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dc.rights.licenseCC-BY-NC-ND
dc.contributor.advisorLindert, P. van
dc.contributor.authorBree, J.E. van
dc.date.accessioned2010-11-26T18:00:24Z
dc.date.available2010-11-26
dc.date.available2010-11-26T18:00:24Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.identifier.urihttps://studenttheses.uu.nl/handle/20.500.12932/6243
dc.description.abstractHome-based entrepreneurship is a common phenomenon in cities in developing countries and has gained increased attention in development studies as well as development practices. This thesis presents the results of a study carried out on the characteristics of home-based enterprises and their social and economic significance for the households performing them in the city of El Alto in Bolivia. El Alto can be characterized as a migrant city that has grown from nothing more than a rural area to a complete city of almost one million inhabitants in only sixty years. This process of occupation and growth in El Alto mainly took place by means of self help housing. Through time residents created themselves employment, mainly in an informal way. This thesis specifically studies that group of people that uses the house for income generation. A key conclusion from the study is that home-based enterprises are mainly informally organized in terms of the range of activities, the size of the enterprise, the internal organization and employment relations, registration, incomes, investments, access to credit, and the separation of production and consumption. Although home-based enterprises often include small and marginal activities, they are of great social and economic importance to the households realizing them. The enterprise provides the household with some (extra) income. Although this income is often very insecure and rarely enough to create a buffer for times when incomes are worse, it is a very important direct income source. Although the economic significance of operating a home-based enterprise is of course a leading factor, the positive social outcome is that many home-based enterprise operators feel more respected in their neighbourhood and experience a better social position. That makes a home-based enterprise not only an economic activity, but also an important social activity, which improves the quality of life of many households dramatically. (Thesis includes a Spanish summary)
dc.description.sponsorshipUtrecht University
dc.format.extent7070545 bytes
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.language.isoen
dc.titleUsing the home as a workplace: Neighbourhood consolidation and home-based entrepreneurship in El Alto, Bolivia
dc.type.contentMaster Thesis
dc.rights.accessrightsOpen Access
dc.subject.keywordshome-based enterprise
dc.subject.keywordshome-based entrepreneurship
dc.subject.keywordsneighbourhood consolidation
dc.subject.keywordsinformal sector
dc.subject.keywordslocal economic development
dc.subject.keywordsurbanization
dc.subject.keywordsEl Alto
dc.subject.keywordsBolivia
dc.subject.courseuuInternational Development Studies


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