Contemporary Challenges in Street Trader-Customer Interaction Through Mobile Devices in Dodoma, Tanzania
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College of Business Education
Abstract
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Street trading is a common form of informal work carried out by almost one million Tanzanians. Majority of street traders use mobile devices to interact with customers. Despite this interaction, there is no abundant information showing if their interaction is mainly effective and does not face challenges. This study investigated the challenges faced by street traders and customers interacting through mobile devices in Dodoma, Tanzania. Qualitative data were collected using in-depth interviews with 42 street traders and 32 customers, followed by focus group discussion with eight street traders and six customers. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The results show that street traders and customers occasionally interact using mobile phones. However, that interaction is challenged by issues connected to financial, technical and social aspects. These challenges are; lack of reliability among mobile
Keywords
International Conference on Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries, Social Implications of Computers, Developing Countries