Informal Sellers Research Articles

Drug providers’ perspectives on antibiotic misuse practices in eastern Ethiopia: a qualitative study

ObjectiveAntibiotic misuse includes using them to treat colds and influenza, obtaining them without a prescription, not finishing the prescribed course and sharing them with others. Although drug providers are well...

What makes consumers buy from the informal rather than formal retail market? A consumption value perspective

Purpose This paper aims to understand consumption values buying from informal retail markets (i.e., street vendor retailing). It also explores why consumers prefer daily necessary goods from the informal compared to the formal retail market (such as supermarkets, retail chain outlets and e-commerce). Design/methodology/approach Employing the qualitative research approach, this study collected data from nine respondents in two areas in Malaysia. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using the thematic analysis technique. Only representative verbatim codes were presented under five themes of consumption value theory. Findings Consumers are triggered by the convenience, ease, and exclusive products (conditional value), friendly and known relationship with informal sellers, as well as the availability of some particular food items (emotional value) and lower price and freshness of groceries (functional value) while buying from informal compared to formal retail vendor. Research limitations/implications This study provides knowledge implications to the consumption value theory. Functional, emotional, and conditional values are the dominant components of purchase behaviour in informal compared to formal retail channels. Social values are common, whereas epistemic value is more substantial in formal retailing. Practical implications Findings are helpful for informal retail businesses to understand consumers' buying behaviour. Informal retail owners should ensure that commodities are fresh, highly affordable and available in the local communities. Building a friendly relationship with consumers would be a key to the success of this retail sector. Social implications Authorities should support informal sellers to set up mobile retail stores in residential areas. This effort would offer greater convenience to both parties in informal businesses and ensure informal sellers' financial and social well-being. Originality/value Despite the widespread acceptance of buying goods from informal retail vendors, research on consumption value in informal retailing is largely overlooked. Previous research primarily deals with formal market phenomena due to their size and economic contribution. Consequently, current literature lacks an understanding of why consumers prefer to buy from informal retail vendors for their daily groceries when the formal retail channel could fulfil similar needs. Using a qualitative research design, this research uncovers consumers' buying motives from informal compared to formal vendors.

Del Emprendimiento a la Enseñanza de Matemáticas. Una Práctica (En La Economía Informal) De Vendedores del Mercado del 5 de Abril En Namibe-Angola

This article aims to identify notable Ethno/mathematical practices in commercial activities among entrepreneurs/sellers in the reference market. We are concerned with knowing how these practices, notable in the informal economy, can influence the teaching of Mathematics in the classroom, based on theories of Ethno/mathematics. To meet the proposed objective and considering the nature of the topic, the research was developed using qualitative methodology, where information was obtained through direct observations and the application of semi-structured interviews to six informal sellers, with greater consistency and details of three sellers. After obtaining information, a reinforced analysis of reports was carried out, investigating knowledge of informal and implicit Mathematics, whose practices lead us to Ethno/mathematical knowledge. Bibliographical research was also used using authors of scientific recognition such as D`Ambrosio (2013), Lúcio (2019), Saraiva (2011), Gerdes (2007) among others. In short, informal sellers use an (Ethno)mathematics that they developed from the transmission of values coming from generation to generation, by the elderly, but which allows them to develop the four fundamental operations of Mathematics (Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division), measures of weight and length. Identifying commercial know-how and considering the mathematics practiced by salespeople and school Mathematics, we developed pedagogical proposals for teaching Mathematics in the classroom, for students in Primary Education and the first cycle of Secondary Education. The suggestions presented will serve as support/reinforcement for researchers and teachers, since the topic under study is open.

Conditions of employment, work and quality of life of men and women in informal jobs.

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE Identify gender gaps in the employment conditions, work and quality of life of informal sellers in Vega Central of Chile.METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study with eighty workers, who answered modules of the Encuesta Nacional de Condiciones de Empleo, Trabajo y Salud (ENETS – National Survey of Employment, Work and Health Conditions) and the SF-36 Health Questionnaire for data collection. We performed a descriptive analysis to determine the characteristics of the population and the Chi-square test to study correlations between each of the variables with gender.RESULTS Of the sample, fifty (62.5%) are male and thirty (37.5%) are female. Both groups have similar conditions of employment, work and quality of life. However, women express greater fear than men do with respect to demanding better working conditions, as well as more discouragement and sadness during the workday and a worse perception of their state of health.CONCLUSIONS Strategies for the promotion and prevention of occupational health and social security should consider a gender perspective on working conditions and health indicators, allowing women to develop tools to demand fair conditions and promote employer obligations to care for the well-being of male and female workers.

Informal sellers and formal markets: a habitus gap

PurposeIn developing economies, 30% of the gross domestic product on average is undertaken by unregistered businesses. The informal economy leads to high opportunity costs by preventing gains from trade with strangers. To overcome this obstacle, sellers who usually operate in the informal economy should strive to move to formal markets. Current theories are drawn from a view of markets as institutions governed by formal and informal rules. In a nutshell, informal-formal market transitions must be met with a regulative solution. However, the overall results have been disappointing. This failure invites a re-diagnosis of the problem that informal sellers face to act in formal markets and suggesting novel solutions. This paper aims to address this gap.Design/methodology/approachThis is a conceptual paper. The authors adopt MacInnis’s (2011) framework to characterize the approach to theory development.FindingsThe authors argue that extant views of formal/informal markets differences address only one of Scott’s (2014) three pillars (regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive). By drawing on Bourdieu’s legacy, the authors propose a cultural-cognitive reading of institutions and suggest it offers a lens to understand the problem as an access challenge, and thus a marketing problem. This perspective allows us to conceptualize informal/formal markets as two distinct institutional fields and argues that all individuals inhabit a particular habitus and contend that moving between markets requires a habitus shift. Thus, acting in formal markets involves bridging a habitus gap. Finally, the authors argue the need for a market-facing intermediary that takes on a market habitus bridging role.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors suggest future research efforts could benefit from this new conceptual lens as a means of re-diagnosing other forms of market access that have produced disappointing results.Practical implicationsBy looking at differences between formal and informal markets as a habitus gap, the allocation of public funds to support transitions can be better targeted and spent.Social implicationsThe concept of market-facing intermediaries suggests that the beneficiary (e.g. informal seller) and target populations can be different. This insight could catalyze social innovation and trigger novel perspectives to design systemic solutions.Originality/valueConceptualizing the formal-informal market transition as a habitus gap suggests new directions to resolve access challenges and a new mediator solution.

Formas de financiación informal de los comerciantes informales en Colombia Casos: Cúcuta, Ibagué y Villavicencio.

Este artículo tiene por objetivo analizar la incidencia de la financiación informal en los beneficios económicos de comerciantes informales, ubicados en las ciudades de Cúcuta, Villavicencio e Ibagué en el año 2017, para tal efecto se aplicaron de manera aleatoria 490 encuestas a vendedores informales en las tres ciudades, donde se encontró que muchas personas recurren a esta modalidad de créditos, solo para financiar actividades de capital trabajo y no para ampliar el tamaño de sus negocios, asumiendo altas tasas de interés y pagos diarios; además se demostró que esta forma de financiación no incidió positivamente en los beneficios de los comerciantes.
 Para comprobar el objetivo de la investigación se efectuó un modelo econométrico de corte transversal, se seleccionaron solamente los vendedores informales de las ciudades mencionadas en el párrafo anterior que tenían alguna forma de financiación. La variable dependiente es el beneficio neto y como variables independientes se tomaron los créditos informales y la financiación del sistema bancario entre otras.

The significance of the space of kota lama Kupang street according to the informal and formal street vendors

The Space at Soekarno Street and Siliwangi Sreet in the Kota Lama Kupang area has existed since the establishment of Kupang city. Since then, this space has developed into a trading area and played important role as economic and social interaction instrument in the life of the people. The long-lasting activities and usage of the space by users, especially by the informal and formal traders indicate how they give meaning to the space. Finding the meaning of street space of Kota Lama will be benefitial in encouraging development sustainability and in contributing thoughts to the parties responsible for the continuing life at Kota Lama Kupang. The aim of this research was to find out the meanings of street space of Soekarno and Siliwangi Streets at Kota Lama Kupang and the underlying terms according to the space users of informal and formal sellers. The research employed qualitative approach with inductive analysis method. The informants were 24 informal sellers and four formal sellers who have been at the space for more than 15 years. The finding of the research was the depth knowledge about the meaning of space according to the informal and formal sellers and the concept underlying their existence. There were two concepts of meanings of the space found, namely living survival and local life unity (community). Both concepts were supported by six themes, namely theme of economy, kinship, togetherness, bonding with the place, gender and annual event. It was concluded that the meaning of Space Street at Kota Lama Kupang was categorized as local meaning.

MAKNA RUANG JALAN DI KOTA LAMA KUPANG MENURUT PENGGUNA RUANG PEDAGANG INFORMAL DAN FORMAL

Title: The significance of the space of kota lama Kupang street according to the informal and formal street vendors The Space at Soekarno Street and Siliwangi Sreet in the Kota Lama Kupang area has existed since the establishment of Kupang city. Since then, this space has developed into a trading area and played important role as economic and social interaction instrument in the life of the people. The long-lasting activities and usage of the space by users, especially by the informal and formal traders indicate how they give meaning to the space. Finding the meaning of street space of Kota Lama will be benefitial in encouraging development sustainability and in contributing thoughts to the parties responsible for the continuing life at Kota Lama Kupang. The aim of this research was to find out the meanings of street space of Soekarno and Siliwangi Streets at Kota Lama Kupang and the underlying terms according to the space users of informal and formal sellers. The research employed qualitative approach with inductive analysis method. The informants were 24 informal sellers and four formal sellers who have been at the space for more than 15 years. The finding of the research was the depth knowledge about the meaning of space according to the informal and formal sellers and the concept underlying their existence. There were two concepts of meanings of the space found, namely living survival and local life unity (community). Both concepts were supported by six themes, namely theme of economy, kinship, togetherness, bonding with the place, gender and annual event. It was concluded that the meaning of Space Street at Kota Lama Kupang was categorized as local meaning. Keywords: meaning of street space, space users, kota lama, Kupang

Availability and Use of Cheap Tobacco in the United Kingdom 2002-2014: Findings From the International Tobacco Control Project.

IntroductionRaising tobacco prices is the most effective population-level intervention for reducing smoking, but this is undermined by the availability of cheap tobacco. This study monitors trends in cheap tobacco use among adult smokers in the United Kingdom between 2002 and 2014 via changes in product type, purchase source, and prices paid.MethodsWeighted data from 10 waves of the International Tobacco Control policy evaluation study were used. This is a longitudinal cohort study of adult smokers with replenishment; 6169 participants provided 15812 responses. Analyses contrasted (1) product type: roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco, factory-made packs (FM-P), and factory-made cartons (FM-C); (2) purchase source: UK store-based sources (e.g., supermarkets and convenience stores) with non-UK/nonstore sources representing tax avoidance/evasion (e.g., outside the UK, duty free, and informal sellers); and (3) prices paid (inflation-adjusted to 2014 values). Generalized estimating equations tested linear changes over time.Results(1) RYO use increased significantly over time as FM decreased. (2) UK store-based sources constituted approximately 80% of purchases over time, with no significant increases in tax avoidance/evasion. (3) Median RYO prices were less than half that of FM, with FM-C cheaper than FM-P. Non-UK/nonstore sources were cheapest. Price increases of all three product types from UK store-based sources from 2002 to 2014 were statistically significant but not substantial. Wide (and increasing for FM-P) price ranges meant each product type could be purchased in 2014 at prices below their 2002 medians from UK store-based sources.ConclusionsOptions exist driving UK smokers to minimize their tobacco expenditure; smokers do so largely by purchasing cheap tobacco products from UK stores.ImplicationsThe effectiveness of price increases as a deterrent to smoking is being undermined by the availability of cheap tobacco such as roll-your-own tobacco and cartons of packs of factory-made cigarettes. Wide price ranges allowed smokers in 2014 to easily obtain cigarettes at prices comparable to 12 years prior, without resorting to tax avoidance or evasion. UK store-based sources accounted for 80% or more of all tobacco purchases between 2002 and 2014, suggesting little change in tax avoidance or evasion over time. There was a widening price range between the cheapest and most expensive factory-made cigarettes.

Dynamics of Public Space Occupation Economic Purposes in Bogota, Colombia

Objectives: The main purpose of this article, which develops from system dynamics, is to make recommendations to serve for the design of public policies on the occupation of physical space by informal sellers of goods for immediate consumption in Bogota. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The process was divided into four (4) phases Defining the problem and identification of the actors, their interests and decision rules, Construction of the causal diagram cycles and description of results. Findings: The most important results indicate that greater interaction among the various stakeholders would be useful in reducing the occupation and the Mayor of Bogota should pay special attention to the time of working life passing traders working in the public space, as this delay may end up condemning this population to work indefinitely in the streets and sidewalks of the city. Application/Improvements: The presence of street vendors of goods for immediate consumption in an area of public space has serious implications on the success of relocation programs, because it increases the likelihood that a passerby buy on the street, because his decision who to buy it is especially based on the proximity of the point of sale.

Use of illicit tobacco following introduction of standardised packaging of tobacco products in Australia: results from a national cross-sectional survey

ObjectivesTo assess whether following standardisation of tobacco packaging in Australia, smokers were, as predicted by the tobacco industry, more likely to use illicit tobacco.MethodsNational cross-sectional telephone surveys conducted continuously from...

Mapping entrepreneurs' types in a Brazilian informal clothes retailing cluster

Informal economy represents an expanding sector of economy activity worldwide, especially in Latin American counties. This includes Brazil, where high levels of informal entrepreneurships compose the country economy background. These informal entrepreneurs may act in clusters. One of these cases is the Bras' informal garment trade markets. The objective is to map the different kinds of entrepreneurs co-existing inside this specific informal cluster in Brazil, considering possible advantages and disadvantages they might have. It was identified four main types of entrepreneur sellers in the retail cluster: 1) formal sellers from sidewalk tents; 2) informal sellers with no tent set up; 3) formal retail stores; 4) informal sellers located inside warehouses. It was also proposed that risks related to governmental inspection and security issues could serve as antecedents of each entrepreneurship types incidence at Bras. This is an institutional mechanism that could be used by policy makers.

It's better than stealing: informal street selling in Brussels

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into the organisation of informal street selling in the capital of Belgium, its association with formal and illegal selling and the perceptions, choices and decisions of the sellers.Design/methodology/approach– A qualitative approach (case study) was employed, including interviews, observations and document analyses.Findings– The results point to different types of informal street selling, which are mainly executed by (illegal) migrants as a survival strategy. The case illustrates the different interrelations between the formal, informal and criminal economy. Notwithstanding the precarious situation of many informal sellers (informal), street selling is preserved by the government as a social safety net. Moreover, informal selling is neutralised by the suggestion that it is a better alternative than stealing or committing crimes which inflict physical harm and feelings of insecurity.Research limitations/implications– The results have limited generalisability, but are theoretically and methodologically important.Practical implications– Implications for migration policy (e.g. more preventative actions in countries of origin, shorter procedures, development of migration regulations accounting for other policy domains, e.g. employment market).Originality/value– The study fills a gap in the literature as there is limited empirical research on informal economy and Belgian informal street selling. Results are discussed in relation to international literature, thus overcoming a purely national perspective.

Improving care of women at risk of unsafe abortion: Implementing a risk-reduction model at the Uruguayan-Brazilian border

ObjectiveTo describe the initial stages of the implementation of a risk-reduction model designed by Iniciativas Sanitarias to shield women from unsafe abortion in a traditional community on the Uruguay-Brazil border. MethodsThis mixed-design study was conducted first between 22 and 26 March 2010, and then between 2 and 7 May 2011, in Rivera, Uruguay, to gather information from women seen at health centers, healthcare providers, and local policy makers before the project started and midway through the project. ResultsAt baseline most women and providers considered abortion justifiable only on narrow grounds, yet favored the implementation of a risk-reduction model that would include preabortion as well as postabortion counseling, the former providing information on different abortion methods and their risks. By the midterm assessment, the counseling service had assisted 87 women with unwanted pregnancies. Of the 52 who came for a postabortion visit, 50 had self-administered misoprostol, with no complications. Women were highly satisfied with the counseling. At baseline, misoprostol seemed to be available from both pharmacists and informal sellers. At midterm, it was still available from informal vendors but pharmacists said they did not provide misoprostol. The risk-reduction initiative heightened public attention to the abortion issue but the controversy it generated did not seriously impede its implementation. ConclusionIt is feasible to implement the proposed risk-reduction model in a traditional community such as Rivera, not only in Uruguay but in any country irrespective of its abortion laws.

Legal Commentary on the Internet Sale of Human Milk

Stephanie Dawson David, JD, MPHa As the authors of the article, “Got Milk? Sharing Human Milk Via the Internet,”1 discuss, several public health concerns exist regarding the growing practice of women selling their breast milk through informal channels such as the Internet. Despite such concerns, under the current state and federal legal regime, informal sellers of human milk may be liable for their actions only under very limited circumstances. State tort and contract laws may potentially provide an injured buyer with recourse against a seller. Sellers may be liable under state tort laws, such as fraudulent or negligent misrepresentation if the seller sold contaminated or volume-enhanced milk (e.g., human milk supplemented with water or cow’s milk to increase the volume), or breach of contract if the milk received did not conform to the seller’s representation of the product. However, given the perishable nature of human milk and the fact that most buyers will not have the means to test the quality and composition of the milk upon receipt, it is unlikely that buyers would prevail in lawsuits under either cause of action. Laws prohibiting the sale of bodily materials also provide little protection against the informal sale of human milk, as human milk is not included within the scope of the National Organ Transplant Act (which makes the selling of human organs a federal crime),2 and many states exclude “replenishable” or “self-replicating” body fluids and tissues, such as human milk, hair, and sperm, from the scope of their laws prohibiting the sale of certain bodily materials.3 In February 2010, a Tennessee lawmaker introduced a state bill that would have made it a misdemeanor to sell human milk through informal channels such as the Internet; however, the bill never made it out of committee review.4 Sellers may face criminal liability under federal and state laws if they know they have certain communicable diseases that are transmitted through breast milk, such as human immunodeficiency virus, tuberculosis, and syphilis, and nevertheless sell their milk to unknowing buyers.3 In addition, sellers may be liable under federal law for shipping adulterated products,5 or under federal and state criminal and tax laws in certain circumstances.6–8 However, because these laws have yet to be enforced against informal sellers of human milk, they are unlikely to serve as deterrents to this practice.

Participación de venteros informales de Medellín: una herramienta de ordenación del espacio público*

La ciudad de Medellín es una de las ciudades en Colombia con mayor número de proyectos implementados para la organización de las ventas informales. Sin embargo, es evidente que en el centro de la ciudad aún no se ha logrado un equilibrio espacial entre el vendedor, el peatón y el vehículo. Este artículo tiene como objetivo comprobar la importancia de la participación de los usuarios directos a la hora de formular proyectos urbanos relacionados con ventas callejeras y dar a conocer las percepciones que peatones, vendedores formales y venteros informales tienen sobre el fenómeno y sus implicaciones. La principal herramienta metodológica utilizada fue el diseño participativo: 66 venteros informales regulados ubicados en la calle Pichincha entre Carabobo y Bolívar del centro de Medellín trabajaron de forma colaborativa con la academia para identificar sus principales necesidades, problemas y soluciones.