Tycoons and contraband: informal cross-border trade in West Nile, north-western Uganda

Titeca, Kristof

doi:10.1080/17531055.2012.664703

Cited by 49 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…For example, information from certain smugglers was cross-checked with information from other smugglers and also from customs officials, other government officials, ‘legal’ traders and various other actors. Similarly, information was cross-checked in different locations, as interviews were conducted in three main locations: (1) Arua, a major trading hub in north-western Uganda close to the Congo and Sudan borders, where many smugglers are based; (2) Aru and Ariwara, major border trading towns in eastern Congo and central points in the regional smuggling economy28; (3) the Uganda capital Kampala, with ministry officials, intelligence officers, journalists and tobacco industry people.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blood cigarettes: cigarette smuggling and war economies in central and eastern Africa

2011

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Objective: Analyze cigarette smuggling practices in central and eastern Africa. Methods: Primary data were gathered during long term qualitative field research in which about 400 interviews were conducted. Analysis of secondary sources included academic literature and reports from NGOs, multilateral organisations and the press. Results: Our research suggests that the following factors play an important role in cigarette smuggling in eastern and central Africa: 1) government officials encounter difficulties monitoring the long and porous borders; 2) there is a general problem of corrupt government officials and particularly those who allow large-scale smugglers to operate; 3) criminal elements also play an important role in smuggling -cigarette smuggling has helped rebel groups to finance their activities, something illustrated through examples from the war economy in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Conclusions: Our research suggests that cigarette smuggling in this region is not primarily the result of different taxation levels in neighbouring states, but rather the outcome of weak state capacity, high levels of corruption and the activities of criminals. Under these conditions smuggling cigarettes becomes an attractive option as taxation is so easily avoided. This explains why in the low-income countries in this study there are high levels of smuggling inspite of low cigarette prices. Comprehensive supply control and enforcement legislation, and cooperation at national, regional and global level are needed to tackle fraudulent practices facilitated by corruption at state level, and to effectively punish interaction between cigarette traders and rebel groups. What this paper addsPrevious research on cigarette smuggling in Europe documents how smuggling is not primarily the result of different taxation levels but rather of fraud. This paper adds previously unavailable insights on how cigarette smugglers operate in eastern and central Africa through the use of qualitative and ethnographic data. These data allow detailed insight into the human mechanisms and consequences of smuggling, and the weak implementation enforcement mechanisms. They show how cigarette smuggling in Africa is the outcome of weak state capacity, high corruption levels, and the activities of rebel groups.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blood cigarettes: cigarette smuggling and war economies in central and eastern Africa

2011

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“…These sets of standards and values are transmitted through socialisation and are especially difficult to duplicate remotely using new communications technology (Storper and Venables, 2004). The regulations governing border crossings in Africa are one example of such non-codified information, which enables traders to negotiate regulatory obstacles and conduct business with representatives of the authorities responsible for border checkpoints (Titeca, 2012;Lamarque, 2014;Niang, 2013;Cantens and Raballand, 2017). The business communities present in border cities enable traders to share their business experiences and develop a set of informal standards that make their activities possible and profitable (Walther, 2015(Walther, , 2014aKoné, 2015).…”

Section: Urban Density and Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population and Morphology of Border Cities

2019

West African Papers

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The West African Papers explore African socioeconomic , political and security dynamics from a regional and multidisciplinary perspective. They seek to stimulate discussion and gather information to better anticipate the changes that will shape future policies. The series is designed for a wide audience of specialists, development practitioners, decision makers and the informed public. Papers are available in English and/or French, and summaries are available in both languages. Initiated by the Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC) to highlight and promote West African issues, the work presented is prepared by its Secretariat, Members and partners, other OECD departments, related international organisations, associated experts and researchers.

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“…; Pisani and Richardson ). Nevertheless, in many locations it is often regarded as essential for economic well‐being (Fadahunsi and Rosa ; Harshe ; Sikder and Sarkar ; Singh ; Titeca ; Titeca and De Herdt ) or, because of the extensive nature of borders that are not able to be effectively policed, institutional and policy accommodations need to be made (Little et al . ).…”

Section: Atypical Management and Organizational Practices In The Infomentioning

confidence: 99%

The Informal Sector: A Review and Agenda for Management Research

Darbi

Hall

Knott

2016

Int J Management Reviews

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Despite its connotations of non-compliance, illegality, social exploitation and marginality, the informal sector is a substantial contributor to economic life in developing countries and, increasingly, in more technologically advanced activities. Its prevalence in developed economies has also become more widely recognized. In light of its significance, this paper reviews research on the informal sector from a management and organization scholarship perspective, rather than from an entrepreneurship view, as has been the focus until now. It sets out the atypical management practices that are inherent in the sector, explores the under-researched relationship between formal and informal firms, and highlights definitional, conceptual and other limitations in extant research. As a step in resolving these issues, the authors present a conceptual model of formality and informality in a three-dimensional framework that highlights an organizational infrastructure dimension, a view of firms operating along a continuum, and a multi-level analytical context. Building on this, the authors detail opportunities for enhanced appreciation of in situ management and organizational practices in the informal sector and outline tools for pursuing a management and organization scholarship agenda. Overall, the authors argue that management scholarship has great potential to improve understanding of the informal sector, and that the informal sector provides opportunities to advance management theory, research and practice.

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Tycoons and contraband: informal cross-border trade in West Nile, north-western Uganda

Cited by 49 publications

References 19 publications

Blood cigarettes: cigarette smuggling and war economies in central and eastern Africa

Blood cigarettes: cigarette smuggling and war economies in central and eastern Africa

Population and Morphology of Border Cities

The Informal Sector: A Review and Agenda for Management Research

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