Systemic small-player market exclusion in an east African context

Arnould, E. and Press, M. (2019) Systemic small-player market exclusion in an east African context. Consumption Markets and Culture, 22(5-6), pp. 508-527. (doi: 10.1080/10253866.2018.1561634)

Abstract

Producer–consumers in Kenya and Uganda face challenges in meeting their subsistence goals. They face a paradoxical inclusion and exclusion from the contemporary market system that the solutions proposed in the agriculture development, subsistence markets and BOP perspectives cannot address because of faults in the pervasive marketing ecosystem perspective. In this article, we go beyond the traditional discussion of producer–consumers’ market access, to include upstream as well as downstream challenges. We introduce the concept of integration gaps to markets as a counterpoint to typical measures of market access. We show the integration gap is a systematic neocolonialist exclusion of producer–consumers that international aid agencies exhorting greater market engagement may worsen. We offer suggestions for improvement from a marketing ecosystem perspective.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Press, Dr Melea
• Authors: Arnould, E., and Press, M.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
• Journal Name: Consumption Markets and Culture
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 1025-3866
• ISSN (Online): 1477-223X