TY - JOUR
T1 - Tracing informal and illicit flows after socialism:A microcommodity supply chain analysis in the Slovak Republic
AU - Polese, Abel
AU - Karjanen, David
PY - 2011/10/25
Y1 - 2011/10/25
N2 - The purpose of this paper is to explore the linkages between formal/informal and licit/illicit flows of goods in the postsocialist economy in order to better understand and provide an analysis of both sides of these economic practices. Research over 20 months in Slovakia, between 2000 and 2007, included surveys of retailers of goods, households and firms who buy and sell contraband, and ethnographic research with truckers, consumers, and sellers of contraband. This study also included a novel research method – a microeconomic commodity supply chain analysis, providing a new means to understand the circulation of illicit goods. This paper has important findings for the movement of illicit goods in Slovakia and more broadly. Tracing the movement of two goods: cigarettes and clothing, demonstrates that the current theories of informal and illicit flows are inadequate theoretically or to develop proper policies. Both the formal and informal, as well as licit and illicit, flows and production of goods are interwoven through economic practice. Little research exists specifically tracking the movement of illicit goods and analyzing their economic role in social and economic practices regarding informal economic activity. The results of this study show how the production, distribution, and consumption of illicit goods are integral to the economic transformation of the postsocialist economy from the household and firm level, and in such practices encourage marketization and capitalist development.
AB - The purpose of this paper is to explore the linkages between formal/informal and licit/illicit flows of goods in the postsocialist economy in order to better understand and provide an analysis of both sides of these economic practices. Research over 20 months in Slovakia, between 2000 and 2007, included surveys of retailers of goods, households and firms who buy and sell contraband, and ethnographic research with truckers, consumers, and sellers of contraband. This study also included a novel research method – a microeconomic commodity supply chain analysis, providing a new means to understand the circulation of illicit goods. This paper has important findings for the movement of illicit goods in Slovakia and more broadly. Tracing the movement of two goods: cigarettes and clothing, demonstrates that the current theories of informal and illicit flows are inadequate theoretically or to develop proper policies. Both the formal and informal, as well as licit and illicit, flows and production of goods are interwoven through economic practice. Little research exists specifically tracking the movement of illicit goods and analyzing their economic role in social and economic practices regarding informal economic activity. The results of this study show how the production, distribution, and consumption of illicit goods are integral to the economic transformation of the postsocialist economy from the household and firm level, and in such practices encourage marketization and capitalist development.
KW - Cigarettes
KW - Clothing
KW - Commodity supply chain
KW - Economic conditions
KW - Economic strategies
KW - Informal economy
KW - Slovakia
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84986155820&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84986155820&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/01443331111177850
DO - 10.1108/01443331111177850
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84986155820
SN - 0144-333X
VL - 31
SP - 648
EP - 663
JO - International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
JF - International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
IS - 11-12
ER -