A Research Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Award of the Master of Business Administration in Corporate Management of Mzumbe University
The proliferation of informal sector mainly petty traders in most peri-urban areas can be interpreted as an unhealthy symptom of economic underdevelopment. Inability of urban authorities to absorb the massive numbers of rural migrants into formal sectors is said to be factors that contribute to petty activities. Employment problems and low incomes, as well as an increase in the number of migrants and refugees are reasons for the growth in the petty trade sector. Little attention has been paid to support petty activities and solve critical question by local and central Government to manage Petty trade environment elements, management of all strategies effectively, as a result, the effort of Petty activities to provide massive numbers of youth opportunities in the municipal is little known despite it provides massive number of youth Employment.
This study investigated the role of petty trade on the growth of youth employment at Ilala Municipality. Specifically, the study described current Petty trade environment elements, Sustainability, strength, leading challenges as well as finding out importance of effective management of Petty trade on predicting overall creation of youth opportunities.
The study used case study design and both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used. The research methods used were questionnaires and interviews. The population comprised employees in Ilala Municipality, Ilala Municipal Council Management team, employees and Petty traders and sample size was 83.
It was revealed that the management of Petty activities within Ilala Municipality is not effective as per the findings on Policy/by laws, Business infrastructure, Capital
accessibility, Business formalization process and Education/training according to responses from employees, management team, and Petty traders.
It was recommended that, the municipal authority should reviews and designs Policy/by laws to suits petty activities environment, provides education and training to petty trade on the business skills and financial management, invite financial institutions to provide credit facilities to petty trades with minimal conditions, for example without collateral since most of them they lack fixed asset to pledge as collateral, expand market infrastructures in order to accommodate abundant customers, rehabilitate market infrastructures and frequent maintenance, review tax payment for policy to petty trade, establish strong link between Petty trade and Ilala Municipal authority. The researcher really hopes that output from this study shall be of practical uses by Ilala Municipal Authority.