Carving a niche: Tanzanian Carving a niche: Tanzanian women’s use of ICT in the women’s use of ICT in the vinyagovinyago export trade export trade

Thomas MolonyThomas Molony

Centre of African Studies / Centre of African Studies /

Institute for the Study of Science, Technology and InnovationInstitute for the Study of Science, Technology and Innovation

University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh

““Collectors tell us what to carve and then they may not collect exactly what they have Collectors tell us what to carve and then they may not collect exactly what they have ordered, and we [the carvers] go hungry. But we have to wait for him [the collector] to call ordered, and we [the carvers] go hungry. But we have to wait for him [the collector] to call

Dar es Salaam themselves. They know buyers there. Besides, a mobile phone is too Dar es Salaam themselves. They know buyers there. Besides, a mobile phone is too expensive for carvers when we have to eat. expensive for carvers when we have to eat.

You can’t eat a phone!” You can’t eat a phone!” (Andrea Ukoti, (Andrea Ukoti, Baymwone Carvings Co-operativeBaymwone Carvings Co-operative, Masasi, Mtwara, 22/07/03), Masasi, Mtwara, 22/07/03)

I must travel with the I must travel with the vinyagovinyago because retailers are not honest…. they [the retailer] may because retailers are not honest…. they [the retailer] may not have the money to be able to pay and cannot be trusted to send money. So I have to not have the money to be able to pay and cannot be trusted to send money. So I have to

wait, and this can take a week. The buyer also has to show the collector exactly what wait, and this can take a week. The buyer also has to show the collector exactly what style he wants for the order. style he wants for the order.

You must You must seesee the the kinyagokinyago – you can’t – you can’t hearhear it over the telephone! it over the telephone!(Alex Milanzi, collector, Mbawala Juu, Mtwara, 18/07/03)(Alex Milanzi, collector, Mbawala Juu, Mtwara, 18/07/03)

Damaris DandiDamaris Dandi Former air hostess with Air TanzaniaFormer air hostess with Air Tanzania

““I see that worldwide the I see that worldwide the vinyagovinyago market market is saturating, so I am paying little attention is saturating, so I am paying little attention to it. The Japanese market is beginning to to it. The Japanese market is beginning to become over-supplied, and the European become over-supplied, and the European market is moving towards things people market is moving towards things people can use.”can use.”

(Damaris, Masaki, Dar es Salaam, (Damaris, Masaki, Dar es Salaam, 15/08/03)15/08/03)

Justina MatondaneJustina Matondane Started business in 1980s selling vegetables from small stall near Started business in 1980s selling vegetables from small stall near

Mwenge crafts villageMwenge crafts village

Mary ShirimaMary ShirimaUsed to issue business licences at the DTIUsed to issue business licences at the DTI

Factors affecting business Factors affecting business progressionprogression

1. Ability to build 1. Ability to build and save and save capitalcapital

““It was not banks I got my money from, it was It was not banks I got my money from, it was saving my own money! Banks don’t give you saving my own money! Banks don’t give you money for free! People do not [save their money] money for free! People do not [save their money] in Tanzania, that is the problem, even when they in Tanzania, that is the problem, even when they make money they come to you and say they have make money they come to you and say they have none and this is because they drink, men drink, none and this is because they drink, men drink, these carvers {pointing outside} drink and spend these carvers {pointing outside} drink and spend money on women when they get money! Or they money on women when they get money! Or they are so poor that they cannot save money, they do are so poor that they cannot save money, they do not earn much money, and they do not know how not earn much money, and they do not know how to save!”to save!”

(Mary, 13/01/03)(Mary, 13/01/03)

Factors affecting business Factors affecting business progression (cont.)progression (cont.)

2. 2. EducationEducation and and managerial managerial experienceexperience

Fluent in Fluent in EnglishEnglish, which they use in:, which they use in:

business business administrationadministration

face-to-face bargaining face-to-face bargaining with tourists with tourists and foreign wholesale buyersand foreign wholesale buyers

Factors affecting business Factors affecting business progression (cont.)progression (cont.)

3. 3. Contacts Contacts to people in business and to people in business and governmentgovernment

““Customers were complaining about freight Customers were complaining about freight charges and other things, so I went to the charges and other things, so I went to the Chamber of Commerce and other associations Chamber of Commerce and other associations and government offices, and they gave me and government offices, and they gave me information on licensing, and what I needed. The information on licensing, and what I needed. The government is good if you get a good person and government is good if you get a good person and you become their friend….[When dealing with you become their friend….[When dealing with BET] I felt that the government was serious about BET] I felt that the government was serious about dealing with problems.”dealing with problems.”

(Justina, 01/03/03)(Justina, 01/03/03)

Female retailers’ use of ICTFemale retailers’ use of ICT

Previously used: fax, letters, landlinePreviously used: fax, letters, landline

Now use: Now use: • faxfax• mobile phones (especially SMS)mobile phones (especially SMS)• e-mail (Damaris & Justina at home; Mary e-mail (Damaris & Justina at home; Mary

at internet café)at internet café)

Female retailers’ use of ICT (cont.)Female retailers’ use of ICT (cont.)

None have their own website:None have their own website:

• ‘‘planning’ to get one; not got round to itplanning’ to get one; not got round to it

• men with websites find that they do not entice men with websites find that they do not entice many new customersmany new customers

• these websites are of poor qualitythese websites are of poor quality

Face-to-face: women find customers when Face-to-face: women find customers when they come to Mwenge or when they they come to Mwenge or when they themselves travel abroad to expositionsthemselves travel abroad to expositions

ICT for keeping customers byICT for keeping customers by‘keeping up appearances’‘keeping up appearances’

ICT most useful in communication with these ICT most useful in communication with these repeat foreign customersrepeat foreign customers

SMS and e-mail is:SMS and e-mail is:

““like being face-to-face with an like being face-to-face with an mzungumzungu in their in their country, but I am here in Tanzania, ready to find country, but I am here in Tanzania, ready to find any any vinyagovinyago the customer needs because e-mail the customer needs because e-mail or text is fast. And so [the customers] come to me or text is fast. And so [the customers] come to me every time, I am their person in Tanzania and every time, I am their person in Tanzania and because I have e-mail and it is fast, the customer because I have e-mail and it is fast, the customer always uses me and so I can keep my always uses me and so I can keep my customers.”customers.”

(Mary, 13/01/03)(Mary, 13/01/03)

ICT for keeping customers byICT for keeping customers by‘keeping up appearances’ (cont.)‘keeping up appearances’ (cont.)

Can react swiftly to queries, reply using Can react swiftly to queries, reply using same mediumsame medium

Here ICT fosters ‘minimal’ trust:Here ICT fosters ‘minimal’ trust:

• the fulfilment of explicit promises required for the fulfilment of explicit promises required for basic market transactionsbasic market transactions

• works best where ‘networks of working works best where ‘networks of working relationships’ exist, based on a long-standing relationships’ exist, based on a long-standing trusting relationship of continued interactiontrusting relationship of continued interaction

E-mail & SMS are facilitating technologiesE-mail & SMS are facilitating technologies

ICT for keeping customers byICT for keeping customers by‘keeping up appearances’ (cont.)‘keeping up appearances’ (cont.)

What’s new in use of e-mail & SMS?What’s new in use of e-mail & SMS?

• Used to convey typically Tanzanian gesture of frequent Used to convey typically Tanzanian gesture of frequent greetings:greetings:

““I use text or e-mail to greet my customers, I use text or e-mail to greet my customers, maybe every few months, to say “How are maybe every few months, to say “How are you? How is your family? How is business? I you? How is your family? How is business? I hope that you and your family are well!”, these hope that you and your family are well!”, these greetings that we have here in Tanzania. And greetings that we have here in Tanzania. And customers like this, I think it makes them customers like this, I think it makes them remember … how we are friendly and [that remember … how we are friendly and [that Tanzanians] will ask these greetings…and the Tanzanians] will ask these greetings…and the customers will reply and sometimes they make customers will reply and sometimes they make an order. It reminds them of our friendship.”an order. It reminds them of our friendship.”

(Frank Morenje, retailer, Mwenge, 01/08/03)(Frank Morenje, retailer, Mwenge, 01/08/03)

ICT for keeping customers byICT for keeping customers by‘keeping up appearances’ (cont.)‘keeping up appearances’ (cont.)

JustinaJustina • sends frequent greetings, including Easter, Christmas, sends frequent greetings, including Easter, Christmas,

etc.etc.• refers to customers as ‘friends’refers to customers as ‘friends’• appears to have little other social contact with them appears to have little other social contact with them

other than as buyers she sends goods toother than as buyers she sends goods to

• Allows retailers to strengthen relationship with their Allows retailers to strengthen relationship with their customerscustomers

• Bargaining cannot be achieved so easily using a website Bargaining cannot be achieved so easily using a website – the women prefer to trade at personal level– the women prefer to trade at personal level

ICT in the transition from ICT in the transition from personal to impersonal exchangepersonal to impersonal exchange

ICT to maintain trust by:ICT to maintain trust by:

• responding quickly to business enquiries from regular responding quickly to business enquiries from regular customerscustomers

• applying ICT to frequently update this ‘friendship’ when applying ICT to frequently update this ‘friendship’ when they feel the communication and relationship may need they feel the communication and relationship may need refreshingrefreshing

• This use of ICT is helping these women move from This use of ICT is helping these women move from personal to impersonal exchangepersonal to impersonal exchange

……other developing country businesses will also have to other developing country businesses will also have to come to terms with as the internet becomes an ever come to terms with as the internet becomes an ever more important global trading too more important global trading too

RecommendationsRecommendations

Development agencies: Artisans Development agencies: Artisans finally have opportunity to access finally have opportunity to access tools for competitive alternativetools for competitive alternative

Mwenge: Relatively elite women Mwenge: Relatively elite women have used ICT to their advantagehave used ICT to their advantage

Can do better!Can do better!Mwenge Internet trading portal…Mwenge Internet trading portal…

Mwenge Internet trading portal?Mwenge Internet trading portal? Virtual market: Virtual market: clickable photograph of shop & ownerclickable photograph of shop & owner clickable range of carvings in shopclickable range of carvings in shop background to each carving and carverbackground to each carving and carver

‘‘Make a reasonable offer’ (as in: Make a reasonable offer’ (as in: insideafricanart.cominsideafricanart.com))‘‘What’s it worth to you’?What’s it worth to you’?

Portal manager passes on correspondence to retailers to Portal manager passes on correspondence to retailers to negotiate with potential customersnegotiate with potential customers

Trust: feedback rating and comments (as in Trust: feedback rating and comments (as in www.ebay.comwww.ebay.com))

Later… portal linking smaller women traders directly with Later… portal linking smaller women traders directly with customers, offering prices that may undercut prices customers, offering prices that may undercut prices negotiated by the retailers on the Mwenge trading portal negotiated by the retailers on the Mwenge trading portal