A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Master of Business Administration in Corporate Management
(MBA-CM) of Mzumbe University
This study investigated the role of advertising on small business performance at
Gerezani Kariakoo area, Ilala district in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. Quantitative
research methodology was used in this study. The study used convenience and
purposeful sampling methods because there was no defined population frame of
small businesses in the research area. Ninety-five (95) small businesses participated
in the study. The data were presented through tables and figures and analyzed
through frequencies and percentages. Quantitative data were collected through
questionnaires which were processed using the Statistical Package for Social Science
(SPSS). The Cronbach’s alpha test was used to measure internal reliability of the
questionnaires substances to find out if they were reliable for the study. Also,
inferential analysis was done through regression so as to test the relationship of the
variables where correlation analysis examined the joint variations of at least two
factors or items. Pearson Chi-Square and descriptive statistics were also used to
analyze data. The study revealed that there is a significant relationship between
advertising strategy and small business performance as it increases sales and profits.
However, it was also observed that very few small business owners who use adverts
in their businesses caused by negative attitudes towards advertising strategy in small
business due to fear of increasing costs of running their businesses. The study
recommendations proposed that; Small business owners to change their minds from
struggling to strive in business to marketing strategies like the use of adverts in
business to help increase brand recognition, product/service sales, product/ service
prices and profits as business is no longer a game of chance rather it is their
livelihood.