The economic and social importance of unorganized retailers in rural India

Sarkar, Dev Narayan; Kundu, Kaushik

doi:10.1016/j.jrurstud.2015.12.003

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…For example, adopting a self‐reflexive stance, Beninger and Shapiro (2019) provide a cogent analysis of how the very rhetoric of “transformative change” can lead to the elimination of local intermediaries in subsistence contexts who provide many services of incremental value in the context. Sarkar and Kundu (2016) echo the sentiment by elaborating on the numerous ways in which socially embedded retailers serve the needs of subsistence consumers. Lack of self‐reflexiveness can often lead to researchers using dehumanizing language in describing individuals and communities they are studying (Hill and Martin, 2014).…”

Section: Phenomenological Methodology and Community‐centric Approach mentioning

confidence: 99%

Envisioning a community‐centric approach to impact assessments in subsistence marketplaces

Venugopal

2021

Journal of Consumer Affairs

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What does a community‐centric approach to impact assessment look like? That is the central question addressed in this article. Our community‐centric perspective provides an alternative to discipline‐centric approaches to impact assessment that emphasize specific methodological gold‐standards (e.g., randomized controlled trials [RCTs] in development economics). Disciplinary approaches to impact assessment owe their principal allegiance to the discipline's knowledge‐creation norms. Consequently, the concerns, interests, and voices of community members are not fully captured in the impact assessment process. In this article, we flip the conventional perspective to offer a community‐centric view of impact assessment that places the concerns, interests and voices of community members front and center. We present the case for why we need a community‐centric approach to impact assessment and clarify its axiological content, theoretical perspective, and methodological stance. Specifically, we advocate for a relational axiology, a system‐theoretic perspective, and a phenomenological methodology.

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Section: Phenomenological Methodology and Community‐centric Approach mentioning

confidence: 99%

Envisioning a community‐centric approach to impact assessments in subsistence marketplaces

Venugopal

2021

Journal of Consumer Affairs

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“…I had no option but to start using it. -R32 Usually, small retailers tend to value cash over other formats of money (Sarkar and Kundu, 2016;Koul and Jasrotia, 2019). For them, "cash-in-hand" means the physical availability of currency at their counters and not money in their bank accounts.…”

Section: The Dominance Of One Belief Over Othersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing technology adoption amongst small retailers: insights from thematic analysis

Aithal

Choudhary

Maurya

et al. 2022

IJRDM

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PurposeThe present study aims to understand small retailers' current use of various low-cost technologies and the factors responsible for small retailers' adoption. Furthermore, these factors of adoption were mapped back to beliefs within the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), and an attempt was made to understand if some of the beliefs dominated over the others and their implications.Design/methodology/approachThe study takes a qualitative approach comprising in-depth semi-structured interviews and direct observation. The qualitative data were analysed through a thematic analysis to identify technology adoption factors.FindingsAmongst the various technologies (mobile apps), payment and procurement apps were the most widely used. The authors identified eight factors influencing technology adoption: the top being customer demand for payment apps and convenience and cost-saving for procurement apps. The study also highlights the role of the dominant beliefs in technology adoption, which managers could use to improve adoption rates.Research limitations/implicationsThe current study is a cross-sectional study and the sample was predominantly of grocery retailers, limiting the generalisability of the results.Social implicationsSmall retailers face stiff competition from organised retail and e-commerce platforms which threatens small retailers' existence. Small retailers' survival is vital as many people depend on the small retail sector for livelihood. Increased use of technology seems the only way for them to stay competitive and increase profitability. The study's outcome could help increase technology adoption amongst small retailers and increase small retailers' competitiveness.Originality/valueDespite the widespread presence of small retailers in emerging economies, few studies have examined technology adoption amongst them. This study is also the first to use the TPB theory in the small retailer technology adoption context.

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“…The dayto-day life of a Kirana store owner has undergone a huge change to keep up with changing demands of the crisis". (EY, 2020) Small retailers are the dominant form of retail in many emerging markets (Eymas and Bensebaa, 2021), such as Latin America (D'Andrea et al, 2006;Lenartowicz and Balasubramanian, 2009), Africa (Klemz et al, 2006;Onyemah and Akpa, 2016) and India (Khare, 2013a(Khare, , 2013bKoul and Jasrotia, 2019;Sarkar and Kundu, 2016;Shaikh and Gandhi, 2016). In India, which has one of the highest retail densities globally, most groceries and branded consumer packaged goods are sold by small, traditional retailers (Dholakia et al, 2018), making them an essential part of the distribution channel.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resilience of small retailers in facing the Covid-19 pandemic – a qualitative study

Samanta

Aithal

2023

QMR

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Purpose This study aims to understand the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on small retailers, and their response to it, using the crisis management model. The research documents the impact and responses and attempts to identify the factors contributing to and hindering retailers’ attempts to achieve resilience. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative data from small retailers. The interview transcripts were analysed using MAXQDA 2020 Analytics Pro data analysis software. The heterogeneity in responses to the challenges posed by the pandemic is explained using self-determination theory and diffusion of innovation theory. Findings One of the most significant impacts of the crisis was the disruption in the regular supply chain network on which the studied retailers relied for their traditional buying. The retailers increased customer services such as free home delivery and enhanced the use of technology in their shops. However, and worryingly, although the retailers faced two waves of the pandemic, the urge to plan and prepare was missing. The overall crisis can, therefore, be seen as an opportunity for small retailers to improve their responses when facing similar situations. Social implications Small retailers are part of the social fabric in many emerging economies and function as a source of employment. They have been facing challenges from organised retail and e-commerce. The Covid-19 crisis pushed them to respond, and the authors hope that they will take some cues from this disruption and become more efficient and competitive in the future. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is among the first studies to map the impact of the crisis on small retailers and their response to it, drawing implications for retailers and companies and analysing the efforts made by small retailers to achieve resilience.

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The economic and social importance of unorganized retailers in rural India

Cited by 11 publications

References 48 publications

Envisioning a community‐centric approach to impact assessments in subsistence marketplaces

Envisioning a community‐centric approach to impact assessments in subsistence marketplaces

Factors influencing technology adoption amongst small retailers: insights from thematic analysis

Resilience of small retailers in facing the Covid-19 pandemic – a qualitative study

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