Theorising MSMEs in Contexts of Urban Violence
What are the relationships between and among small businesses, conflict, and peaceful development in contexts of urban violence? Here, the complex formal and informal divisions of economic, political and social power, authority, and legitimacy – and the many grey areas between legality and illegalit...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
LSE Press
2021-02-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Illicit Economies and Development |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jied.lse.ac.uk/articles/70 |
| _version_ | 1797961730283798528 |
|---|---|
| author | Brian Ganson Kristian Hoelscher |
| author_facet | Brian Ganson Kristian Hoelscher |
| author_sort | Brian Ganson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | What are the relationships between and among small businesses, conflict, and peaceful development in contexts of urban violence? Here, the complex formal and informal divisions of economic, political and social power, authority, and legitimacy – and the many grey areas between legality and illegality, necessity and opportunism – create challenging conditions for business operations and for peacebuilding. A grounded understanding is required if peace- and development-positive interventions are to be successful. Yet both the peacebuilding and development potential of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and the specific dynamics of business and conflict in urban spaces, are underdeveloped in the literature assessing and promoting business potential to catalyse positive change. We therefore extract from a broad range of literature a typology representing the weight of the extant frameworks for understanding MSMEs in contexts of urban violence. We then use primary research to construct inductively a framework that captures how those living with urban violence themselves perceive businesses, their relationships to violence, and their impacts on in/security and under/development. Drawing out key areas of synthesis and tension, we propose directions for future study and practice related to small businesses in violent cities, emphasising the need to eschew simple understandings of actors, agency, and objectives in favour of a more nuanced and humane inquiry into the pain and potential inherent in the local context. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T01:02:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-adc3e457d05e43a4a5ceac2840d7a29f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2516-7227 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T01:02:18Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | LSE Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Illicit Economies and Development |
| spelling | doaj.art-adc3e457d05e43a4a5ceac2840d7a29f2023-01-04T15:01:02ZengLSE PressJournal of Illicit Economies and Development2516-72272021-02-012210.31389/jied.7048Theorising MSMEs in Contexts of Urban ViolenceBrian Ganson0Kristian Hoelscher1University of Stellenbosch Business SchoolPeace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)What are the relationships between and among small businesses, conflict, and peaceful development in contexts of urban violence? Here, the complex formal and informal divisions of economic, political and social power, authority, and legitimacy – and the many grey areas between legality and illegality, necessity and opportunism – create challenging conditions for business operations and for peacebuilding. A grounded understanding is required if peace- and development-positive interventions are to be successful. Yet both the peacebuilding and development potential of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and the specific dynamics of business and conflict in urban spaces, are underdeveloped in the literature assessing and promoting business potential to catalyse positive change. We therefore extract from a broad range of literature a typology representing the weight of the extant frameworks for understanding MSMEs in contexts of urban violence. We then use primary research to construct inductively a framework that captures how those living with urban violence themselves perceive businesses, their relationships to violence, and their impacts on in/security and under/development. Drawing out key areas of synthesis and tension, we propose directions for future study and practice related to small businesses in violent cities, emphasising the need to eschew simple understandings of actors, agency, and objectives in favour of a more nuanced and humane inquiry into the pain and potential inherent in the local context.https://jied.lse.ac.uk/articles/70smesbusiness & peaceurban violenceconflict & fragilitysouth africa |
| spellingShingle | Brian Ganson Kristian Hoelscher Theorising MSMEs in Contexts of Urban Violence Journal of Illicit Economies and Development smes business & peace urban violence conflict & fragility south africa |
| title | Theorising MSMEs in Contexts of Urban Violence |
| title_full | Theorising MSMEs in Contexts of Urban Violence |
| title_fullStr | Theorising MSMEs in Contexts of Urban Violence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Theorising MSMEs in Contexts of Urban Violence |
| title_short | Theorising MSMEs in Contexts of Urban Violence |
| title_sort | theorising msmes in contexts of urban violence |
| topic | smes business & peace urban violence conflict & fragility south africa |
| url | https://jied.lse.ac.uk/articles/70 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT brianganson theorisingmsmesincontextsofurbanviolence AT kristianhoelscher theorisingmsmesincontextsofurbanviolence |