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Consumer Markets in a Colombian Town
Author(s) -
NORTON GEORGE
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of consumer affairs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.582
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1745-6606
pISSN - 0022-0078
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6606.1976.tb00571.x
Subject(s) - government (linguistics) , economic interventionism , business , intervention (counseling) , population , marketing , public policy , service (business) , isolation (microbiology) , public economics , consumer education , function (biology) , rural area , economics , economic growth , politics , medicine , psychology , philosophy , linguistics , demography , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology , evolutionary biology , psychiatry , sociology , political science , law , biology
The majority of the world's consumers live in rural areas in less developed nations, yet few studies have dealt with consumer markets in such regions. A case study of a town in Colombia provides some insights into the functioning of markets for nondurables, durables, medical care, and transportation. The market structures are diverse and reflect the characteristics of the population, the isolation of the town, the level of information and public policy. While not without problems, the markets function fairly well under present circumstances. That stores are numerous and small creates some inefficiencies but serves to minimize fraud due to a personal relationship between buyer and seller. Government intervention has proven helpful in the provision of medical service. Consumer education could help solve some problems. Prospects for a consumer movement are weak at present.