Institutional logics in women entrepreneurship : narratives of learning, struggles, and compromise from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

This thesis explores institutional logics in women entrepreneurship in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It uses qualitative, narrative research methodology, and analyses different narratives from the women entrepreneurs on how they navigate their lives as women and as entrepreneurs. It brings about different stories from diverse experiences and encounters that they have gone through in the course of exploring entrepreneurship. The narratives were collected through 20 in-depth interviews conducted during the spring term of 2017. The data was based on their experiences as women entrepreneurs under MKUBWA program, which was facilitated by Tanzania Gatsby Trust in order to groom women entrepreneurs. After the data collection, the interviews which were conducted in Swahili were transcribed and thematically analyzed in dialogue with the institutional logics perspectives.

The study found the following institutional logics emerging out of women entrepreneurship: business logic, social logic, family logic, individual logic and religious logic. It was evident that, on one hand, there was an interaction of logics, and on the other hand, a clash between them. For women entrepreneurs, balancing their business responsibilities can be challenging when they have to perform their familial responsibilities. They learn to juggle different roles that they play as women entrepreneurs in order to be able to find that balance. However, there are cases where the support from the family can be helpful in their businesses. Therefore, for the better understanding and supporting of women entrepreneurship it is important to learn about their embeddedness in the society.