Title:
THE CONTRIBUTION OF MOBILE MONEY SERVICES ON SMES INTERNATIONALIZATION IN TANZANIA: A CASE OF EPZA

Authors:
Nkupama Philip Conwell and Vicent Stanslaus,Tanzania

Abstract:
The objective of the study was to establish the contribution of Mobile money services to SMEs internationalization using EPZA as a case study. The study was conducted in Dar es Salaam. It covered Ilala, Kinondoni and Temeke municipals. The specific objectives of the study were to find out the extent to which financial services, features, cost saving, perceived security, and perceived convenience and reliability in the mobile money use relate to SMEs internationalization. The analysis was done using SPSS (Statistical analysis software) through mean and standard deviation. A sample size of 145 SME actors and mobile money agents was randomly chosen to represent the population of the study. The five key informants were purposely chosen to give an in-depth view on the several questions. The findings of the study revealed that financial services features, perceived cost saving, perceived security, and perceived convenience and reliability have a significant influence on Mobile money services and hence SMEs internationalization. However, among the four variables perceived convenience and reliability had strong influence than others. This study recommends that the government should cooperate with MNOs to build necessary infrastructures throughout the country so that MNOs can extend mobile money services even in rural areas. MNOs are advised to improve the micro business operators’ use of the mobile payments and the digital technology by integrating the mobile money services with other operators outside Tanzania to allow the interoperability. They should also increase the transaction amount to facilitate SMEs transact larger amounts and enhance security measures