Kleinhandel unter schwierigen institutionellen Voraussetzungen – Reaktionen, Strategien und Lösungen der Händler auf dem Chisokone-Markt in Kitwe/Sambia
type: CreativeWork
description: Small-scale trade in Africa and the associated aspects are a much debated topic for many years. The central challenges are for the most part described on the basis of a shortage of capital, network analyses, crisis management strategies, adverse framework conditions and the characteristics of informal trade. Most recent research approaches give priority to the aspect of microcredits which allow small traders a better liquidity and are thus supposed to be a way out of poverty. The debate about small traders in the sub-Saharan context, however, has a relatively sparse focus on the response mechanisms of small traders to trading venues which are subject to constant change. The frequently occurring assumption that informal trade predominantly takes place without any institutional frame, quasi in a free space without regulation by an institution, is only partly applicable. How precise such framework conditions are designed and which influence they have on the small traders’ ability to act is often left out – particularly since institutions which are supposed to manage the economic framework of the small traders, partly also in the informal sector and in the case of the present research on Chisokone market, are not at all able to cope with these administrative challenges. Regarding the preliminary considerations the present research wants to resolve the question which action strategies of small traders in both a fragile and unsecure but for many sub-Saharan countries typical institutional trading framework are promising, and which personnel and economic requirements have to be in place. The reaction to an institutional structure from the small traders’ perspective will be described to answer the research question. Weak institutions are often not the only problem in the sub-Saharan context. The market players have to develop approaches adapted to the economic context which involve both classical business strategies and in addition action strategies which are rather unusual…
abstract: Small-scale trade in Africa and the associated aspects are a much debated topic for many years. The central challenges are for the most part described on the basis of a shortage of capital, network analyses, crisis management strategies, adverse framework conditions and the characteristics of informal trade. Most recent research approaches give priority to the aspect of microcredits which allow small traders a better liquidity and are thus supposed to be a way out of poverty. The debate about small traders in the sub-Saharan context, however, has a relatively sparse focus on the response mechanisms of small traders to trading venues which are subject to constant change. The frequently occurring assumption that informal trade predominantly takes place without any institutional frame, quasi in a free space without regulation by an institution, is only partly applicable. How precise such framework conditions are designed and which influence they have on the small traders’ ability to act is often left out – particularly since institutions which are supposed to manage the economic framework of the small traders, partly also in the informal sector and in the case of the present research on Chisokone market, are not at all able to cope with these administrative challenges. Regarding the preliminary considerations the present research wants to resolve the question which action strategies of small traders in both a fragile and unsecure but for many sub-Saharan countries typical institutional trading framework are promising, and which personnel and economic requirements have to be in place. The reaction to an institutional structure from the small traders’ perspective will be described to answer the research question. Weak institutions are often not the only problem in the sub-Saharan context. The market players have to develop approaches adapted to the economic context which involve both classical business strategies and in addition action strategies which are rather unusual…
author: Brinkmann, Felix
date published: 2015-05-18
date modified: 2026-07-27T18:49:46Z
provider: Universität Bayreuth
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Universität Bayreuth