Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Urban Planning and Environmental Management / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

If there is anything that challenges a discussion about architecture, it would be defining architecture. It is too broad a subject to construct any particular opinion and follow on, even while attempting to create an understanding of it at the level within graduate program. For me, in a way, architecture has constantly re-constructed its character and impression, and that by itself becomes its permanent trait vis-a-vis a given place and time. But, it also subtly shifts its prominence from being an object to being an experience, from being permanent to being ephemeral or from being a summation to being a subtraction. At this moment, my pursuit of understanding architecture lies in its subtraction or absence from a collage of variables that compose everyday life.Revisiting Bombay's busy streets after spending a considerable amount of time in the United States was a familiar experience for me, but it quickly helped me recognize and acknowledge constituents of my everyday living (associated with the events of the city) that were immediately subtracted while living in the West. An everyday experienceassociated with the city, like the vending stalls, convenience stores, songs, noise, people, etc. could not be found in cities I visited in the U.S. All these experiences such as eating at food stalls and having a cup of tea on the street-side, buying electronics and latest music albums from a make-shift stall assembled from pieces of wooden planks; or simply walking on the street-side as if it were never a side walk but a festival of attainable consumerism - collectively form an event that is embedded in Bombay's urbanism. Herein, I chose to get up-close with the actors and their created spaces and interview them in order to gain insights into the totality of making a living on the street-side. Additionally, in order to extend my knowledge of architecture, I designed a vending stall that both acknowledges the worlds of the street-side and vendors, even as it is informed by my training as an architect.I am challenged as a graduate student to consider architecture within the context of my everyday life. A whole new dimension of space (of ad-hoc and tactical nature) that has always been there, gradually and randomly shaping my relationship with the city's streets while challenging the order of the city. Although invisibly present all the time, this study has made me more aware of its influence. Hence, I have tried to readdress everyday life on the street-sides within the local and global settings of Bombay, studying events and people associated with it. Looking for a probable architecture on the street-sides of Bombay within the boundaries of the quotidian and the modem realities becomes my thesis. / Department of Architecture

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 2008. / "Graduate Program in History." Includes bibliographical references (p. 244-255).

Thesis (MS en S)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Informal street trading is an aspect with which South Africa's ever growing cities need to cope. Since the earliest times, trade has played an important role in creating livelihoods for many people. In today's society - characterised by unemployment and underdevelopment - informal street traders have recognised that there is a gap in the market, and thus, by plying their trade they created a sustainable livelihood for themselves. It has to be admitted that town planning over the years neglected the role of the informal street trader, and not much was done by way of creating a city sphere to accommodate the street trader. In chapter two of this study the discussion addresses the historical role and activities of the informal street trader, and surveys aspects of legislation and racism that played a prominent role in previous times. Authorities did not regard informal trading in a positive light and many harsh steps were taken against street traders. This provides one of the reasons why no latitude was granted to informal street trading and why South Africa's existing efforts to accommodate informal street trade could at best be described as dismal. In chapter three the role and extent of informal trading in the economy is discussed. A study was made of the possible reasons why the informal street trade has emerged, and the contribution of the informal trade towards South Africa's Gross Domestic Product, is also dealt with. Today informal street trade is viewed as one of the ways by means of which to alleviate South Africa's existing employment crisis and accommodation of the informal street trade is seen as a top priority. When considering the phenomenon of informal street trading, it is impossible to ignore the people who are involved in this sector. They have created not only jobs for themselves, but a sustainable way of living. Chapter four attends to the characteristics of the informal street trader and also addresses the problems and challenges that these people have to face. Addressing these problems or challenges is not an easy task, and one of-the major problems in this respect has been the question of legislation. Informal street trading needs to be directed through laws and policies, aimed at addressing traders' needs and which are proactive in creating a positive trading environment. In chapters five and six the legislation and regulation of informal street trading in three of South Africa's major metropolitan cities - Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban - are reported. Chapter seven contains the conclusions of the study, followed by some policy recommendations. These are based on the findings made in the study on informal street trading, and could possibly enhance the proactive control and development of informal street trading. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Informele straathandel is 'n verskynsel wat volop in Suid-Afrikaanse stede voorkom. Handel is verantwoordelik vir die skep van werksgeleenthede en in vandag se samelewing, wat gekarakteriseer word deur armoede en werkloosheid, bied informele straathandel 'n uitweg aan menige persone om In bestaan te voer. Deur die jare het stadsbeplanning nie die nodige aandag aan die informele straathandelsektor gegee nie en meeste Suid-Afrikaanse stede kan nie hierdie tipe aktiwiteit suksesvol akkommodeer me. In hoofstuk twee van hierdie studie word daar ondersoek ingestel na die historiese agtergrond en aktiwiteite van die informele straathandelaar en word kwessies soos wetgewing en rasisme aangespreek. Owerhede het tydens die vorige bedeling nie die straathandel as 'n positiewe aspek van Suid-Afrika se groeiende stede beskou nie en sterk maatreels is teen straathandelaars gene em. Weens hierdie stappe en aksies, het dit gelei tot 'n stedelike omgewing wat nie straathandelaars vandag kan akkommodeer nie, en word dit ook as die rede beskou waarom huidige pogings tot die akkommodasie van straathandel nie as besonder suksesvol beskou kan word nie. In hoofstuk drie word die rol en mate waartoe informele straathandel tot die land se ekonomie bydra, bespreek. Die moontlike redes is ondersoek om die ontstaan van die informele straathandelsektor te identifiseer, en ook is gekyk na die bydraes wat die straathandel tot Suid-Afrika se Bruto Binnelandse Produk maak. Vandag word die informele straathandel as 'n moontlike oplossing vir armoede en werkloosheid in Suid- Afrika beskou en word die ontwikkeling van die sektor as 'n top prioriteit hanteer. Daar is ook ondersoek ingestel na die mense wat betrokke is in informele straathandel. Hierdie deel van die bevolking was in staat om op 'n volhoubare manier werk vir hulself te skep. Hoofstuk vier stel ondersoek in na die kenmerke van die informele straathandelaars en kyk ook na die daaglikse probleme en uitdagings wat hierdie mense beleef. Om hierdie probleme en uitdagings te bowe te kom, is nie eenvoudig nie, maar die grootste probleem vir straathandelaars spruit voort uit wetgewing oor die sektor. Informele straathandel benodig rigtinggewende w.etgewing en beleid wat die sektor se behoeftes en probleme aanspreek en ook 'n positiewe omgewing vir die straathandelaars skep om in te werk. Hoofstukke vyf en ses stel ondersoek in na die bestaande wetgewing oor informele straathandel, soos dit aangetref word in drie van Suid-Afrika se grootste stede, Kaapstad, Port Elizabeth en Durban. In hoofstuk sewe word die gevolgtrekking en beleidsvoorstelle rondom die bevindings van die studie gemaak. Dit sal dan moontlik lei tot die bevordering en skep van 'n gunstige en pro-aktiewe omgewing waarbinne informele straathandel kan floreer.

The informal sector thrives in a context of high unemployment, underemployment, poverty, gender inequality and precarious work. It plays a significant role in such circumstances, especially in income generation and in contributing to the livelihood of those engaged in it. The study investigated the contribution of street vending to the livelihood of street vendors in Nkonkobe Municipality. The aim of the study was to investigate whether street vending has the potential to sustain the lives of those engaged in it. In order to reach its objectives, the study employed a qualitative research approach whereby a non-probability sampling design in the form of a purposive sampling method was adopted and considered appropriate for this study. In terms of data collection, the study made use of structured questionnaires as a data collection method whereby questionnaires were administered and distributed to 40 street venders. The Upper Bound Poverty Line (UBPL) was used as a measurement to assess whether the participants’ incomes were above the poverty datum line in order to determine the sector’s contribution to the traders’ livelihood. From this study, it was found that street vending has both positive and negative impacts with regard to the success and profit-earning potential of these traders. Thus, the study concluded that street vending is a vital community development tool and a major source of livelihood as it plays a very important socio-economic role in Nkonkobe and in South Africa in general. The sector provides a livelihood for a huge population mainly comprised of the poor and other impoverished groups of society.

Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies

Portland, OR, is the site of a unique urban food cart phenomenon that provides opportunities for small business ownership and access points for culturally specific food for the city's foreign-born and minority populations. Known as a "foodie haven," Portland also has an active sustainable food movement with engaged citizens and support from city and regional policies aimed at significantly increasing the consumption of local food. To date, there have been no in-depth studies on the sourcing habits of Portland food cart owners and whether or not these street-level actors are involved in the area's local alternative food movements (AFNs). The current understanding of the Portland food cart phenomenon is based on studies that have focused on carts and pods located in the central business district and "inner-ring" areas of the city. Areas beyond these locations (defined as Eastern Portland) are currently home to the majority of the city's growing foreign-born and minority populations. This thesis uses a situational analysis framework to explore the food supply practices of ethnic food cart owners operating in Eastern Portland cart pods. I investigate the feasibility of purchasing locally grown ingredients for use in ethnic cuisines and the degree to which cart owners incorporate the region's prevailing locavore ethics into their everyday culinary practices. Findings from this inquiry suggest that ethnic cart owners in Eastern Portland have a range of habitus, or personal dispositions and embodied knowledge, that is reflected in how they perceive the benefits of and barriers to "buying local" and the extent (if any) that they engage with AFNs in the Portland area. I assert that ethnic food cart owners in Eastern Portland are performing multiple community roles by providing access points for culturally specific cuisines for their particular ethnic groups, while also offering exotic experiences to other residents and tourists alike. I discuss variations within the food cart phenomenon itself by highlighting the differences in design, amenities, types of access, and neighborhood customer bases of cart pods located in Eastern Portland. Finally, I discuss future research directions for understanding the dynamics of food supply chains in small-scale, direct-to-vendor relationships and the implications for local and regional food sustainability policy goals.

Thesis (M.Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / The central focus of this study was to investigate the contributions of informal trading towards urban livelihoods in Polokwane CBD. A multiplicity of stressors and shocks affect informal trading and its contributions towards urban livelihoods. Third world African countries like Nigeria and Ghana inter alia take cognizance of the countless external pressures and shocks that affect informal trading and its contributions towards urban livelihoods. The South African reality is not any different, the local political, social, economic and environmental elements that characterize the second economy provides evidence of the countless stressors and shocks facing the practice of informal trade. As a result, specific working objectives were formulated as follows: to understand the typologies, characteristics and challenges of informal trading, to evaluate the determinants of urban livelihoods, to analyze the contributions of informal trading towards urban livelihoods; and, to recommend possible measures that would improve informal trading and its contributions towards urban livelihoods. The study utilizes evaluation analysis; evaluation based analysis allows for the appraisal of disaggregated contributions of various informal trading activities on urban livelihoods. In addition, the study employs both qualitative and quantitative research approaches; hence, the use of descriptions, classifications and making connections will form an integral part of the data analysis. The study adopts non-probability convenience sampling in that the study area is convenient, accessible and comprises the required features. Various data collection methods were used in this study, including: literature review, questionnaire survey and observations. Importantly, the contributions of informal trading towards urban livelihoods is predominantly an area of contestation given various informal sector prospects and impediments. Furthermore, a host of challenges, stressors and shocks affect the contributions of informal trading towards urban livelihoods in Polokwane city CBD. Various economic, political, societal and environmental stressors are regarded as negatively affecting informal trading. The study argues that numerous challenges, stressors and shocks impinge on the abilities of informal trading to positively contribute towards urban livelihoods notwithstanding their capacity to absorb and seemingly sustain the indigent urbanites. The findings of the study exhibit that multiple internal and external stressors, shocks and trails that form part of the second economy deleteriously affect informal trading and its contributions towards urban livelihoods at Polokwane CBD, Limpopo Province.

M. Tech. Entrepreneurship / This study aims to gain an understanding of how the City of Tshwane assist and manage informal trading in the city and to understand perceptions of the City of Tshwane about the effectiveness of the municipal bi-laws to find out if the bi-laws are achieving their intended goals. It also looks at the requirements of the informal traders within the City Tshwane.