Public Defence: PhD
Candidate: Rose H. Kiwia
Rose is employed as Lecturer in Community Development Studies at Tengeru Institute of Community Development (TICD), from March 2009 to date, in the Department of Community Development. She registered with Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in November, 2016 to pursue PhD studies in the Department of Development Studies (DDS), College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH).
Thesis Title: Performance of Successors of Family-Owned Small and Medium Enterprises in Tanzania
Supervisors: Prof. K.M.K Bengesi, Dr. D.W Ndyetabula
Date and time: 16th November, 2021 at 09:30 Hrs
Venue: Postgraduate Seminar Room
Mode: Face to Face/Online
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 833 1714 5705
Panelist members:
| S/N | Name of Panel Member | Status of Appointment | Remarks |
| 1 | Prof. Kim Abel Kayunze | Chairperson | |
| 2 | Dr. Suzana Nyanda | Appointee of the CSSH Principal | |
| 3 | Dr. Betty Waized | Internal examiner | Not Supervisor |
| 4 | Dr. Daniel W. Ndyetabula | Internal Examiner | Supervisor |
| 5 | Dr. Edwin Ngowi | Appointee of the Head, DDSS | Recorder |
Summary of major findings
High failure rate has been documented to affect family-owned small and medium enterprises all over the world. In response to this situation, initiatives such as formulation of SME Policy, developing financial and non-financial services, establishing SMEs supportive organizations and infrastructures have been implemented in Tanzania. Despite several government and private sector interventions, high failure rate is still a challenge to family-owned businesses. Considering the significance of family businesses to Tanzania’s economic development, it was significant to conduct this study to assess performance of successors of family-owned small and medium enterprises in Tanzania.
The results showed that most of family-owned SMEs in the study area had mechanisms of succession plan in their businesses. Moreover, there was a difference in performance in terms of the business net profit between the successors selected and prepared by business founders and those selected and prepared by other family members. Those selected and prepared by family business founders made higher net profit. Furthermore, it was found that education and business experience influenced performance in terms of profit in family-owned SMEs. Additionally, the results have shown that there was no significant difference in performance in terms of profit between male and female successors of family-owned SMEs.
Successors’ risk-taking propensity and ability to exploit business opportunity showed significant results in predicting performance(profit) of family-owned SMEs.
There is high performance (Profit) of family-owned SMEs if business founder selects and prepare the business successor, and sex should not be a factor for consideration in selecting successors of family-owned SMEs. For good performance of family-owned SMEs, successors’ education and business experience should be given the highest priority in succession plans. Family-owned SMEs managed by successors who are able to take calculated risks and able to exploit business opportunities are in a good position to realize better performance in terms of net profit.
