Browsing by Author "Kenan, Gwantwa"

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    Mobile phone access and usage among female micro-entrepreneurs in Tanzania: the case of Female Beauticians at Kinondoni District in Dares Salaam Region
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2011) Kenan, Gwantwa
    This study examined mobile phone access and usage among female beautician micro-entrepreneurs in Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam region, Tanzania. This survey used both qualitative and quantitative approaches to collect data for this study, using structured questionnaires with both open ended and closed questions supplemented by face- to- face interviews. The study was conducted at four purposively selected wards in Kinondoni District with female beauty parlours namely; Sinza, Kawe, Kijitonyma and Ubungo. Sixty eight respondents participated in this study and were drawn from owners of women’s beauty parlours. Key findings revealed that the mobile phone is the major means of communication for the female beautician micro-entrepreneurs in the surveyed areas though they use them mostly for social communication rather than business communication. The findings further revealed that female beautician micro-entrepreneurs face many challenges, including high charges for using of mobile phones, high cost of servicing, advertising the business through mobile phones, lack of privacy, especially with the feature of text messaging and tapping of calls by unauthorized groups, lack of adequate knowledge of use of gadgets, and limited social space to use the phones especially in public places, The study recommends that in order for mobile phone to work efficiently to bring economic development to female beautician micro-entrepreneurs, mobile phone providers should take into account the identified problems from the study.