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Mobile phones, informal markets and young urban entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe: An Exploratory Study

Mobile phones, informal markets and young urban entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe: An Exploratory Study This study of the uses of mobile phones by Zimbabwean youths engaged in unregulated informal trading in Central Harare shows that mobiles create socio-culturally embedded virtual and non-virtual ‘markets’. The study describes the novel and creative appropriations of mobile phones as informal traders navigate small-scale business opportunities. The theory of social networks and collective action was used to shed a light on how mobile phones help informal traders to create functional networks and virtual infrastructures through which reciprocal and mutual relations are established without the need for face-to-face contacts. The study demonstrates that these mobile virtual infrastructures not only create closely knit communities resembling traditional African ‘collective cultures’ but also help informal traders to access micro-credit, market intelligence among peers and mobile payments integrated with traditional banking platforms. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Area Development and Policy Taylor & Francis

Mobile phones, informal markets and young urban entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe: An Exploratory Study

Tsarwe, Stanley; Mare, Admire
Area Development and Policy , Volume 6 (3): 16 – Jul 3, 2021
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Mobile phones, informal markets and young urban entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

This study of the uses of mobile phones by Zimbabwean youths engaged in unregulated informal trading in Central Harare shows that mobiles create socio-culturally embedded virtual and non-virtual ‘markets’. The study describes the novel and creative appropriations of mobile phones as informal traders navigate small-scale business opportunities. The theory of social networks and collective action was used to shed a light on how mobile phones help informal traders to create...
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Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
© 2020 Regional Studies Association
ISSN
2379-2957
eISSN
2379-2949
DOI
10.1080/23792949.2020.1790021
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

This study of the uses of mobile phones by Zimbabwean youths engaged in unregulated informal trading in Central Harare shows that mobiles create socio-culturally embedded virtual and non-virtual ‘markets’. The study describes the novel and creative appropriations of mobile phones as informal traders navigate small-scale business opportunities. The theory of social networks and collective action was used to shed a light on how mobile phones help informal traders to create functional networks and virtual infrastructures through which reciprocal and mutual relations are established without the need for face-to-face contacts. The study demonstrates that these mobile virtual infrastructures not only create closely knit communities resembling traditional African ‘collective cultures’ but also help informal traders to access micro-credit, market intelligence among peers and mobile payments integrated with traditional banking platforms.

Journal

Area Development and Policy – Taylor & Francis

Published: Jul 3, 2021

Keywords: African youth; connectivity; emerging informal markets; mobility; mobile phones; informal traders; surveillance; social networks and collective action; 非洲年轻人; 连通性; 新兴的非正规交易市场; 移动性; 移动电话; 非正规商人; 监测; 社会网络和集体行动; jóvenes africanos; conectividad; mercados informales emergentes; movilidad; teléfonos móviles; comerciantes informales; supervisión; redes sociales; y acción colectiva; африканская молодежь; связь; формирующиеся неформальные рынки; мобильность; мобильные телефоны; неформальные торговцы; наблюдение; социальные сети и коллективные действия.

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