Paper info

THE IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKS IN THE ACQUISITIONOF MARKETING INFORMATION RESOURCES FORSMALL SIZED ENTERPRISES (SSEs) IN TANZANIA - ATHEORETICAL DISCUSSION

Jan-Erik Jaensson, Lettice K. Rutashobya, Omari K. Mbura and Per Nilsson

The paper was published at the 21st IMP-conference in Rotterdam, Netherlands in 2005.

Marketing information (MI) is a key resource to any firm. That is why investment in itsacquisition is indispensable. To the Small-scale enterprises (SSEs) which contributesignificantly to the poverty reduction and development of the economy of developingcountries such like Tanzania the efficient, timely and effective gathering of the MI isimportant. The competitive and dynamic nature of the environment makes furtheremphasis on this point redundant. The most cost efficient way of gathering such MI isthrough the entrepreneur’s social and inter-firm networks. But the contents and structureof both inter firm and social networks have had differing and contradicting results when itcomes to their contribution in accessing the MI. Thus, further empirical studies in theAfrican and Tanzanian context in particular is necessary. This working paper proposes atheoretical model for the purpose. Four propositions concerning marketing informationand networks are developed.