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The quality of informal sector manufactures in Nairobi
01.12.1995
The products of informal sector manufacturers are commonly thought to be suitable for consumers in developing countries on account of their low price and simplicity: they represent 'quality for the poor' rather than 'poor quality'. This article questions this assumption, and by surveying middle-class and poor consumers in Nairobi it reveals that typical informal sector products are regarded as of inferior quality and often more unreliable than imported or mass-produced goods. Clearly there will need to be significant improvements in design and production if informal sector products are to continue selling on domestic markets, let alone internationally.