Abstract

GARCIA, Hilda  and  LARA, Francisco. Comida callejera: proveedores informales de servicios a la industria maquiladora en Nogales, Sonora. Región y sociedad [online]. 2000, vol.12, n.20, pp.43-74. ISSN 2448-4849.

This article examines a component of the urban border economy which reflects the contradictions of a model of regional development based predominantly on the maquila industry. This component consist of 39 micro-businesses selling prepared food to workers of maquila companies located in two industrial parks in the city of Nogales, Sonora. On the one hand, these micro-businesses are completely integrated to the most modern and dynamic sector of the border economy yet, on the other hand, present the traditional characteristics of sub-sistence economic activities. The central argument is that in sociourbanistic contexts as the prevailing in Mexican border towns, rapid industrialization is not only compatible with the activities analyzed in this article, but needs of them to subsist. As a result, around the maquila industry emerge a group of informal services providers that contribute to a realiable and steady supply of labor forcé for the industry. In this article, the authors analyze the results of a survey to the owners of the aforementioned micro-businesses to observe its organization and operation. A number of recommendations to improve the relation among maquila companies, maquila workers and micro-businesses is also presented.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )