The removal of trade barriers has encouraged the entry of new competitors into formerly protected markets. This situation creates pressure on many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in emerging economies such as Tanzania. Using a survey method and cross-sectional research design, the research examines three dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO), namely: pro-activeness, risk-taking and competitive aggressiveness. Understanding their relationships and variance may help to improve our ability to explain SME performance. The findings contribute to how SME performance in emerging economies can be enhanced to enable SMEs to face challenges posed by competitor influx in the context of an open market economy. The findings indicate a strong relationship between EO dimensions and performance, with risktaking and competitive aggressiveness moderating the effect of pro-activeness. The proposed model could predict 72% of the variance explained in SME performance.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine succession planning and performance of family-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach The quantitative research approach and a cross-sectional research design were employed. The probability sampling technique was used to draw 219 respondents from the sampling frame. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests were used for data analysis. Findings It was revealed that most of family-owned SMEs founders in the study area had mechanisms for succession planning for their businesses. Also, there is a difference in business performance when successors are selected and prepared by business founders compared to when they are selected and prepared by other family members. Successors selected and prepared by business founders performed better in business than successors who were selected and prepared by other family members. Research limitations/implications This study employed a quantitative research paradigm methodology, which limits deep discussion with respondents. Future studies could consider using a qualitative research paradigm methodology. Originality/value The paper presents succession planning process experience in family-owned SMEs in the study area, specifically the existence of succession planning in family-owned SMEs. It also shows a difference in business performance between the two investigated groups. This paper will benefit business founders, family business successors and researchers.

This study examined the influence of three dimensions of strategic entrepreneurial response, namely market orientation, entrepreneurial orientation and networking capability on SME performance necessary for firms to face challenges in competitive environments. The research confirmed positive influence of the three dimensions of strategic entrepreneurial response (SER), namely market orientation (MO), entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and network capabilities (NWC) on small and medium enterprise (SME) performance. The dimensions of SER explained a significant amount of variance (50.1%) in SME performance, with the largest amount (27.1%) of variance accounted for by MO. The findings suggest that emphasis on MO is a firm's strategic choice to generate strategic information which forms a seedbed of opportunities from which entrepreneurial oriented firms identify and proactively seize to build competitive advantage. Contrary to previous studies, which emphasized that opportunity seeking behaviour is a domain of EO, this paper argues that MO is pivotal construct to the SER. This paper views EO as more driven by an advantage seeking behaviour rather than opportunity seeking behaviour as conceptualised before. With these findings, this paper suggest that sustained market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation cultures build opportunity seeking and advantage seeking behaviours, respectively crucial to create and sustain SME performance.

This paper examined forces driving tourists' hotels purchasing behaviour. The results revealed that the tourist hotels consider several factors before deciding to source vegetables and fruits from smallholder farmers. The most prominent factors for the tourist hotels to source vegetables and fruits were consistent quality, regular supply, compliance to legal practices, and hygiene conditions. Interestingly, proximity to the tourists' hotels and competitive price of fruits and vegetables were not among important driving forces contributing to the choice of sourcing points. This suggests that the tourist hotels are willing to pay premium prices so long they are assured of quality and regular supply, comply to legal practices and observe hygiene conditions. With the fact that smallholder farmers lack access to appropriate market information, produce at subsistence level and lack logistic infrastructure this call for a change of mind-set among smallholder farmers and position strategically to take advantage of emerging markets.

This study examines high incidence of under-five mortality among agro-pastoralists resulting from lack of access to healthcare facilities. A proportional sampling method was adopted, and descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used in data analysis. The results revealed low dependence of agro-pastoralists on formal healthcare facilities, which could be explained by prevalence of informal healthcare facilities in villages where they reside. Education, income, accessibility, and duration of stay in a particular area accounted for the choice of healthcare facilities. Level of education and income determined preference for formal health facilities, possibly due to influence of education on understanding benefits of treatment in formal health facilities and income to meet associated costs. Accessibility of health facility influenced the decision to patronize formal health facilities. This was evident in villages which were connected to reliable road networks. Additionally, the length of time one resides in a particular area played a role in adhering to traditional values influencing the choice of informal healthcare facilities. The government and private sector should invest in rural road networks and promote education among agro-pastoralists on importance of using formal healthcare facilities and rational use of household income to improve accessibility to formal health facilities.

Recurrent conflicts between farmers and pastoralists have brought significant impacts on both groups. In response to this situation, the government and other actors have taken several measures to mitigate such conflicts with little success. This paper examined drivers and consequences of recurrent conflicts between farmers and pastoralists in Kilosa and Mvomero districts. Covering a sample size of 203 respondents, data was collected using interview, documentary review, and focus group discussions. Collected data was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The findings revealed that weak governance structures associated with unethical behavior, regulatory deficiencies, socio-economic and environmental factors are responsible for the recurrence of conflicts between farmers and pastoralists. Consequently, the recurrent conflicts have resulted into major socio-economic impact that includes loss of lives and properties to both farmers and pastoralists. Drawing from conflict and conflict resolution theories, which advocates use of coercive power and participatory approaches to restore peace, respectively; this paper conclude that no single strategy fits all conflicts given the complexity in which such conflicts occurs. In the light of the results this paper recommends that the effective way to address farmers-pastoralists conflicts; actors should use both lenses of coercive and participatory approaches and the choice of appropriate strategy will depends on the context since no single approach fits all types of conflicts...

Drawing from Communicative Planning Theory (CPT), this paper examined planning interface for social service delivery between Local Government Authorities (LGA) and Corporates in Morogoro region using a case study design. Results revealed that LGAs planning process was inclusive and transparent enabling corporates to decide on kind of services to provide to communities. Conversely, Mtibwa Sugar Company was not transparent to share their planning decisions with the LGA whereas Kilombero Sugar Company was transparent in sharing their planning decisions to the LGA. Hence, LGAs planning processes are in line with CPT, which considers inclusiveness and transparent as core components for effective planning. The findings further revealed misalignment of planning seasons between the LGAs and corporates leading to double allocation of resources for some social services. The study recommends that there should be budget review by the LGA to relocate resources that corporates use to support community activities.

Mining has increasingly become an important contributor to the economy of developing countries including Tanzania. Since independence, Tanzania has made several efforts in response to address the challenges in the mining sector to enhance its contribution to the national economy. However, such efforts have not been successful in addressing the persisting challenges, which includes lack of expected benefits, failure to develop policy options for making the investment environment supportive for all actors in the sector; hence failure to use mineral wealth sustainably. The reasons for the persistence of these challenges are not well documented especially in relation to the policy framework. While some scholars attribute these challenges to bad deals with mining companies, others blame the government for its failure to effectively implement, monitor and enforce the existing regulatory framework. This paper reviews the policy enabling environment of the mining sector in Tanzania. The results indicate that Tanzania has taken measures to create some opportunities through policy enabling environment. However, the measures have not been able to achieve the expected results due to the persistence of targeted challenges in the sector. In view of this, improvement of the policy framework is particularly needed where policy gaps have accelerated for poor practices.