GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND PROBLEM FORMULATION ANDTHE APPLICATION OF THE QUALITATIVE PROCESS
1.1General introduction and problem formulation
Most authors on research methodology stress the importance of pinpoint specific problem/problems, questions or hypothesis/hypotheses as soon as researchable topic has been identified (De Vos, 2005:100). In this document the researcher reported the realities of street hawkers on street corners. According to Lund, Nicholson and Skinner (2000:10) “people who work in the informal economy are those who earn an income outside the formal economy. The researcher chooses to investigate this topic because so little is known.
The researcher noticed that poverty is one of the causes that lead people to be street hawker. She also discovers that working as a street hawker is challenging unstable for example sometimes street hawkers experience harassment or abuse.
She also discovers that the term “street vendors” in English is typically used interchangeably with “street trader” “hawker” and “Peddler” (Inclusive cities.2012).
The researcher also noticed that street hawkers contribute to the economy of the country. For example they alleviate poverty by treating their own jobs.
The researcher used qualitative research approach to investigate the topic. Qualitative research approach is when the researcher attempt to study human action from perspective of the social actors themselves, the goal of the research is to describe and understand rather than explaining human behaviour (Babbie, 2001:270). The researcher engaged in face to face interviews so that she could understand and explore the realities of street hawkers on street corners.
After the finding she got she make some recommendations related to the study she have done.
1.2 Research question
In