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Aims: The main objective of this study was to examine the influence of individualism on entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation among small and medium enterprise owners in Tanzania through the mediation effect of innovativeness. Specific objectives were to examine the influence of individualism on entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation and to examine the mediating effect of innovativeness on the influence of individualism on entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation. Methodology: The study employed an explanatory research design. 370 small and medium enterprise owners were studied using a cross-section survey questionnaire. Partial least square structural equation modelling was used to test the instruments’ validity and reliability and testing the direct and indirect hypotheses on the effects of individualism on entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation. Results: After testing the hypotheses, the direct effects showed that individualism positively and significantly influences entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation among small and medium enterprise owners. Testing mediation effects, it was found that innovativeness partially mediates the relationship between individualism and entrepreneurial opportunity. Therefore, innovativeness has positive significant indirect effects on the relationship between individualism and entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation. Conclusion: Individualism directly and indirectly influences small and medium enterprise owners to exploit entrepreneurial opportunities. The study helps policymakers to understand that individualistic values, if well addressed in entrepreneurship policy, can help to promote innovativeness and entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation. Practically, the study implies that well-structured culture influences small and medium enterprises owners’ behavior to exploit opportunities.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to assess the influence of process innovation on the performance of coffee cooperatives in Kenya. Methodology: A descriptive research design was applied. The target population was 525 coffee cooperative societies in Kenya registered with the Commissioner for Cooperatives and licensed by AFFA (Coffee Directorate) as at 30th of October 2016. The sample size was 227 respondents which was arrive at using stratified random sampling technique. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data. Descriptive statistic such as means scores and standard deviation and inferential statistics such regressions were used. Findings: The study found that there was a positive relationship between process innovation and the performance of the coffee cooperatives (β=0.591, p=0.027). This implied that an improvement in the aspects related to process through which the firm operates relatively multiplies the performance outcomes of cooperatives in a positive manner. Investing in process innovation was found to have the largest and most significant effect compared to investing in organization, marketing and product innovations. Recommendation: The study recommends that for prioritization purposes, coffee societies should prioritize investing in process innovations compared to other innovations, especially if there a limited budget. Policy makers should ensure a favorable environment for process innovations.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of organizational innovation on the performance of coffee cooperatives in Kenya. Methodology: A descriptive research design was applied. The target population of this study was 525 coffee cooperative societies in Kenya registered with the Commissioner for Cooperatives and licensed by AFFA (Coffee Directorate) as at 30th of October 2016. The sample size was 227 respondents. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the selected respondents. Findings: The results revealed that organizational innovation and performance are positively and significantly related (β=0.75, p=0.007). Unique Contributions to Theory, policy and practice: The study recommended firms to adopt new technologies for cultivation of organizational innovations. They need to be proactive in their research and development departments by incorporating technological advancements in order to maximize the potential that is in innovation strategies. Restructuring of the internal organization is necessary given a firm that requires efficiency and effective processes for better performance. The results of this study will contribute new knowledge which will provide the government and other stakeholders with better ways of managing co-operatives and improving their production.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of product innovation on the performance of coffee cooperatives in Kenya. Methodology: A descriptive research design was applied. The target population of this study was 525 coffee cooperative societies in Kenya registered with the Commissioner for Cooperatives and licensed by AFFA (Coffee Directorate) as at 30th of October 2016. The sample size was 227 respondents. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the selected respondents. Findings: The results of the study revealed that product innovation and performance are positively and significantly related (β=0.631, p=0.002). This indicated that developments of new products are essential for the improvement of the coffee cooperatives’ performance. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study recommended adoption of technology for the development of new services, new functions, and formation of new alliances. The study further recommended an organization to employ and develop a high technology for its product in order to determine strategic position to adopt the differentiation position or the cost leadership position. This study is recommended as it will benefit scholars and researchers who will gain insight on the influence of product innovation on performance of coffee co-operatives hence use it as a source of reference for other researches. The results of this study will contribute new knowledge which will provide the government and other stakeholders with better ways of managing co-operatives and improving their production.

The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of marketing innovation on the performance of coffee cooperatives in Kenya. A descriptive research design was applied. The target population of this study was 525 coffee cooperative societies in Kenya registered with the Commissioner for Cooperatives and licensed by AFFA (Coffee Directorate) as of 30th of October 2016. The sample size was 227 respondents. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the selected respondents. The results revealed that marketing innovation and performance are positive and significantly related (?=0.674, p=0.001). This implied that significant changes in product design and packaging led to a positive change in the performance of coffee cooperatives. The study affirms that to improve performance by targeting the customers, constant improvements in how the company promotes its new products to capture the attention of new customers is a key aspect to be considered. The study recommends the management employ skills in developing clear operating procedures to run the business successfully, coordinate different areas of the business to achieve results and the ability and design jobs to suit staff capabilities and interests.

The paper attempts to explore the role of networks in small firms' internationalization in Tanzania. It notes that while firm internationalization has been studied extensively, inquiry into how small firms enter foreign markets and the strategies they use has not received much attention. The study is further motivated by the fact that export performance of developing countries is alarmingly low, and hence there is need for African governments to create an environment that will stimulate small firms’ competitiveness in the current globalized export markets if the millennium development goals are to be attained. This requires capacity building of the actors in order to take advantage of the benefits of the market access strategies under the global partnership for development. One such approach is to promote partnering and networks. The Tanzanian exploratory study has revealed that networks eliminate small firms ownership disadvantages and their perceived psychic distance, thereby facilitating their entry into foreign markets.

Market orientation is very important for every company, but perhaps especially important for companies in the tourism industry, since their business are based on services. This paper examines tourism managers views of the importance of factors related to market orientation. It is an introduction study to a larger tourism research project starting 1999.

Neither market orientation nor the possible link to performance is easily achieved and in various countries companies may organize differently to cope with the information‐processing and customer‐responding challenges. Nationwide surveys in banks in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden indicate that a path to performance involves innovations such as “supported empowerment” though there are differences in the antecedents of market orientation. Thus the most distinct Scandinavian ways to improvements may be found in Sweden. Especially Swedish banks and to a lesser extent Finnish banks are upfront in their use of “the technology of customer‐focusing”. Nevertheless, the overall analyses based on rigorous structural equation modeling lead to the estimation of a model reflecting causal relationships which seem to be independent of nationality.