FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN USING QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS IN DATA COLLECTION

Qualitative interview is the most commonly used data collection method used in qualitative research. Its ability to collect detailed information and offer insights from participants’ feelings and opinions, among other things, have made it a most preferred data collection method for many qualitative researchers. Like any other qualitative data collection methods, it is not immune to criticisms from various scholars, especially those with positivist orientation. This has been motivating various researchers to find different and better ways of conducting qualitative interviews to achieve research goals. This also motivated conducting this study to discuss factors that researchers have to consider when conducting qualitative interviews. The use of secondary data obtained from a systematic literature review of 31 journal articles published by four journals (indexed in Scopus database dedicated to publishing qualitative studies) was done.  Thematic coding was done which led to the identification of seven factors that have to be considered in qualitative interviews. These factors are pilot tests, selection of the right participants, participants’ convenience, sample size, selection of interview questions, cultural dimensions and length of interview sessions. Qualitative researchers are therefore recommended to consider these factors when conducting qualitative interviews. Due to the flexibility expected in qualitative studies, researchers are also reminded to consider the purpose and nature of their studies in the proces

Factors affecting women in acquiring leadership positions in workplaces: A human resource management perspective

Under-representation of women in leadership positions in the corporate world has been a global concern. Scholars have explored many institutional barriers that women face in climbing the career ladder with limited studies assessing HR related factors. This study intended to assess HR related factors that affect women progressing to leadership positions in organizations, with specific reference to Tanzania. Guided by qualitative approach and human capital theory, the study involved semi-structured interviews to collect data from eight (8) respondents who were sampled by using a purposive sampling technique. The sample included female leaders and HR practitioners from seven (7) organizations in Tanzania. Thematic data analysis was employed. The study found that HR practices play a vital role in enhancing or limiting the number of female employees who reach leadership positions.  The study recommends that organizations put in place fair and objective hiring systems that create fair grounds for both male and female employees.  Training and development opportunities should be fairly distributed to both female and male employees with consideration that women play multiple leadership roles at home and at work as well.  Organizations should consider employee promotion based on merit. Government, through its various agencies, should put in place measures that intend to control practices that discriminate against women, and hinder them from enjoying equal opportunities available at their workplaces

Parental Responsibility: Provision of Teaching Learning Resources and Participation of Children Living With Disability in Early Childhood

This article evaluated the responsibility of parents in provision of Teaching Learning Resource (T/LRs) and participation of Children Living with Disability (CLWD) in Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Kajiado North, Kenya. The purpose of the study was to establish how T/LRs provided by parents influenced the participation of CLWD in ECE. A qualitative research was carried out with a case study design. Observations, interviews and focused group discussions were held to attain the objective of the study. A pilot study was carried out. Content validity was adopted to govern whether the test item offered the content that the test was intended to measure. Split-half method was used to determine the reliability. The study argued that CLWD in ECE are not provided with T/LRs that meets the uniqueness of individual child, and consequently jeopardized participation. In cases where T/LRs were compatible to the needs participation was accelerated. The findings revealed that although the government had played a great role in education, more was yet to be accomplished. Environmental factor, culture, poverty and lack of awareness limited parental participation as actors in ECE. It was recommended that there is need for the government to include ECE in free education to achieve Education for All (EFA) goals. Key Words: Parental Responsibility, Teaching Learning Resources, Participation, Children Living with Disability and Early Childhood Education

The Influence of Recruitment and Selection on Performance of Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOS) in Tanzania

Objective: This study sought to examine the influence of recruitment and selection on performance of SACCOS in Tanzania. Research Design & Methods: The study used a quantitative approach. Data collection was done using self-administered questionnaires to collect data from 231 HR Managers (or their equivalent) in Tanzania SACCOS with a specific focus on the Dar es Salaam region. Simple random sampling technique was used to sample the respondents. Questionnaires were distributed to the respondents who were asked to fill correct and relevant information. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Findings: The study found a significant positive relationship between recruitment methods and SACCOS performance, selection criteria and SACCOS performance, and selection process and SACCOS performance. Further, workforce diversity had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between recruitment and selection and SACCOS performance. Implications & Recommendations: The use of effective recruitment and selection practices is capable of enhancing performance of SACCOS in Tanzania. Diversified workforce in SACCOS is capable of moderating the relationship between recruitment and selection and SACCOS performance. The study recommends the use of best practices in recruiting employees in SACCOS and ensures workforce diversity is embraced in these organizations for an improved organizational performance. Contribution & Value Added: The study extends the literature on the influence of recruitment and selection practices on organisational performance with specific reference to Tanzania SACCOS something that the existed body of knowledge missed. As per the reviewed literature, this is the first study to examine the influence of recruitment and selection on performance of SACCOS in Tanzania

An Investigation of Supervision of Television Viewing As A Factor in Pre-Schoolers’ Sociability in Play

In the modern culture, media is unavoidable .Today, it is a well accepted and experienced reality that all over the world, children come into daily contact with different forms of media .Out of the many channels of media T.V is the most common and plays a monumental role in the lives of children .This study investigated the supervision of T.V viewing as a factor in pre-schoolers’ sociability in play. The result should assist the media, parents, pre-school teachers and regulatory organs in protecting the pre-schoolers from negative influence of T.V viewing. For collection and presentation of the data, this study adopted a mixed methodology approach and descriptive survey design. The mixed methodology approach helped in broadening the understanding by incorporating qualitative and quantitative research. Both the qualitative and quantitative data were collected concurrently. Stratified and random sampling techniques were used in selecting pre-schools, parents with pre-schoolers, pre-schoolers and pre-school teachers.  Questionnaires, Interview guides and observation schedules were employed in data collection. To test the validity and reliability of the instruments, pilot study was carried out on three pre-schools from each zone. The quantitative data was analyzed descriptively based on tables, frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The study found that due to economic demands, parents have limited time to view T.V with their children and therefore pre-school children enter into the world of fantasy inadequately guided by their parents Key words: Social incompetence, unsupervised T.V watching, sociability in play, aggression behavior, pro-social behavior

Soil Carbon within the Mangrove Landscape in Rufiji River Delta, Tanzania

Mangroves are among the most carbon-rich terrestrial ecosystems, primarily attributable to the soil pool. There are substantial differences in soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) due to the disparities in geomorphic settings and ecological drivers, but this insight is drawn primarily from observational studies. An objective inventory of carbon stocks in mangroves of the Rufiji River Delta, Tanzania was conducted. Seventy-five soil cores were collected within a 12,164 ha inventory area, comprising the northern portion of the delta. Cores were collected from intact and dwarf mangroves, agricultural fields, and mudflats. The spatial mean soil organic carbon (SOC) density in mangroves was 16.35 ± 6.25 mg C cm−3. Mean SOC density in non-vegetated mudflats was 12.16 ± 4.57 mg C cm−3, demonstrating that mangroves develop on soils with a substantial soil C stock. However, long-established mangroves had had a higher C density (17.27 ± 5.87 mg C cm−3). Using a δ13C mixing model, the source of soil organic matter in mudflats was primarily marine, while long-established mangroves was predominantly mangrove. There were small differences in SOC among long-established mangrove sites in different geomorphic settings. The proportion of marine-sourced SOC increased with soil depth in mangroves. The SOC and nitrogen of agricultural sites resemble those of mudflats, suggesting those sites are developed from relatively young forests. The SOC and nitrogen density in dwarf mangrove sites were lower than others, perhaps reflecting past disturbances

Informing aerial total counts with demographic models: population growth of Serengeti elephants not explained purely by demography

Conservation management is strongly shaped by the interpretation of population trends. In the Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania, aerial total counts indicate a striking increase in elephant abundance compared to all previous censuses. We developed a simple age-structured population model to guide interpretation of this reported increase, focusing on three possible causes: (1) in situ population growth, (2) immigration from Kenya, and (3) differences in counting methodologies over time. No single cause, nor the combination of two causes, adequately explained the observed population growth. Under the assumptions of maximum in situ growth and detection bias of 12.7% in previous censuses, conservative estimates of immigration from Kenya were between 250 and 1,450 individuals. Our results highlight the value of considering demography when drawing conclusions about the causes of population trends. The issues we illustrate apply to other species that have undergone dramatic changes in abundance, as well as many elephant populations

Measuring Mangrove Carbon Loss and Gain in Deltas

Demand for mangrove forest resources has led to a steady decline in mangrove area over the past century. Land conversions in the form of agriculture, aquaculture and urbanization account for much of the deforestation of mangrove wetlands. However, natural processes at the transition zone between land and ocean can also rapidly change mangrove spread. In this study, we applied a robust field-based carbon inventory and new structural and temporal remote sensing techniques to quantify the magnitude and change of mangrove carbon stocks in major deltas across Africa and Asia. From 20002016, approximately 1.6% (12 270 ha) of the total mangrove area within these deltas disappeared, primarily through erosion and conversion to agriculture. However, the rapid expansion of mangroves in some regions during this same period resulted in new forests that were taller and more carbon-dense than the deforested areas. Because of the rapid vertical growth rates and horizontal expansion, new mangrove forests were able to offset the total carbon losses of 5 332 843 Mg C by 44%. Each hectare of new mangrove forest accounted for 84% to 160% of the aboveground carbon for each hectare of mangrove forest lost, regardless of the net change in mangrove area. Our study highlights the significance of the natural dynamics of erosion and sedimentation on carbon loss and sequestration potential for mangroves over time. Areas of naturally regenerating mangroves will have a much larger carbon sequestration potential if the rate of mangrove deforestation of taller forests is curbed

Spatial patterns of zooplankton distribution and abundance in relation to phytoplankton, fish catch and some water quality parameters at Shirati bay, lake victoria-Tanzania

Spatial patterns and abundance of zooplankton in aquatic habitats are important determinants for production of fish species, invertebrates and availability of phytoplankton. Weekly monitoring for zooplankton abundance was conducted in Shirati Bay, Lake Victoria, to explore their spatial patterns in relation to phytoplankton, fish catch and some water quality parameters. The vertical distribution of zooplankton was generally higher close to the bottom as compared to surface waters of the lake. Zooplankton vertical distribution positively correlated with water transparency (r = 0.680, p = 0.011). The horizontal abundance of zooplankton was not significantly different amongst the three stations (p = 0.5143). While Copepoda was the dominant group in terms of composition, Rotifera had the highest diversity indices of all the zooplankton groups obtained. The abundance of nauplius larvae was significantly higher than that of the copepodites (p = 0.022). Nile perch, Lates niloticus dominated the total catches (47%) followed by Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (29%) and haplochromines (21%). The abundance of haplochromines and juvenile fishes correlated significantly with the abundance of zooplankton (r = 0.856, p = 0.002 and r = 0.58, p = 0.038, respectively). The current study revealed that zooplankton vertical distribution at Shirati Bay is mainly controlled by water transparency and predation by juvenile Nile perch, Nile tilapia and haplochromines.Keywords: chlorophyll-a; calanoid; cyclopoid; nauplius larvae; juvenile fis

Non-communicable diseases in antiretroviral therapy recipients in Kagera Tanzania: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: The aim of this study was to describe the extent of  self-reported non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among highly activeantiretroviral therapy (HAART) recipients in Kagera region in Tanzania and their effect on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study was conducted 2 years after HAART administration was started in Kagera region. Methods: The SF-36 questionnaire was used to collect the HRQOLdata of 329 HAART recipients. Questions on the NCDs, socio-demographic characteristics and treatment information were validated and added tothe SF-36. Bivariate analyses involving socio-demographic characteristics and SF-36 scores of the recipients were performed. Multiple logisticregression was employed to compute adjusted odds ratios for different explanatory variables on physical functioning and mental health scores.Results: Respondents who reported having 1 or more NCDs were 57.8% of all the respondents. Arthritis was the commonest NCD (57.8%).Respondents with the NCDs were more likely to have HRQOL scores below the mean of the general Tanzanian population. The populationattributable fraction (PAF) for the NCDs on physical functioning was 0.28 and on mental health was 0.22. Conclusion: Self-reported NCDs were prevalent among the HAART recipients in Kagera region. They accounted for 28% of the physical  functioning scores and 22% of the mental health scores that were below the mean of the general Tanzanian population. Therefore, the integration of NCD care is important in the management of HIV/AIDS