0000000000230163
AUTHOR
Neema Mori
Implications of the Marketing Strategy for Exporting MSEs from Developing Economies
Purpose: This paper reviews the export literature and identifies the marketing challenges faced by exporting MSEs from developing economies. The paper further explores ways in which MSEs can adjust their marketing strategies to circumvent the challenges faced. Design/methodology/approach: It reviews both theoretical and empirical perspectives in export performance globally and with a special focus on studies done in developing economies. The literature synthesis is done in order to develop a conceptual model which will be used as guidance in future research. Findings: Previous studies have shown several types of marketing challenges which are faced by MSEs from developing economies. These a…
Roles Of Stakeholders In Strategic Decision-Making Of Microfinance Organizations
Microfinance organizations provide financial services to low income people. These organizations have been increasing dramatically worldwide. This increment calls attention for these organizations and their boards to make strategic decisions which enable them perform well and compete with each other. Based on literature, this paper identifies six types of microfinance stakeholders who sit on boards. These are clients, employees, government, donors, creditors and owners. The paper discusses different roles of these stakeholders when they sit on boards of Microfinance Organizations. These roles are further explained to show how they contribute to the process of making strategic decisions. Lite…
Determinants of Board Structure in Microfinance Institutions: Evidence from East Africa
This study investigates the association between the unique characteristics of microfinance institutions and board structure. The agency and resource dependence theories provided theoretical guidance for this study. Using a panel dataset of 63 microfinance institutions in East Africa, we found that the presence of regulations and international influence is associated with larger boards, while the presence of founders is associated with small boards and less board independence. There is a higher level of board gender diversity in microfinance institutions managed by founders. There is greater diversity of nationalities in microfinance institutions that are internationally influenced. The imp…
Perceived problems with collateral: The value of informal networking
Abstract Many businesses in emerging economies are financially constrained due to their limited use of formal loans. Recent evidence suggests that negative perceptions discourage entrepreneurs from applying for loans. One of the main issues entrepreneurs mention is unattainable collateral requirements. In this paper, we contribute to this line of research by investigating the effect of networking with fellow entrepreneurs on perceived collateral problems. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data originating from female entrepreneurs in Tanzania, we find that through networking, entrepreneurs are exposed to stories of their peers’ experiences with loans which influence their perceptions …
An institutional view on access to finance by Tanzanian women-owned enterprises
We investigate the limited use of bank and microfinance loans by Tanzanian female entrepreneurs. Using survey data, we observe that female entrepreneurs mainly use informal sources to finance their businesses. We analyze how “perceptions” of gendered cognitive and normative institutions determine whether a female entrepreneur applies for a formal loan. Following results stand out: first, we find that high collateral requirements, interest rates and personal guarantee requirements make formal loans unattractive. Second, female entrepreneurs only apply when they expect to be successful. Since they “perceive” access to finance to be more problematic for women,female entrepreneurs are discourag…
Roles Of Stakeholders In Strategic Decision-Making Of Microfinance Organizations
Microfinance organizations provide financial services to low income people. These organizations have been increasing dramatically worldwide. This increment calls attention for these organizations and their boards to make strategic decisions which enable them perform well and compete with each other. Based on literature, this paper identifies six types of microfinance stakeholders who sit on boards. These are clients, employees, government, donors, creditors and owners. This paper discusses the different roles of these stakeholders when they sit on boards of microfinance organizations and these roles are further explained to show how they contribute to the process of making strategic decisio…
The Role of the Internet in Overcoming Information Barriers: Implications for Exporting SMEs of the East African Community
Small and medium-sized enterprises play a significant role in the East African Community, contributing highly to the national income and employing a significant number of people. Exportation provides a great opportunity for these enterprises to expand their businesses and improve their performance. However, they encounter a number of information- related barriers before and during exportation. Based on literature, this paper identifies these barriers and discusses how the internet could be used to reduce them. Based on the internet, international business and small business literature, the paper provides propositions and develops a model that will be useful for future studies in this area.
Four essays on microfinance boards
Doctoral dissertation in International Management, University of Agder, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Kristiansand 2012
Evaluating the missing links in the relationship between executives' compensation and firm performance
The research on the relationship between executive compensation and firm performance is extensive but has produced inconsistent results and, typically, weak explanatory power. One cause of these results is use of an incomplete theoretical framework that ignores some variables that are related to these two concepts. We explore the missing links between them. The paper contributes to scholarly and practical understanding of this important issue in the literature by extending and combining agency theory, upper echelons theory, and motivation theory perspectives. The paper develops a model that describes and explains the interactive relationship between executive managerial ability, executive c…
The process of female borrower discouragement
Recent entrepreneurial finance literature identifies ‘borrower discouragement’ as an important phenomenon explaining why female entrepreneurs hold less capital to grow their venture. But how do you become a discouraged borrower? We apply grounded theory to interviews with Tanzanian female entrepreneurs and model the process via which these entrepreneurs become discouraged. Our model suggests that entrepreneurs hold negative perceptions regarding loan application, allocation and payback procedures shaped by both internal and external information sources. We demonstrate that negative perceptions cause an unfavorable attitude towards formal loans which together with entrepreneurs' perceptions …
Social Entrepreneurship in Tanzania: Assessment of Enabling Environment
The main purpose of the study was to assess the supporting environment for social entrepreneurship in Tanzania. Specifically, the study aimed at evaluating the current key stakeholders’ conceptualisation and recognition of Social Entrepreneurship concept and whether in Tanzania there is a supportive environment for Social Entrepreneurship. This was an exploratory study and was conducted qualitatively. The approach used was a combination of secondary data and in-depth interviews with policy makers and policy advisers. Findings revealed that most stakeholders are not aware of the concept of Social Entrepreneurship. The objectives of their organizations showed that they had some elements of So…
The Influence of Relationship Lending on SMEs Loan Repayment Performance
The study examined the influence of relationship lending on repayment performance of small- and medium-enterprise (SME) credit facilities. Four hypotheses were developed and tested using data from 395 sampled borrowers of the largest Tanzanian bank. Data for independent variables were obtained through an administered questionnaire while the data for dependent variable were obtained from the borrowers’ records with the bank. Descriptive and econometric analyses were conducted. Findings show that length and depth of relationship between bank and customers positively and significantly influence the repayment performance. Contrary to other empirical works, the findings revealed the scope of th…
Boards in microfinance institutions: how do stakeholders matter?
Published version of an article in the journal: Journal of Management and Governance. Also available from the publisher at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10997-011-9191-4 Microfinance Institutions provide financial services to poor people. Governance of these organizations is important so that they can operate efficiently and sustainably. This study analyzes the influence of stakeholders (donors, employees, customers, and creditors), on board structure (board size and CEO duality), and on organizational performance. We use a global data set of 379 microfinance institutions from 73 countries, collected from rating organizations. Supported by stakeholder theory, agency theory and resource depend…
Board Gender Diversity: Challenges and Implications for Corporations in the East African Community
East African Community’s (EAC) corporations are required to follow a regional treaty of mainstreaming gender equality. This article discusses challenges encountered by corporate boards of the EAC’s...
Board Composition and Outreach Performance of Microfinance Institutions: Evidence from East Africa
The attributes of microfinance's board members have an impact on attainment of their social objectives.
Effect of partner–agent model practice on microinsurance client value: Insight from microfinance institutions in Tanzania
In absence of formal microinsurance to protect low-income people against natural and man-made disasters, the partnership between insurance companies and microfinance institutions (MFIs), also known as the Partner–Agent Model (PAM), is gaining global recognition from governments, practitioners, and donors for its potential role to deliver microinsurance. Although the model is still nascent in Tanzania, it has significantly increased microinsurance outreach. However, while the microinsurance landscape has been extensively studied, the effect of PAM practice on mandatory microinsurance client value has not received much attention. Therefore, this study examines how the PAM practice affects mic…