Jean-Philippe Berrou

Dynamique des réseaux sociaux et trajectoire d’entreprises informelles à Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso)

Dynamics of Social Networks and Trajectories of Informal Businesses in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso): This paper analyzes the evolution/transformation of social relations and networks for access to resources during the career of micro entrepreneurs in an informal urban economy in Sub-Saharan Africa. From a methodological point of view, the analysis of life histories from micro and small entrepreneurs in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso) was done by combining different forms of qualitative and quantitative analysis (Grossetti and Barthe, 2008). This novel method can identify the characteristics of the joint evolution of the business activity and the entrepreneur’s social network, and then provide a comprehensive analysis of the processes underlying these dynamics. It appears that the gradual professionalization and institutionalization of the social network of the entrepreneur are forms of securing access to resources promoting the development of the economic activity. L’article analyse l’évolution/transformation des réseaux et relations sociales d’accès aux ressources au cours de la trajectoire professionnelle de micro entrepreneurs au sein de l’économie informelle urbaine en Afrique subsaharienne. D’un point de vue méthodologique, l’analyse des récits de vie auprès de micro et petits entrepreneurs de Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso) est menée selon différentes modalités combinant analyse qualitative et quantitative (Grossetti et Barthe, 2008). Cette méthode originale permet de repérer les caractéristiques de l’évolution conjointe de l’activité et du réseau social puis de mener une analyse compréhensive des processus sous-jacents à ces dynamiques. Il apparaît que la professionnalisation et l’institutionnalisation progressive du réseau social de l’entrepreneur sont des formes de sécurisation d’accès aux ressources favorisant le développement de l’activité économique.

Dynamics of social networks of urban informal entrepreneurs in an African economy

Abstract This paper carries out an analysis of the formation and transformation of social relations and networks of access to resources in the professional trajectory of micro-entrepreneurs operating in an urban informal African economy. The analysis of social networks is rooted in Granovetter’s structural embeddedness framework combined with the dynamic and discursive conception of social relations of Harisson White (embeddedness and decoupling). Life stories of micro and small entrepreneurs in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina-Faso) are analyzed by mixing qualitative and quantitative methods. Results suggest that the construction of social networks and interpersonal relations of access to resources is a long-term process. A co-construction of social networks and economic activity is observed; it challenges the argument that social capital is a substitute for a lack of personal resources. The growth of small and micro activities is linked to the professionalization and stabilization of a social network, and even to the institutionalization of access to resources.