Mobile technology for women entrepreneurs in Iringa, Tanzania: User requirements and architectural design

Mobile phone technology has increasingly been used as a tool for accessing market information in Sub-Saharan Africa. However little has been done in the development of mobile technology applications to improve women entrepreneurs' empowerment and entrepreneurship. This study aims to explore the women entrepreneur users' requirements needed to develop technological innovations for accessing market related information. Our study employs a design science research (DSR) approach to identify obstacles that women entrepreneurs have when accessing market information in order to develop a suitable mobile application. Results indicate that ingredients and usefulness of products, weight, personal contact, and price information are key elements to incorporate into the technological solution. The significance of our work is highlighted in the development of technology innovations for empowering marginalized societal groups.