The role of gender in bargaining: Evidence for selling seed to smallholders in Uganda

In rural societies with strong gender norms and customs, small informal agribusinesses may often be one of the few ways in which women can independently generate revenue. However, previous research has indicated that female run business may be perceived less favorably compared to their male counterp...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Van Campenhout, Bjorn, Nabwire, Leocardia
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/137258
_version_ 1855537994620993536
author Van Campenhout, Bjorn
Nabwire, Leocardia
author_browse Nabwire, Leocardia
Van Campenhout, Bjorn
author_facet Van Campenhout, Bjorn
Nabwire, Leocardia
author_sort Van Campenhout, Bjorn
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description In rural societies with strong gender norms and customs, small informal agribusinesses may often be one of the few ways in which women can independently generate revenue. However, previous research has indicated that female run business may be perceived less favorably compared to their male counterparts. In this paper, we examine potential consequences of these biased perceptions on business transactions. In particular, we test whether the gender of the seller has an impact on buyers’ negotiation strategies and eventual outcomes in bilateral price negotiations. We use a lab-in-the-field experiment in eastern Uganda, where a representative sample of smallholder maize farmers are offered the opportunity to bargain over a bag of improved maize seed variety from a male or female seller. We find that buyers confronted with a female seller are less likely to accept the initial offer price and respond with a lower counter-bid price than farmers faced with a male seller. Negotiations take an average of one round longer when the seller is a woman and the transaction price is almost 9 percent lower. For comparison, we also look at the effect of the starting price on the same bargaining outcomes and find that the gender disadvantage is roughly equal to a 20 percent higher starting price.
format Artículo preliminar
id CGSpace137258
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2023
publishDateRange 2023
publishDateSort 2023
publisher International Food Policy Research Institute
publisherStr International Food Policy Research Institute
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1372582025-12-02T21:02:41Z The role of gender in bargaining: Evidence for selling seed to smallholders in Uganda Van Campenhout, Bjorn Nabwire, Leocardia gender seeds smallholders maize bargaining power gender norms In rural societies with strong gender norms and customs, small informal agribusinesses may often be one of the few ways in which women can independently generate revenue. However, previous research has indicated that female run business may be perceived less favorably compared to their male counterparts. In this paper, we examine potential consequences of these biased perceptions on business transactions. In particular, we test whether the gender of the seller has an impact on buyers’ negotiation strategies and eventual outcomes in bilateral price negotiations. We use a lab-in-the-field experiment in eastern Uganda, where a representative sample of smallholder maize farmers are offered the opportunity to bargain over a bag of improved maize seed variety from a male or female seller. We find that buyers confronted with a female seller are less likely to accept the initial offer price and respond with a lower counter-bid price than farmers faced with a male seller. Negotiations take an average of one round longer when the seller is a woman and the transaction price is almost 9 percent lower. For comparison, we also look at the effect of the starting price on the same bargaining outcomes and find that the gender disadvantage is roughly equal to a 20 percent higher starting price. 2023-12-31 2024-01-05T17:06:03Z 2024-01-05T17:06:03Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/137258 en https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.136307 https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134733 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Van Campenhout, Bjorn; and Nabwire, Leocardia. 2023. The role of gender in bargaining: Evidence for selling seed to smallholders in Uganda. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2225. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.137074.
spellingShingle gender
seeds
smallholders
maize
bargaining power
gender norms
Van Campenhout, Bjorn
Nabwire, Leocardia
The role of gender in bargaining: Evidence for selling seed to smallholders in Uganda
title The role of gender in bargaining: Evidence for selling seed to smallholders in Uganda
title_full The role of gender in bargaining: Evidence for selling seed to smallholders in Uganda
title_fullStr The role of gender in bargaining: Evidence for selling seed to smallholders in Uganda
title_full_unstemmed The role of gender in bargaining: Evidence for selling seed to smallholders in Uganda
title_short The role of gender in bargaining: Evidence for selling seed to smallholders in Uganda
title_sort role of gender in bargaining evidence for selling seed to smallholders in uganda
topic gender
seeds
smallholders
maize
bargaining power
gender norms
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/137258
work_keys_str_mv AT vancampenhoutbjorn theroleofgenderinbargainingevidenceforsellingseedtosmallholdersinuganda
AT nabwireleocardia theroleofgenderinbargainingevidenceforsellingseedtosmallholdersinuganda
AT vancampenhoutbjorn roleofgenderinbargainingevidenceforsellingseedtosmallholdersinuganda
AT nabwireleocardia roleofgenderinbargainingevidenceforsellingseedtosmallholdersinuganda