Resumen

ZAREMBERG, Gisela. Hexagon versus Tree: Atypical Cases of Informal Commerce Organizations in Distrito Federal. Perf. latinoam. [online]. 2010, vol.18, n.36, pp.143-180. ISSN 0188-7653.

This paper proposes to provide an explanation for a non-expected phenomenon: Only three, of fifty organizations of informal merchants, have the opposite behavior than the others. While the overwhelming majority of those organizations are characterized by a monopolization of leadership, those three show a very horizontal structure. Why are those three cases of informal organizations so different from the rest? Why are those exceptional organizations headed by leaders that genuinely defend the interests of members, do not try to perpetuate their leadership, and carry out their activities with transparency and accountability? Education, the presence of civil society and the construction of formal institutions that impact the distribution of power are the factors we look at in this paper.

Palabras llave : informal trade; networks; organization.