Abstract
This study was conducted in Moshi-Tanzania. The research topic is Coping with Power Interruptions in Tanzania.An Industrial Perspesctive:A Case Study of one Small Scale Animal Food Processing Industry in Moshi Municipality.The objectives are (1) to explore perceptions of staff in the industry and among TANESCO towards interruptions in power supply (2) to describe the coping strategies developed by the industry under study. The study was guided by Resource Dependence Theory (RDT) by Pfeffer and Salancik (1978). The study employed qualitative methods and theree research tools namely interviews, observations and document reviewwere used. It involve respondents from TANESCO and the industry. The two groups had different perceptions towards power interruptions. On the one hand, the industry interviewees attributed the power interruptions to government faults and little efforts to curb the situation, unimplemented energy policies, dependency of hydropower, monopoly of TANESCO, corruption and high demand than supply. On the other hand, TANESCO staff attributed power interruptions to maintenance issues, lack of capital to improve infrastructures, thieving and voltage fluctuation. Findings from the study revealed that there is a problem of electricity supply in the industry.Therefore the industry adopted some coping strategies which were either internal or external .The internal strategies include, the use of part time and untrained workers, staff working overnight and during weekends, change of mixing machine to the big and modern one while bribing technicians from TANESCO and keep good communication were external coping strategies. These strategies ties with the RDT framework which guides this study. The industry modifies its internal structures and sometimes adjust external environment to cope with power interruptions. Since the study confirms that there is is a serious problem of electricity supplie in the industry caused by differents reasons,then there is need of increasing generation capacity, improve infrastructures and use of alternative electricity sources in Moshi and Tanzania.