Street vendors in Bogotá, Colombia, and their meanings of informal work

Abstract

This study analyses the meanings street vendors confer upon informal work. Episodic and semi-structured interviews were used to generate and analyze the meanings and vision constructed by 50 street vendors in Bogotá, Colombia. We organized the data through the analysis of thematic networks, starting with initial categories complemented with categories that emerged during the process. Findings show that street vendors confer meaning upon their work as a service, as the only chance to earn a living, and of their autonomy. They construct meanings of work as individualistic, responsible, and helpful workers. Thus, at the same time that they express satisfaction with what they do, they also express nonconformity and dissatisfaction with not having the opportunity to access other types of work. Despite the existence of stigmas and the negative effects thereof that Colombian society maintains about the work and the presence of street vending activities, street vendors carry out their work out as a dignified lifestyle and they see their activities as honorable and as contributing to the well-being of society. This study seeks to contribute to the debate about the meaning that society and academia form about street vendors, their activities and the workspaces they occupy. ABOUT THE AUTHOR César A. Bernal-Torres (DBA), María C. Peralta-Gómez (PhD in Psychology) and Ulf Thoene (PhD in Law) have worked on advancing interdisciplinary research on labour market and workplace relations related themes against the background of the Colombian peace process since 2015.

Factores psicosociales del trabajo y efectos psicológicos en comerciantes informales en Morelos, México: Una exploración preliminar

“…Aceptando incondicionalmente la superioridad indiscutible de los aspectos positivos encontrados en este estudio (p. ej. 84,8% de satisfacción), la discordancia prevalece ante el hecho de saber que los comerciantes informales pertenecen a los grupos laborales de mayor precariedad en el mundo, contradicción que también se ha mostrado en otros estudios latinoamericanos [44][45][46] . Una posible interpretación es que funcione como una forma de afrontamiento que las personas usan para sobrellevar las precariedades atribuidas a la informalidad del empleo, sin embargo, es necesaria investigación que aporte evidencia en este sentido 47 .…”

A gender-comparative study of informal entrepreneurship: the moderating role of location decision

“…A business without specific premises is defined as one that uses the streets or public places (street vendors, mundane businesses) or offers services at the customer's home (Al-Dajani and Marlow, 2013; Alvi and Mendoza, 2017; Williams and Round, 2007). Entrepreneurs who do not have a specific location prefer to assume the risks of the informal sector over the security of the formal sector due to social motivations and lifestyle (Alvi and Mendoza, 2017; Bernal-Torres et al. , 2020; García, 2019).…”

“…A business without specific premises is defined as one that uses the streets or public places (street vendors, mundane businesses) or offers services at the customer's home (Al-Dajani and Marlow, 2013;Alvi and Mendoza, 2017;Williams and Round, 2007). Entrepreneurs who do not have a specific location prefer to assume the risks of the informal sector over the security of the formal sector due to social motivations and lifestyle (Alvi and Mendoza, 2017;Bernal-Torres et al, 2020;Garc ıa, 2019). Various investigations determine that street vendors arise because they are excluded from the formal sector due to a lack of skills, education, experience, physical limitations and age, and remain in the informal sector as a means of survival (Alvi and Mendoza, 2017;Peimani and Kamalipour, 2022).…”

Hình Ảnh Hàng Rong, Hàng Vỉa Hè Ở Hội an Qua Cảm Nhận Của Du Khách Nội Địa

“…Thứ nhất là tầm quan trọng của việc buôn bán hàng rong, hàng vỉa hè đối với thu nhập của những hộ gia đình nghèo ở khu vực đô thị. Một cuộc khảo sát ở Bogota, Colombia cho thấy người tham gia vào hoạt động buôn bán hàng rong, hàng vỉa hè là do thiếu cơ hội việc làm trong các lĩnh vực khác và đây là nguồn thu nhập duy nhất của họ [3]. Mazhambe cũng phân tích sự đóng góp của hoạt động buôn bán hàng rong, hàng vỉa hè đối với mức sống của những tham gia buôn bán ở Harare, Zimbabwe và kết quả là có 86,6% người tham gia buôn bán phụ thuộc hoàn toàn vào thu nhập từ bán hàng rong, hàng vỉa hè [4].…”