Research Articles

Examining Service Quality Dimensions and Customer Satisfaction Interplay in the Retail Banking Sector

2026-05-19T05:37:14Z

Examining Service Quality Dimensions and Customer Satisfaction Interplay in the Retail Banking Sector Kazungu, Isaac; Msuya, Richard I. This study assesses the relationship between service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction. Specifically, the study aimed to determine the influence of reliability, tangibility, responsiveness, service assurance, and empathy on customer satisfaction with retail banking services. A cross sectional research design was adopted. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 289 respondents, and the data were analysed using ordinal logistic regression. Findings indicate that customers are satisfied with the overall quality of services rendered by the retail banking sector. Findings further reveal that reliability, tangibility, assurance, responsiveness and empathy positively influence customer satisfaction. The findings highlight the importance of service quality dimensions in shaping customer perceptions and satisfaction in the banking sector, and identify areas for development to improve overall service delivery and the customer experience. The study's findings are particularly relevant in emerging economies, where competition is intensifying, and customer expectations are evolving. Findings suggest that Banks that prioritise these dimensions can foster stronger customer loyalty, quality service delivery, greater financial performance and sustainable growth. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by addressing a critical research gap in the Tanzanian retail banking sector, particularly regarding the relationship between service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction. Unlike previous studies that examined conventional banking services, this study emphasises the unique dynamics of retail banking, catering to a large unbanked population in the country. By providing insights into specific service quality factors, the study equips Tanzanian banks with actionable strategies to enhance customer experiences and drive financial inclusion in an evolving economic landscape.

Plural contracting and adoption drivers for avocado contract farming in Njombe District, Tanzania

2026-03-06T09:32:45Z

Plural contracting and adoption drivers for avocado contract farming in Njombe District, Tanzania Sambuo, D.B.; Safari, J. Spreading risks among farmers from production to market access is vital, and the opportunity to console is plural contracting. This study assessed plural contracting adoption among avocado farmers in Tanzania. Specifically, multiple contracts incurred for avocado farmers were examined, and access to credit finance and infrastructure were adoption drivers examined to influence adoption of avocado contract farming in Njombe District, Tanzania. Guided by agency theory, cross-sectional data were collected from a sample size of 385 respondents using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and inferential analysis were employed to analyse both qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. The study identified four categories of contract farming among avocado cultivators: input, production, marketing, and full-service contracts.Variables such as age, gender, education, and geographic region significantly influenced participation rates.The predominant demographic of farmers consisted of middle-aged individuals who operated on a small scale and lived in rural areas.The findings indicate that various contract forms incentivise farmers to adopt practices, with these four types being the most significant.Moreover, pivotal elements that significantly facilitate the adoption of avocado contract farming include access to credit (OR=0.579, p=0.002), infrastructure (OR=2.564, p<0.001), advisory help (OR=0.623, p=0.023), and contract enforcement methods (OR=0.470, p<0.001). Moreover, access to credit finance and infrastructure, in addition to advisory support and clear contracts that include efficient enforcement procedures, significantly influences farmers' willingness to adopt contract farming.The results demonstrate the significance of socio-demographic characteristics, institutional support, and well-structured contracts in facilitating the adoption of avocado contract farming. It is recommended that plural contracts, access to credit finance and infrastructure need policies and regulatory frameworks for guiding farmers to have appropriate contractual arrangements. Further, a replicate study should focus on the relationship of avocado quantities sold, price, and income of the farmers. Research Article

Digital Financial Literacy and Financial Inclusion among Rural Tanzanian Women:

2026-03-06T09:30:30Z

Digital Financial Literacy and Financial Inclusion among Rural Tanzanian Women: Malombe, Hamza. This study investigates how digital financial literacy (DFL) affects financial inclusion (FI) among rural Tanzanian women. It addresses a critical gap in understanding how behavioral enablers such as confidence and attitude and also infrastructural factors like mobile network quality interact with digital literacy to influence financial inclusion. The study tests the direct relationship between DFL and FI, with financial confidence and financial attitude as mediators, and mobile network quality as a moderator. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from 301 rural women across Mbeya, Dodoma, and Kigoma regions in Tanzania. Participants were selected through purposive sampling based on their access to mobile phones. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4.0. The model assessed the measurement properties of constructs and evaluated structural relationships including mediation and moderation effects. The results show that digital financial literacy has a direct positive impact on financial inclusion. Financial confidence and financial attitude serve as mediators, explaining how knowledge translates into financial behavior. Mobile network quality moderates the DFL–FI relationship, indicating that better infrastructural conditions enhance the efficacy of digital financial literacy interventions. This study is among the first to simultaneously examine cognitive mediators and infrastructural moderators in the context of rural women’s financial inclusion. By integrating behavioral and contextual variables, the research offers a novel explanatory framework that moves beyond conventional linear models of financial literacy. The findings underscore the importance of a multidimensional strategy for enhancing financial inclusion that incorporates digital literacy training, psychological empowerment, and infrastructural improvement. These insights are valuable for policymakers, NGOs, and financial service providers designing inclusive financial ecosystems for underserved populations Research Article

Climate-smart agriculture practices adoption among smallholder coffee farmers

2026-03-06T09:13:55Z

Climate-smart agriculture practices adoption among smallholder coffee farmers Kiwelu, Leonard K.; Njau, Luka S. Climate change remains one of the most urgent en vironmental challenges globally, with agriculture among the sectors most adversely affected. In Tanzania, the coffee in dustry is particularly vulnerable, with climate-related stresses significantly undermining productivity and profitability. In response, the Government of Tanzania and key coffee-sector stakeholders have intensified efforts to promote the adop tion of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices. This study assessed the level of adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices promoted by government and coffee-sector stakeholders across 17 agricultural cooperatives in Mbinga, Nyasa, Rungwe, Mbeya, Ileje, and Mbozi districts. A mixed methods approach was employed, incorporating household surveys, semi-structured questionnaires, focus group dis cussions, and observations, to collect primary data. Second ary data were obtained through a review of reports from the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI) and the Tanza nia Coffee Board (TCB). The findings show that 70.42% of respondents have implemented at least three CSA practices. Predictor variables such as coffee varieties, pest and soil man agement practices, agroforestry, and conservation techniques play a crucial role in shaping CSA outcomes. Together, these variables explain a substantial portion of the observed vari ation, underscoring their importance in promoting sustain able farming practices. The findings further reveal that most smallholder farmers affiliated with agricultural cooperatives have adopted at least two climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices. This reflects the positive influence of government initiatives and the efforts of other key stakeholders, includ ing cooperatives, in supporting CSA adoption. The study concludes that interventions by the Government of Tanzania and coffee sector stakeholders have significantly contributed to the uptake of climate-smart agriculture practices among cooperative members. These efforts have enhanced coffee productivity and strengthened farmers’ capacity to adapt to climate challenges. It is recommended that coffee stakehold ers bolster agricultural cooperatives to attract more farmers and accelerate the dissemination of good agricultural practic es (GAPs), thereby improving CSA adoption. Key stakehold ers – particularly TCB, TaCRI, Moshi Co-operative Univer sity (MoCU), agricultural cooperatives, NGOs, and private sector actors – should continue to support farmers in adopting CSA practices. Additionally, smallholder farmers are encour aged to actively participate in CSA-related extension services and training to enhance their knowledge, increase productiv ity, and expand their influence within cooperatives and policy platforms.