Value Chain Upgrading in the Informal Agricultural Economy of Uganda: Networks among Small Business Owners as a Solution to Institutional Voids

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dc.contributor.authorStahn, Sophia
dc.contributor.authorWickert, Christopher
dc.contributor.authorKatamba, David
dc.contributor.authorTindiwensi, Catherine
dc.contributor.authorSerum, Andrew
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-15T11:53:55Z
dc.date.available2023-01-15T11:53:55Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.description.abstractThe purpose of this paper is to analyze how networks between small business owners (SBOs) in the informal economy of agriculture in the East African country Uganda can be a tool to overcome the barriers caused by institutional voids, in order to upgrade agricultural value chains. The analysis suggests that weak or absent institutions in the agricultural sector lead to various impediments that especially affect SBOs operating in the informal sector of agriculture. Yet, SBOs seem to have found a way to overcome those hurdles through establishing business networks to access capital, resources and markets. Moreover, those networks are based on informal, internal mechanisms like bylaws or internal guidelines that have positive impact on SBOs’ work. Subsequently, with the help of networks better quality and larger quantities can be produced, leading to an upgrade of the respective value chain. These findings demonstrate a valuable and feasible solution for SBOs operating in the informal sector of agriculture in developing countries to upgrade their value chain despite a weak institutional environment. In addition to that, the study illustrates that networks are an informal type of institution, not an organizational form that substitutes institutions, hence meaning that the very existence of networks is not sufficient to guarantee long-term success for SBOs. The paper opens paths for future research to focus on the use of networks as supplementary informal institutions as a solution to other barriers SBOs are facing in developing countries’ informal agricultural sectors.en_US
dc.identifier.citationStahn, S., Wickert, C., Katamba, D., Tindiwensi, C., & Seruma, A. AGRI-QUEST. https://knowledge4food.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/agri-quest_Research-Paper_No9_2017_Stahn-et-al.pdfen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://knowledge4food.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/agri-quest_Research-Paper_No9_2017_Stahn-et-al.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://nru.uncst.go.ug/handle/123456789/6947
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherAGRI-QUESTen_US
dc.subjectNetworksen_US
dc.subjectValue Chain Upgradingen_US
dc.subjectInstitutional Voidsen_US
dc.subjectDevelopingen_US
dc.titleValue Chain Upgrading in the Informal Agricultural Economy of Uganda: Networks among Small Business Owners as a Solution to Institutional Voidsen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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