Entrepreneurship Networks and Manufacturing Firm Performance in Tanzania

PROJECT OVERVIEW

In collaboration with the Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE) at Oxford university, EDI has implemented several rounds of surveys on African Competitiveness in light manufactured goods. They were initiated and funded by the World Bank’s Research Department and the Africa Region’s Financial and Private Sector Development Department. The survey was conducted in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia and China. The objective is to understand why African countries import instead of producing some of the most simple manufactured products that they consume. About 200 young entrepreneurs presented their business ideas before a committee of experienced managers. The best 16 applications received a start-up grant of US$1,000. Surveys track the senior committee members in addition to the successful and unsuccessful young candidates.

PROJECT UPDATE

Read the published paper ‘Networks and Manufacturing Firms in Africa: Results from a Randomized Field Experiment’ by Marcel Fafchamps and Simon Quinn, April 2016.