Redefining responsible consumption decent work: Insights from the second-hand industry in Uzbekistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15549/jeecar.v11i3.1655Keywords:
Small and medium enterprises, Decent work, Sustainable Development, Uzbekistan, Responsible consumptionAbstract
The goal of this paper is to examine how the practices of small businesses engaged in acquiring, repairing, and reselling second-hand goods in Uzbekistan can contribute insights for shaping policies related to responsible consumption and decent work. Employing Gibson-Graham's method of reading for difference, this project aims to portray the diversity of the second-hand industry in Tashkent and reframe the narrative on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to render them more inclusive and performance-oriented. Data for the paper were gathered through a focus group and structured interviews with Uzbek entrepreneurs in four neighborhoods of Tashkent. The interview findings reveal that, beyond income and job security, entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan's second-hand industry highly value being self-employed and the connections their work allows them to establish with their customers. Moreover, this article underscores that responsible consumption is a dynamic concept primarily reliant on accessibility, creativity, and connectivity with one's surroundings and social network.
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