ABSTRACT
Traditionally, the informal economy is viewed as a feature of developing economies and invaluable in providing employment and income for those who otherwise would be marginalized in the formal economy (Maldonado 1995). Thus it is recognized as a means of poverty alleviation and a pathway to development (Bromley 1990). This chapter, however, is on “street vending” in a developed economy, and explores the dynamics of the largest and best example of New Zealand’s street commerce: the Otara Flea Market. As such, it differs somewhat from those studies that describe and analyze the operation of vendors in the context of developing countries, where the distinction between the formal and informal sectors of economies is more clear-cut.
