A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement of the
Masters of Business Administration in Corporate Management (MBA-CM) of
Mzumbe University
The study was intended to assess Social Media Applications on Small Business
Performance in Dar es Salaam, the Case of Ilala Municipal in order to increase
prospects for economic and social development. The study was carried out in Dar es
Salaam region particularly in Ilala District as SMEs as it constituted of large number
of entrepreneurs who had little knowledge on using social media to expanding the
market to their customers. The review of literature was based on the study variables
on the assessment of social media applications on small business performance in Dar
es salaam. Descriptive survey design was used to show relationships between
independent and dependent variables. The study used Technology Acceptance Model
(TAM Model) theory for applicability of technology among SMEs. Interview,
questionnaires and review of some documents such as journal articles and reports
were used as methods for data collection. Questionnaires were administered to 63
respondents while interview was employed to collect data from SMEs leaders at
Kariakoo and other key informants were involved in two session of the FGD.
Furthermore, quantitative approaches were used to analyse data through descriptive
statistics whilst qualitative information was analysed through content analysis.
The findings showing that Facebook and WhatsApp were the most preferred types of
social media used by SMEs at Kariakoo in advertising their product to their
consumers. On the other hand, the findings revealed that most of SMEs motivated to
use social media as a tool to expanding their market but also to get easy connected
with their customers. Consequently, majority of respondents they said there is
extreme relationship between their usage of social media and business performance,
as they were used to integrating updates to their clients.
In conclusion, the study concluded that SMEs should update themselves in order to be
equipped with necessary skills and knowledge on how to use all types of social media
because the use of the social networks among SMEs in their business activities has
greatly increased in the recent years in. Thence, the study recommends that, SMEs
should enforce their skills on different types of social medias so as to make effective
advertising techniques and get potential customers.