The empowerment of street food vendors: a marginalised community within the hospitality industry

ABSTRACT

This study was undertaken to develop understandings of the self-empowerment process of a marginalised community within the hospitality industry. The majority of studies have focused on top-down empowerment programs designed by institutions or individuals with more power, aimed at power re-distribution. This is problematic because power cannot be spread; it can only be exercised within individuals. In comparison, little attention has been given to the actual empowerment process that occurs inside empowered individuals. Street food vendors were chosen as the study sample because they and their businesses are marginalised in society and the hospitality industry. This study employs the critical paradigm, which focuses on transforming the lives of marginalised communities. A qualitative research design was utilised, consisting of 25 online unstructured interviews with street food vendors in Indonesia. The interview data was analysed using thematic analysis. The results identified three themes representing the process of self-empowerment within the street food vendors (i.e. consciousness, autonomy, and agency). Additionally, while external support (tangible and/or intangible) to aid empowerment is necessary, this should not be generalised, as each individual faces unique barriers.

KEYWORDS:

• Empowerment
• power
• agency
• street food vendor
• survival entrepreneurship

Acknowledgement:

The first author greatly appreciates the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) Scholarships for supporting his PhD study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Taufik Abdullah

Taufik Abdullah is a PhD candidate in the Department of Tourism, University of Otago, and a Lecturer in the Tourism Marketing Management Study Program, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia. His research interests revolve around marginalisation, empowerment, entrepreneurship, and food tourism.

Neil Carr

Neil Carr is a Professor in the Department of Tourism, University of Otago. His research focuses on understanding behaviour within tourism and leisure experiences; with a particular emphasis on children and families, sex and animals (especially dogs).

Craig Lee

Craig Lee is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Tourism, University of Otago. His research areas are in innovation and entrepreneurship in hospitality and tourism. His work in this area, applying quantitative and qualitative methods, has been published in leading academic journals. Across his teaching experience he has taught hospitality and tourism subjects related to research methods, enterprise management, entrepreneurship and small business, festivals and event management, marketing, and business ethics.