Existing policy is essentially “context neutral” and hence relatively ineffective; the gender focus is lacking and there is a failure to take account of the specific context in which Tanzanian women entrepreneurs have to operate. The authors argue for policies designed to support women's entrepreneurship to be formalised and contextualised in their specific geographical and cultural setting. The “institutional pillars” framework allows us to identify areas where contextualisation of women's entrepreneurship policies could be enhanced.Practical implicationsThe study implies that, to be effective, policies designed to support women's entrepreneurship need to be formalised and contextualised to their specific geographical and cultural setting. Some areas where this might be achieved are identified. Avenues for future research in this area are also suggested.Originality/valueThe value of the paper lies in its focus on Tanzania, and its critique of existing policies from a gender and institutional perspective. It also enhances understanding of the unique context in Tanzania for entrepreneurship.

Employment policy in Mainland Tanzania: what's in it for women?

“…Furthermore, cultural barriers and social norms continue to hinder women's entrepreneurship and participation in the industrial economy. As highlighted by Nziku and Henry (2020), policies introduced to spur business growth in Tanzania remain largely 'context blind', not accounting for the specific environment in which women operate. Policy practitioners have expressed the view that many Tanzanian women are still not fully aware of the gender-responsive measures introduced and may lack confidence in their ability to participate in formal economic structures.…”

“…entrepreneurship, technical, and business management skills; technology; and product development, as well as information on markets, new technologies, and capacity building for associations(SIDO 2022). SIDO has also facilitated the establishment of the Tanzania Food Processors Association of Women Entrepreneurs (TAFOPA) and currently supports the Tanzania Women Chambers of Commerce(Nziku and Henry 2020). Besides SIDO, the National Economic Empowerment Council (NEEC), established in 2005 and operating under the Prime Minister's Office, offers entrepreneurship and business training-albeit primarily aimed at youth (NEEC 2022).13 …”

From unemployment to self-employment: what does it mean for an individual's satisfaction and economic self-sufficiency?

“…Unsurprisingly, even entrepreneurial outcomes differ across the types of entrepreneurs. Thus, it is a relevant research theme to explore how these outcomes vary, informing the scholarly community on their subjective relevance for entrepreneurs themselves, often conditioned by the specific context (Wach et al ., 2016; Nziku and Henry, 2020; Dvouletý et al ., 2021; Bedi and Jia, 2022; Stephan et al ., 2022).…”

Entrepreneurship skills: do all dimensions of skills matter for sustainable business start-up?

“…Entrepreneurship skills are a composition of the skill sets required by youth to be entrepreneurs so as to launch sustainable business start-ups (Lyons et al, 2020;Nziku and Henry, 2020;Murray and Palladino, 2021). Pyysiainen et al (2006) add that entrepreneurship skills are the activities or practical knowledge required to create and maintain an enterprise successfully.…”

“…Entrepreneurship skills are a composition of the skill sets required by youth to be entrepreneurs so as to launch sustainable business start-ups (Lyons et al ., 2020; Nziku and Henry, 2020; Murray and Palladino, 2021). Pyysiainen et al.…”