Informal Trading: Economic Integration, Internal Diversity, and Life Changes in Quito, Ecuador, 1990-1991

This data collection focuses on informal trading and is based on field research carried out in "Calle Ipiales," the largest retail market of Quito, Ecuador. A major objective of the study was to examine the nature of linkages between informal traders (i.e., mobile street vendors, stationary market sellers, and small-store owners) and other sectors of the economy. The nature of such employment was investigated, and specific topics included vendors' level of dependence and independence and autonomy over their jobs, access to the markets, and access to equipment and credit. A second objective was to develop a typology of informal traders, specified by different types of linkages to each other and to the formal economy. A third objective was to identify the welfare implications of belonging to each subgroup of informal vendors. This included the examination of reasons for working in the informal sector, economic advantages and disadvantages, the relationship to the government, and other types of support vendors may receive. Additional variables in the collection cover type of product sold, amount of profit, supplier of goods to be sold, and type of customers. Background variables include age and sex of vendor, marital status, place of birth, years of residence in Quito, education, previous occupation, occupational training, number of household members, and household income.