Social Capital in Selected Business Associations of Food Processing SMEs in Tanzania and Rwanda: A Synthetic Based Approach

Gamba, Freddy Jirabi

doi:10.18488/journal.1/2017.7.1/1.1.63.84

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Likewise, Tundui and Tundui (2013) showed that especially bridging social capital affected the profitability of women-owned businesses thus suggesting it is important for these entrepreneurs to establish linkages beyond their immediate local environment. Alternatively, Gamba (2017) recently showed that the level of trust, collective action and information sharing Tanzanian trade associations are significantly lower compared to the similar associations in Rwanda. While it is unclear to what extent these findings would be extendable to other business associations, the implication of these findings might be that Tanzanian entrepreneurs are benefiting insufficiently from existing network structures.…”

Section: Social Capitalmentioning

confidence: 96%

Capability, social capital and opportunity-driven graduate entrepreneurship in Tanzania

Wakkee

Hoestenberghe

Mwasalwiba

2017

JSBED

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into the reasons why most Tanzanian graduates do not consider entrepreneurship as an attractive career option despite dire labor market conditions, while a small number of them are able to benefit from local opportunities. Design/methodology/approach Utilizing insights from capability and social capital perspectives, a qualitative investigation based on interviews, group discussions and document analysis was undertaken to explore how this phenomenon can be explained and remedied. Findings This study shows that many graduates value entrepreneurship as a potential career but many find their way to be act upon these aspirations blocked. Indeed, actual entrepreneurial capability is only available to a minority of graduates with access to powerful connections who are able to benefit from technological and financial conversion factors. Most graduates cannot benefit from these conversion factors due to the lack of the necessary social capital to break through to the legal, tax, financial and cultural systems. Hence, the authors argue that social capital itself is actually a critical conversion factor toward developing entrepreneurial capability. Research limitations/implications The insight formulated in this study are based on a qualitative analysis of the Tanzanian context and formulated specifically for this particular context. At the same time, the country shares many characteristics with other countries in Africa, many of which are struggling to move toward a more entrepreneurial society. Hence, the recommendations may partially be transferable beyond the specific Tanzanian situation. Theoretically, the notion that social capital should be considered as a key conversion factor enabling aspiring entrepreneurs in translating valued functionings into actualized functionings and thus toward enhancing entrepreneurial capability opens up novel avenues for empirical research into how entrepreneurship can be stimulated. Social implications This study searches for conversion factors from the actual “functioning” toward the real “capability” allowing to succeed as a new graduate and find that social capital itself might act as the critical conversion factor. That brings the authors to the recommendations for policy makers, educators and media, argued in such a way that the entrepreneurial capability of young graduates and their ability to tap into relevant social capital can be enhanced. Originality/value The combination and integration of the Sen’s capability approach with social capital perspectives offers a novel way to explain difference in responses to the Tanzanian institutions and their ability to act upon a valued functioning such as opportunity-driven entrepreneurship.

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Section: Social Capitalmentioning

confidence: 96%

Capability, social capital and opportunity-driven graduate entrepreneurship in Tanzania

Wakkee

Hoestenberghe

Mwasalwiba

2017

JSBED

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“…As family members are the partners of the business, they meet and discuss the matters related to business challenges. Further, Gamba [83] noted that participation in business and technology associations by the SMEs increase their market value because it provides opportunities with the SMEs to learn lessons on business and technological challenges, and find new business techniques and new and adaptable technologies, which eventually lead to minimize the cost and increase production efficiency, improve the quality, and increase the production quantity. Moreover, the making relationship among the SMEs through clustering provide opportunities to the SMEs to make entry barriers if vital business information and techniques are available only for the SMEs in the cluster [84].…”

Section: Social Capital Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainability of SMEs in the Competition: A Systemic Review on Technological Challenges and SME Performance

Prasanna

Jayasundara

Gamage

et al. 2019

Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity

231

107

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In the era of economic globalization, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are recognized as an engine of sustainable economic development in both the developed and developing world. In literature, three competitive challenges-the sustainability challenge, the global challenge and the technological challenge-faced by industrial entities in the current globalized economy, are categorized. Of them, this paper undertakes a systemic review of the literature covering the theme of SMEs and technology in order to identify how technological progress in the SMEs, correlates with SMEs survival improvement in the global competition. The review identified six driving forces-social capital, link with Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) and Transnational Corporations (TNCs), innovation, sharing and networking, information technology, and adoption of productivity-enhancing technology-influencing technological upgrade in the SMEs. The review also identified two conditions for successful technological adaptation in the SME sector-availability of technologically skillful workforce in the economy, and identification of opportunities of new technologies in the competition. These conditions could be viewed in the macro environment and emphasize the need for the economies' readiness towards SMEs' success.

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“…The results of the analysis of the path difference between the Manager's Interest groups are shown in [ Table 7] and [ Figure 4]. As a result of the hypothesis test, it was verified that the group with a high manager's interest in smart work activation was more influential than the group with a low manager's interest, and the quality of life was 82%, which greatly influenced the organizational performance (Fibriasari, 2019); (Gamba, 2017).…”

Section: Confirmatory Factor Analysis Intensive Validity and Reliabimentioning

confidence: 94%

The Impact of Smartwork Activation on Organizational Performance - Focusing on Mediating Effects of Quality of Life and Moderating Effects of Manager’s Interest

Park¹,

Park²,

You³

2020

RWE

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Background/Objectives: The interest in work-life balance has increased in Korea since the low birthrate problem intensified in the 2000s, and recently, a 52-hour workweek has been implemented depending on the size of the company to ensure work-life balance. Companies are also adopting the direction and policies of the government to spread job redesign or organizational culture that can bring work-life balance. Work-life balance is seen as a paradigm for high performance in modern society. Activation of smart work, which is a system that can work anytime and anywhere without being bound by time and place, is inevitable. It is assumed that the quality of life of the members of the organization will be improved through smartwork activation, and that the improvement of the quality of life will soon increase the organizational performanceMethods/Statistical analysis: This study utilizes the original data from the 2018 Smartwork Survey conducted by the Korea Information Society Agency, targeting employees of businesses with five or more business units and CEOs of businesses or heads of departments responsible for introducing and operating smart work. The survey collected samples using stratified sampling methods, and the survey was conducted online and in writing to 1,700 people from October 8, 2018 for 27 days. Finally, 566 data were hypothesized through SPSS 21.0 and AMOS structural model analysis.Findings: As a result of analyzing the effect of smart work on organizational performance through the effect of quality on life, Smartwork activation affects organizational performance, and the improvement of quality of life through time saving and work efficiency due to smartwork affects organizational performance. Managers' interest was found to play a moderating role in the structural relationship between smartwork activation, quality of life and organizational performance.Improvements/Applications: This study suggests smartwork activation by empirically analyzing the effect of smartwork activation on organizational performance by the mediating effect of quality of life for employees of companies working in smart office environment.

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Social Capital in Selected Business Associations of Food Processing SMEs in Tanzania and Rwanda: A Synthetic Based Approach

Cited by 10 publications

References 48 publications

Capability, social capital and opportunity-driven graduate entrepreneurship in Tanzania

Capability, social capital and opportunity-driven graduate entrepreneurship in Tanzania

Sustainability of SMEs in the Competition: A Systemic Review on Technological Challenges and SME Performance

The Impact of Smartwork Activation on Organizational Performance - Focusing on Mediating Effects of Quality of Life and Moderating Effects of Manager’s Interest

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