Abstract: The purpose of the study was to establish the benefits of Electronic Fiscal Devices to small and medium enterprises in Zimbabwe. The researcher used the qualitative paradigm, which enabled the respondents to openly express their feelings, emotions and opinions since issues related to taxation are usually sensitive. The qualitative approach provided the interviewees the platform to openly express themselves and fully present their side of the story. The purposive sampling technique was used to select respondents for the study because it enabled the researcher to focus on small and medium business operators who were knowledgeable about and were already using Electronic Fiscal Devices. Such respondents were best placed to give relevant and helpful information to the researcher. The study revealed that small and medium business operators were generally not readily aware that Electronic Fiscal Devices had any benefits to them. Most of them required further probing to be able to comprehend the existence of such benefits. The structured interview method that the author used as an instrument to gather information proved to be appropriate in this respect. The benefits of Electronic Fiscal Devices to small and medium enterprises that were highlighted by the interviewees included improvement of relations between Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials and the business operators, easier planning and management of business, increased level of professionalism in doing business, easier monitoring of business transactions, reduction in pilferage and theft by employees. The researcher recommended that the government and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority should not emphasise fines and penalties as a way of encouraging small and medium business operators to comply with Statutory Instrument 104 of 2010 and Statutory Instrument 148 of 2016 which requires traders to use Electronic Fiscal Devices for recording all business transactions for tax calculations and payment purposes. They should rather focus on the benefits of the Electronic Fiscal Devices as a way of improving compliance with the statutory instrument. In addition, the study recommended that the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority should carry out educational campaigns focused on benefits of Electronic Fiscal Devices to the business fraternity to improve compliance. The campaigns could be in the form of the currently popular roadshows that could be carried out at selected and strategically positioned locations such as the Green Market in Mutare where small and medium enterprises were dominant.
Keywords: Electronic Fiscal Devices, medium enterprises, business transactions.
Title: The Other Side of Fiscalisation: Benefits of Electronic Fiscal Devices to Small and Medium Enterprises in Zimbabwe
Author: Stanley Idanai Murangwa
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
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