Browsing by Author "Msoka, Elizabeth Michael"

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    Factors contributing to the gender gap in access to financial services among women owning micro and small enterprises in urban Tanzania: the case of selected institutions in Dar es Salaam region
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2017) Msoka, Elizabeth Michael
    Various financial institutions engage entrepreneurs to access financial services for the growth of their enterprises. However, available literature shows that there exists gender imbalance in women’s owned MSEs access to financial services in Tanzania.This study explored factors that contribute to the gender gap in women’s owned MSEs access to financial services in Tanzania. The study is guided by two theories: the institutional theory and feminist theory. It also utilised a cross-sectional design that combines both qualitative and quantitative research approaches from a total sample of 350 respondents. The respondents comprised of: 40 officials within selected institutions, 300 women owning micro and small ventures in the study area as well as 10 key informants among ministry officials and women business associations. Both, purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select respondents. The study relied on data obtained through the use of questionnaires, interview guides, observation checklists and secondary data analysis. Overall, the study found that both individual and institutional factors contribute to the gender gap in women owned MSEs access to financial services. Evidently, more than a half of officers from selected institutions were neither aware nor conversant of the meaning of the 2000 Tanzania’s Women Development and Gender Policy (WDGP). This has contributed to the poor implementation of the policy which to large extent strives to redress gender gaps and inequalities between men and women. Further, the study found that negative perceptions of official working with institutions financing MSEs contributed to the limited number of women enterprises to access financial services. Managers and officials of selected institutions perceived women owning small and micro enterprises to possess less entrepreneurial attributes including: management experience, negotiations skills and risk-taking propensity. Negative perception towards women entrepreneurs has taken the form of lower rates of approval for loan applications. Further, the study established that women owning MSEs were more constrained by institutional than individual factors in seeking financial support. Among the institutional factors include a need of collateral requirement, high interest rates and discrimination against women. The study concludes that the 2000 Tanzania’s Women Development and Gender Policy (WDGP) coordinated by the then Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children (MoCDGC) cannot be claimed to have helped much reduce the gender gaps in access to financial services in Tanzania due to failure in addressing both individual and institutional factors from the supply side that constrain women owned MSEs access to financial services. Based on the findings, the study has advanced a number of recommendations. Amongst them include government and monetary authorities should exert serious effort to support gender driven credit policies targeted at men and women entrepreneurs. Moreover, civic education and publicity should be conducted to address the negative perception about women entrepreneur’s capabilities and skills. Further, women owning MSEs need to be empowered on how to do away with the belief systems, and social practices that continue to create gender gap in women’s access to financial services.