Search results

The design documents are products of a process that aims to provide sufficient details to enable the contractor to efficiently implement the project at a realistic cost. Accordingly, it is expected that these design documents must be of high quality to engender the attainment of the desired project objectives. The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors that affect the quality of design documentation in construction projects in the context of a developing country.

This study used a descriptive research design involving professionals from firms offering services in areas of design and documentation, mainly architectural, quantity surveying and engineering. A total of 80 out of 84 questionnaires were received and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 25, and a factor analysis approach was used to categorize the factors into smaller five groups.

The factors were subsequently categorized according to size, time, staff, quality and training-related factors. Collectively, large size of the project, inadequate supervision of junior design staff, low professional fees, procurement process and system, failure to adopt quality management systems and allocation or assigning of staff to more than one project at the same time have high influence (component loading of 700) in respective groups.

The reliance on data to analyze the factors of design documents in construction projects in developing economies context, using a Tanzanian exemplar, is considered a limitation. Developing countries with similar economic characteristics, procurement systems and cultural setup could benefit from the results of this study.

The study of factors affecting quality of design and documents in construction projects serves as a guide for built environment firms in Tanzania in conducting effective business and ensuring quality design documents, hence improved project performance. Understanding the nature of relationship between the design and construction teams as well as the impact of design documents on project performance is of great importance for the design teams of future projects and other decision-makers to pay attention when preparing design and related documents, especially during design stage of construction projects in developing countries.

The study contributes the knowledge by providing useful insights on the subject through a categorization of the factors affecting the quality of design documentation and exploring the nature of relationship between the design and construction teams in construction projects within a previously unexplored Tanzanian context focusing on a traditional procurement system for future improvement of project delivery, hence project success.

This study aims to examine the impact of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) quality assurance framework on the quality of Bachelor of Education (BEd) programs in private universities in Tanzania. It aims to evaluate how well the framework’s guidelines, including faculty qualifications, curriculum design and infrastructure, influence educational quality in the context of rapidly growing private higher education institutions.

This study uses a quantitative approach, gathering data from 495 participants, including academic staff, quality assurance officers and students, to assess key quality assurance indicators such as faculty qualifications, curriculum design and infrastructure. This methodology assesses key quality assurance indicators through surveys and interviews, enabling a comprehensive evaluation of the IUCEA framework’s effectiveness.

The study finds that while the IUCEA framework offers valuable guidelines, its selected variables – such as infrastructure and curriculum – demonstrate limited predictive power regarding overall program quality. Correlation and regression analyses reveal weak relationships between these variables and program quality, indicating that other significant factors influence educational outcomes.

This study reveals the limitations of relying solely on the IUCEA quality assurance framework to assess the quality of BEd programs in private Tanzanian universities. While the framework provides useful guidelines, it fails to capture the full spectrum of factors affecting educational quality, such as internal institutional mechanisms and staff qualifications. The weak predictive power of IUCEA variables suggests that the framework alone is insufficient. Private universities must incorporate a more holistic quality assurance approach, blending external benchmarks with robust internal practices to address these limitations and improve overall educational quality.

Private universities in Tanzania need to adopt a more comprehensive approach to quality assurance that integrates the IUCEA framework with internal quality practices. This includes prioritizing academic staff development, improving program relevance and enhancing planning and evaluation processes. Expanding the IUCEA framework to encompass innovative teaching methods, comprehensive student support and modern technology is crucial. Investments in infrastructure, digital resources and ongoing faculty development are essential for ensuring sustained quality improvements. These measures will help align educational offerings with both external standards and internal needs, leading to enhanced educational outcomes.

Enhancing the quality of education in private universities has significant social implications, such as producing graduates who are better equipped to contribute to the workforce and society. Improved alignment with the IUCEA framework and the adoption of comprehensive quality practices will result in more relevant and effective academic programs. This, in turn, supports broader educational and economic development goals, fostering a more knowledgeable and skilled population. Addressing educational quality gaps helps meet local and global challenges, thereby contributing to social progress and improving the overall quality of life for individuals and communities.

The research highlights the need for a more comprehensive quality assurance approach in private universities, suggesting that the IUCEA framework should be expanded to include teaching methods, student support and technological integration. It emphasizes the importance of bridging the gap between theoretical frameworks and practical application to enhance educational quality. Strategic recommendations for improving quality include fostering a robust institutional quality culture and investing in faculty development.

Quality has always been a competitive advantage for every organisation that strives for customer satisfaction when offering services or products. Technological advancements during the industrial revolutions have enabled organisations to grub improvement and transition opportunities into a new paradigm in operating business processes. In light of the fourth industrial revolution (FIR), in which Quality 4.0 (Q4.0) leveraged its technologies, this study establishes the need for service organisations to transition to Q4.0. It unveils the awareness level within the organisation, the existing challenges and the benefits of transitioning to Q4.0.

The data for this study was acquired through a survey methodology; it involved qualitative and quantitative methodologies and a mix of primary and secondary sources. The challenges and benefits regarding Q4.0 adoption were obtained from the relevant literature and used as a base of assessment in the selected service organisations. Minitab version 20 and SPSS 21.0 software packages analysed the gathered data.

The study found a high level of awareness regarding Q4.0 among the selected service organisations. Despite the high level of awareness, it was revealed that neither of the Q4.0-related technologies have been implemented nor in the process within the selected service industries. This is due to numerous challenges, including inadequate high-speed internet, a high cost of investment, inadequate skilled personnel and inadequate scepticalness to the implementation outcomes. Despite these challenges, leveraged technologies, potential benefits and Q4.0 awareness all demonstrate the need for Q4.0.

The study introduces the advent of the FIR and the disruptive nature of the associated technologies. It also unveils the potential of the contemporary technologies of the FIR that could elevate quality service provision to increase their competitiveness. Moreover, it also assists service organisations in planning and properly allocating their resources to ensure all the challenges are addressed in the Q4.0 adoption process. The study is limited in that it merely considers service organisations in Tanzania without categorising what type of service organisations were considered, i.e. banking, telecommunications, health, etc. thus generalising the findings.

Much has been discussed in the literature regarding Q4.0 in manufacturing organisations, focusing less on service organisations. This study uniquely assessed the need to transition to Q4.0 for service organisations, which has yet to be covered in the literature.

This review explores the challenges and opportunities of implementing telemedicine in rural Tanzania. The study examines how telemedicine can address healthcare gaps in underserved areas and identifies key barriers that hinder its full adoption. It also provides insights into strategies for improving healthcare delivery through telemedicine in rural settings.

A systematic literature review methodology was employed following the PRISMA guidelines. The study collected and analysed relevant academic and grey literature from PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus databases. The search focused on telemedicine in rural Tanzania, with a thematic analysis used to categorise the challenges and opportunities identified in the literature.

The review found that the major challenges to telemedicine implementation in rural Tanzania include inadequate telecommunications infrastructure, limited digital literacy among healthcare providers, insufficient financial investment and weak regulatory frameworks. Despite these barriers, telemedicine presents significant opportunities to improve healthcare access, particularly by connecting rural patients with specialists, reducing travel times and integrating telemedicine with national health insurance systems. Innovations such as drone-based medical deliveries and SMS-based health interventions also show promise.

This paper comprehensively overviews telemedicine’s potential to transform healthcare delivery in rural Tanzania. It synthesises existing literature, highlights critical gaps in telemedicine adoption and proposes actionable strategies for overcoming these barriers. The study contributes valuable insights for policymakers, healthcare providers and stakeholders interested in leveraging telemedicine to enhance healthcare outcomes in underserved regions.

This qualitative case study aims to identify and analyse the factors influencing the implementation and effectiveness of electronic health record systems (EHRS) in primary health-care (PHC) facilities in Tanzania. This study aims to explore ways to optimize the use of EHRS for better health-care service delivery.

The study uses a qualitative case study design. Data were collected through interviews and focus groups conducted with health-care workers and information and communication technology officers at the PHC facilities in Tanzania. Purposive sampling and data source triangulation were used to address potential biases and limitations associated with the study’s small sample size.

This study identifies several key findings related to the implementation and effectiveness of EHRS in Tanzanian PHC facilities. The primary obstacles include inadequate technical infrastructure, poor internet connectivity and insufficient financial resources. The study suggests a comprehensive strategy for improving EHRS, emphasizing patient and health-care professional involvement in system design, investments in technical infrastructure and connectivity, data quality and accuracy and ongoing technical support and training.

This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering a nuanced understanding of the Tanzanian health-care context. It emphasizes the need for tailored solutions and strategies specific to the region’s challenges and opportunities. The study’s originality lies in its focus on EHRS in the Tanzanian context, providing valuable insights for future initiatives. A key policy implication underscores the importance of a supportive regulatory framework, dedicated resources and consistent stakeholder communication for successful EHRS implementation.

This study aims to propose a model for Tanzanian electronic service (e-service) improvisation via public service delivery formats and empirically validate it such that the determinants [namely, information quality (IQ), service quality (SEQ), net impact, top management support (TMS)] of the user satisfaction and the intention to continue using the e-services have been determined.

A quantitative methodology and a survey research method has been adopted with responses solicited from the Information and Communication Technology officers and accountants working at the Ministry of Finance, Bank of Tanzania, etc. based at Dar es Salam and Dodoma.

IQ, SEQ, system quality and net impact have a positive and significant impact on user satisfaction and intention to continue to use e-services. However, results for TMS were not found to have any bearing on the user satisfaction and intention to continue to use e-services.

With the extant literature primarily hinged on the understanding of the electronic government services from the efficacy perspective, this study contributes to the literature in two ways, namely, proposing a model for e-service improvisation and empirically validating it in the context of Tanzania.

The research proposes a customised framework for improving logistics service quality (LSQ) in Tanzania's railway transportation, focusing on customer engagement and integrating customer-desired services.

The survey method obtained data from railway customers regarding the LSQ offered. Both probability and purposive sampling techniques were used to get the sample size. The open- and closed-ended questionnaires gathered the pertinent data. The data were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively using the IBM® SPSS® 21.0 and AMOS 21.0 software packages, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to analyse data and establish relationships between variables.

This study anticipated that the LSQ framework during the period of reviewing literature included three variables for freight transporting customers (tangible components, ways of fulfilment and information actions) and eight variables for passengers (tangible, reliability, assurance, responsiveness, comfort, empathy, connection and convenience). EFA and CFA dropped some factors. The retained factors were used as inputs to develop a framework. The qualitative analysis also established the improvement of customer’s desired services (CDS) and LSQ, which were the framework's processes for improving the LSQ. Ultimately, the study developed the LSQ framework for railway transportation.

The study was conducted on Tanzania’s railways, which incorporated challenges in the Tanzanian context. However, many challenges in the developing countries are relatively the same. Therefore, modifications can be made to adopt the developed framework and be used in other countries to cover the geographical and other challenges in particular countries.

Tanzania’s railway infrastructures are somehow not fully utilised to meet the actual needs of the transportation sector. For example, one of the railway companies has a built capacity of 4 million tonnes carrying capacity per year, but the actual cargo transported by the railway is 200,000 tonnes. This comes from several challenges within the railway companies, including the quality of their services, thus leading to a need to develop a LSQ framework.

This paper aims to investigate the effect of supplier relationship management (SRM) on the business performance of small-scale grapes processing firms in Dodoma, Tanzania. The paper also examines the moderating role of logistics capabilities in the relationship between SRM and business performance.

This research uses a cross-sectional survey design. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 202 small-scale grape processing firms. The data were analysed through descriptive and structural equation modelling.

The findings revealed that buyer-supplier relationships, supplier development and supplier selection were positively and significantly related to business performance. Furthermore, knowledge transfer had no relationship with business performance. On the other hand, the findings showed that logistics capabilities significantly moderated the relationship between SRM and business performance.

The study was cross-sectional, conducted only in Tanzania, and focussed entirely on small-scale firms processing grapes as raw materials. Thus, generalising the study findings to other countries with different conditions should be done cautiously. Also, this study used subjective measures, and other studies could use objective measures.

The study helps firm managers understand the importance of supplier relationship management on business performance. The findings also can be used by policymakers to create targeted policies and initiatives that support the firm’s growth and sustainability.

To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to find empirical support for the moderating role of logistics capability in supplier relationship management and the business performance of small-scale grapes processing firms in the Tanzanian context.

Ensuring high water quality is crucial for safeguarding public health, as contaminated water can pose significant risks to consumers’ well-being. This study aims to evaluate the microbiological and chemical quality of bottled water brands commonly consumed in Dodoma, Tanzania.

A total of 36 samples from 12 brands were collected between January and March 2023 and analyzed for microbiological and general water quality parameters.

Microbial analysis found that 42% of brands tested positive for coliform bacteria, while opportunistic pathogens Aeromonas hydrophila and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were detected in 25% and 17% of samples, respectively. For chemical composition, 42% of brands exceeded the World Health Organization guideline value of 1.5 mg/L for fluoride. However, no other parameters exceeded national drinking water standards. Statistical analysis revealed significantly higher measured fluoride levels compared to values declared on product labels (paired t-test, p = 0.003). A moderate positive correlation between fluoride and conductivity (r = 0.52, p = 0.045) indicated possible geological influences on water chemistry.

To enhance the study’s comprehensiveness, exploring temporal and spatial variations among water brands, including samples from typically clean environments such as supermarkets, could have been beneficial in identifying underlying factors. Additionally, investigating the entire manufacturing process, from production to end-user, could have provided insights into unforeseen deviations in quality. Furthermore, the use of pour plating techniques at 37°C for microbial analysis, while suitable for resource-limited settings, may not have fully captured coliform diversity compared to membrane filtration and differential temperature incubation as per standard methods. This could partly explain the detection of heterotrophs without higher coliform counts in some samples.

This study provides baseline data on the bacteriological and inorganic chemical quality of bottled water in Dodoma. Detectable microbial contaminants and significant exceedances of fluoride guidelines in some products raise public health concerns.

While existing studies focus on bottled water quality at production facilities, this research highlights the overlooked risks at retail points, where consumers are directly affected.