The objective of this study was to investigate the technical efficiency of Tanzanian Saving
and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs). The empirical evidence shows that, on average SACCOs
could have theoretically achieved the same level of financial services delivery (outputs) with
about 68% reductions in the inputs. Smallest and largest SACCOs are less efficient compared
to average and large SACCOs. About 77% of SACCOs are operating in increasing returns to
scale while 8% of them are operating at decreasing returns to scale. Adjustment towards
most productive scale of operation and efficient utilization of scarce resources (inputs) is
recommended for improved efficiency
i.
What was interesting?
 That one can give advice to businesses based on an analysis such as this one – i.e.
that there are mechanisms for measuring efficiency that I was not aware of.
 That small cooperatives and large cooperatives are more efficient than average
sized ones.
ii.
Is there anything you would like to finding out more about? (be specific)
 Why does Tanzania have Credit Cooperatives? Are they different from banks?
How? Do they have advantages above banks? What is their history?
 Why do you say they could have theoretically achieved the same level of output
with a 68% reduction in input? How did you measure this? Or how did the
empirical evidence reach this conclusion?
 Why are the small and large ones more efficient?
 What are the inputs – what kinds of things do they spend their money on - and
how do they differ between small, medium and large?
 What are the outputs – what kind of services do they deliver and does it mean
that if they offer more services they make more money? How?
 How can become more efficient in utilization of scarce resources?
 What are the inputs?
iii.
Any words you don’t understand?
I sort of understand the words but they are too complicated. Find simpler words.
 Empirical evidence
 theoretically achieved
 technical efficiency
 reductions in the inputs
 increasing returns to scale
 decreasing returns to scale
 productive scale
 efficient utilisation of scarce resources
iv. Any other clarification or further explanation that you need?
 You talk about technical efficiency – are there other types of efficiency and how does
this differ from technical efficiency?
 What is your science and what method do you use to come to your conclusions?
Where else can one use this method?
vi. Any other comments?
This is a great topic and one that people will be interested in. You can use examples to make
your message concrete. I don’t know how banks operate, what their business costs are, how
they make a profit, what their concerns are. You can give us a picture of that. Although I
‘understand’ the words I listed, they are not easy for me to absorb, so you need to find
different ways of saying the same thing, using shorter words and examples of what you
mean.
Here is one suggestion of how you could structure your talk (please note this is just an
example- you will know if it works for you or not. I don’t know enough of your study, so
my examples may be wrong or not appropriate)
Main point that you want to get across:
In the field of xxx (your discipline) we have unique ways of measuring efficiency in
businesses and I am going to show you an example of how this works, through a study I did
on Tanzanian Savings cooperatives. First I will tell you a bit about these financial institutions,
then I will explain how we analysed their efficiency using the measurements of my field and
then I will give you examples of other places this kind of analysis is useful to business and
economies. So let’s go to point one Point 1:
Tell the story of the co-operatives and the fact that they are not efficient. What is efficiency
and why is it important?
Point 2:
How you measured the efficiency and what this told you about the cooperatives. How you
think they could improve their business model.
Point 3:
This kind of analysis is often used in xxx. Perhaps add something unique about your PhD and
its contribution to the field? Other places where this kind of analysis can be useful.
Conclusion:
So I have given you an example of a method of financial analysis, based on my work in
Tanzania working with Cooperatives. I have given you some background about these
institutions, explained the way we analysed their efficiency and what we found through it.
This is useful because …
Strong exit line.