Different Background— Similar Strategies: Recruitment in Tanzanian-African and Tanzanian-Asian Companies

Abstract

The literature on enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa provides evidence that there are significant differences between companies run by members of the majority population and those run by members of minorities. Differences are frequently related to size, age and certain success indicators. However, it remains unclear whether decisions concerning the acquisition of personnel also diverge. This article outlines results of a questionnaire survey on recruitment methods of enterprises in Tanzania. The authors tried to discover differences in the recruitment strategies of Tanzanian-African and Tanzanian-Asian companies, but found none. The interpretation is that companies operate in similar business environments and face comparable exogenously given institutional restrictions. Thus, strategies of personnel recruitment seem to be alike.