From Grasshoppers to Secondhand Cars: Understanding the Smartphone-Enabled Marketplace in Peri-urban Tanzania

Abstract

The evolving socio-technical landscape in peri-urban Tanzania has paved the way for a dramatic increase in smartphone-supported micro and small enterprises. We conduct surveys and focus groups with 46 such entrepreneurs, shedding light on the internal mechanisms and external networks of their businesses. We uncover the new trust dynamics encountered in online interactions, the gendered aspects of this emerging business model, and the means through which people with low capital are reclaiming economic empowerment through entrepreneurship.