Doctoral Dissertation Research: Entrepreneurial Networks and Economic Development in Mwanza, Tanzania

企业家网络是参与特定经济活动的企业家之间的社会联系。这些网络可以加速信息的传播，促进创新，并加强互助系统，尽管如果参与依赖于种族或宗教等特定特征，如果网络层次是垂直的，或者如果联系仅限于一个小的，高度凝聚力的群体，它们也可能限制获取新信息或阻碍学习。通过分析创业网络，地理学家和其他社会科学家对经济制度和经济发展的文化、政治和社会背景有了新的认识。本博士论文研究项目将使用坦桑尼亚北部姆万扎及其周围的两个创业网络的案例研究，以表征形成网络内互动的惯例；识别影响网络参与者的合法性基础；确定这些网络对创业创新的重要性；评估信任水平对网络关系深度的影响；并将业务绩效与网络参与联系起来。将对每个网络的企业家进行深入的半标准化访谈，并对他们的商业做法进行实地观察。统计相关性将检验企业、企业家和网络特征、企业绩效和企业创新之间关系的重要性，而定性分析将详细说明对企业家之间的网络和社会关系的重要社会、文化、政治和外部影响。这项研究将增加对小型企业企业网络如何与坦桑尼亚社会相联系以及它们在经济发展政策的成功中所起作用的认识。在坦桑尼亚之外，该项目将有助于了解撒哈拉以南非洲独立发展的潜力，并将加深对社会机构在经济转型中的作用的认识。作为博士论文研究改进奖，该奖项还将提供支持，使有前途的学生建立一个强大的独立研究生涯。

Entrepreneurial networks are social interconnections among entrepreneurs participating in a given economic activity. These networks can accelerate the transmission of information, facilitate innovation, and enhance systems of mutual assistance, although they can also limit access to new information or discourage learning if participation is dependent on specific characteristics like ethnicity or religion, if the network hierarchy is vertical, or if contacts are limited to a small, highly cohesive group. By analyzing entrepreneurial networks, geographers and other social scientists obtain new insights into the cultural, political, and social contexts of economic systems and economic development. This doctoral dissertation research project will use case studies of two entrepreneurial networks in and around Mwanza in northern Tanzania to characterize the conventions shaping interactions within the networks; to identify the bases of legitimacy affecting who participates in the network; to determine the importance of these networks for entrepreneurial innovation; to assess the levels of trust influencing the depth of relationships in the network; and to correlate business performance with network participation. In-depth, semi-standardized interviews will be conducted with entrepreneurs in each network and field observations will be made of their business practices. Statistical correlations will test the significance of relationships among enterprise, entrepreneur, and network characteristics, firm performance, and firm innovation, while qualitative analyses will detail significant social, cultural, political, and external influences on the networks and social relationships between entrepreneurs. This research will increase knowledge of how small enterprise entrepreneurial networks relate to Tanzanian society and what role they have played in the success of economic development policies. Beyond the Tanzanian context, the project will contribute to understandings of the potential for independent development in sub-Saharan Africa and will enhance insights into the role of social institutions in economic transformations. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this award also will provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career.