90 Book RroirwJ

'anti-participatory mode', the 'participatory mode', the 'manipulative mode',
and the 'incremental mode'. They rightly point out
these are ideal
responses that may not fit the real world and that there are combinations of
these ideal responses that are possible.

that

in state responses

to community participation

In their effort to examine the role of the state und its attitude toward
community participation in the major fields of social devplopment, the authors
draw on current literature, as well as their own knowledge and experience.
Clearly the authors acknowledge the limitations of the stu~y and do not
pretend to arrive at any final conclusions. At best they point to general trends
and patterns
in social
development which could be the basis for further research. Perhaps further
research could focus on the role of dynamic social movements in influencing
the state attitude and role in being responsibe to community participation.
The authors do not see present day government
responses to community
participation as anti-participatory in nature. However,
they also do not see
state responses to community participation as falling into the participatory
mode, as specified in their typology. While there is evidence of government
encouragement for community participation through, for example, financial
and staff support, often it
is conditional and falls short of the ideals of
democratic sharing and selfdetermination. Despite the limitations of the study
and the fact that
the authors are not in a position to arrive at anything
conclusive, the book covers new ground in the questions raised and the
discussionsof key issues and will be of interest to scholars and educators in the
social sciences, social work, social policy and development studies.
Reviewed by Daniel S Sanders, School of Social Work, University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign.

Manufacturing
Employment
Pinter (Publishers) Ltd, London, 1982 (pp 232, no price given).

and
in Small-scale Brazilian Industry, Hubert Schmitz, Frances

in the Backyard: Case Studies on Accumulation

Book titles can serve either to seduce or to lose their potential readership. In
the case in question, the author exploits current imagery to his advantage with
the result
that more readers than would normally be interested in this
somewhat specialised area will peruse this book. Whether they will read the
full text is open to question.

The author adopts an innovative, case-study approach to venture into the
popular area of debate centering around the potential for expansion of small
scale manufacturing industries in underdeveloped economies. Rather
than
engaging in the somewhat academic luxury of debating the heuristic value of
the infomal sector concept, Schmitz argues convincingly for the value of
branch-specific case studies which span the formal/informal divide. He claims
that they se:-veto supplement rather than replace the more popularised cross.

Hook R,views 91

longitudinal

sectional survey, providing comparative,
data on the particular
conditions that characterise the selected branch of industry. Field investigation
carried out while the author worked on research and consultancy assignments
for international organisations
and illustrate
is not whether small
his argument. The central
but under
enterprises possess potential
what conditions.

issue, as seen by the author,
for growth and employment

is used to substantiate

promotion,

in Brazil

Internal

literature

and optimistic

to growth are outlined

The book is divided into three parts. Part

I provides a useful, wide ranging
in the field, with regard to two key issues.
review of the relevant
and
Firstly the viability of small scale production units is considered.
external constraints
and pessimistic
views of the growth potential of small scale industries are reviewed. The need
in view of the
for further empirical
contradictory conclusions
is
made of the inadequate
recommendations
made by the ILO Kenya Report, which served as both a research document
and a politically sensitive consultancy report. According to Schmitz a major
limitation of previous studies is that most have relied on one-off cross-section
and have failed to
surveys, have studied individuals
investigate the 'external'
context
function.

rather
than enterprises,
in which small producers

Particular mention

of the 'optimistic'

in the literature.

is highlighted,

substantiation

investigation

particularly

reported

With regard to the second major

issue of concern,

potential of small scale enterprises, Schmitz contends
non-conclusive. Not all small scale operators
disaggregate earnings and enterprises
popular assumptions
as a 'stepping stone' or 'gateway'
previously failed to find it. Although Schmitz cites findings
contrary, he argues for the necessity of further empirical
and other key points.

to formal employment

regarding 'unrestricted

has led to a number

entry'

namely the earning
that existing evidence is
failure to
but
into the sector and its role
for those who have
the
on these

that suggest

of mistaken

information

are poor. However,

and the known

share of employment

in the Brazilian manufacturing

Part 2 of the book is devoted to the pesentation

of three case studies of
selected branches of the Brazilian manufacturing
sector, all falling within the
broadly-defined textile and clothing industry. This is chosen because it affords
sector,
the highest
because of its heterogeneity
scale
enterprises,
registered and unregistered. After a brief overview of the income
and employment distribution within the Brazilian economy, case studies of the
following branches
of
the hammock industry of Fortaleza
Petr6polis (in the state of Rio de Janeiro),
(in the state of Ceara) and the weaving industry of Americana
(in the state of
Sao Paulo). In each case, a similar pattern is followed. Statistical
relating to the branch in general
the branch
scale enterprises

of
as an entity. Factors affecting the survival and growth of small
from

followed by detailed data obtained

together with an indication

are considered,

are presented:

and clothing

the knitting

is presented,

proliferation

information

of small

industry

92 Book Rtvitws

interviews and field observation regarding mode of operation, employment
and income conditions. In order to address the important question of linkages
between large and small scale enterprises, the author interviewed managers of
large firms as well as those of workshops with less than ten workers.

inherent

findings

Secondly,

the limitations

duly acknowledging

In Part 3, the author draws general implications from the three branch case
studies presented,
in
generalisationsderived from only a fewcases. With regard to employment and
income, two main conclusions are reached. Firstly, levels of earnings of small-
scale producers are found to differ widely according to whether they are
owners or wage workers, independent or sub-contracting producers, and
whether they are internal or 'out' workers. This differentiation corroborates
recent
the
establishment of small scale enterprises is found to be a means of upward
mobility for former wage workers with related skills rather
than on the
initiative of out-of-workjob seekers. _

reported elsewhere in the literature.

With regard to the second main area of consideration, namely growth
constraints, the findings are less conclusive. External constraints relating to
accessto raw materials, markets and technological advancement vary, but are
found to be more important than internal constraints in hampering expansion
of small enterprises. The author highlights the important inhibiting influence
of government policies. By defining the problem in terms of internal
constraints (poor management and inadequate training), the blame for failure
of small enterprise is conveniently placed on the people who run them, rather
than on the exigencies of the socio-political and economic environment
in
which they operate. So, the author concludes, meaningful change in the near
future is unlikely because policies are largely determined by the state
machinery which in turn is maintained by large-scale capital and reflect the
latter's interests.

The final section of Part 3 is devoted to a brief somewhat diversionary
discussionof the relative merits and demerits of the cross-sectional survey and
the 'branch-specific' case study for the investigation of small scale enterprise.
While it is acknowledged that a combination of both types of methodology is
necessary, neither is deemed sufficient without adequate investigation of
changes in the wider context, the national and global economy. Ultimately it is
the author's contention that branch-specific studies are essential for an in-
depth understanding of the operation of small-scalemanufacturing enterprises
in the Third WorId.

Manufacturing in the Backyard is an informative and thought-provoking
addition to the proliferating literature on the so-called 'informal sector' and
small industry. The book has detailed notes at the end of each section, and
includes a comprehensive bi-lingual bibliography, slanted somewhat in favour
of the Latin American literature. Regrettably,
there is no subject or author
index - an unfortunate omission in a text of this nature and one which limits

Book Reviews 93

its use as a reference source. Inclusion of the interview guide used in the
investigation is, however, a welcome departure from the norm. The book is
clearly structured, written in a readable but scholarly style, and includes a
thoughtful critique of related literature.

One must however note that the direct relevance of this book to the African
setting is contestable. Certainly for those directly involved in small scale
industry promotion,
in policy formulation and planning as well as
developmenteconomistsin an academic setting, it is a valuable resource and a
basis for comparative research. Nevertheless, it is geared to a somewhat
selective readership. Differences between the Brazilian and African settings
are marked, and the' backyard industries' of Brazil can be argued to bear only
superficial resemblance to those of African urban centres. However, some
similarities are suggested. The book highlights a number of key linkages
between large and small scale enterprises that have as yet received scant
attention in the African literature. Particularly notable is the area of sub-
contracting, aptly illustrated by the case study of the hammock industry of
Fortaleza. The applicabilityto local textile and handwork enterprises warrants
investigation.

With regard to the methodology employed, a number of questions emerge.
While the author acknowledges limitations affecting the selection of a
representative sample of small enterprises in a field where clandestine
operations predominate, measures taken to offset this difficulty are open to
debate. Although the author argues for the view from below that
is made
possible through the case study approach adopted, insufficient attention is
paid to the fact that it is an 'elite' group of owners/managers of small scale
enterprises who are interviewed. There is no indication of interviews having
been sought with the family members and/or employees whose view from
below can be expected to differ significantly from that of the head of the
enterprise.

AlthoughSchmitz argues that the case studies, in contrast to snapshot cross-
sectionalsurveys allowed for in-depth insight into changes over time within
specificbranches of industry, it is difficult to establish how this is achieved in
practice.Considering the importance placed on the 'dynamic' aspects of small
scaleindustry, surprisingly little attention is given to the historical profile and
development of the actual workshops investigated, either in the interview
guideor in the findings presented. The case studies themselves relied on 'one-
oiT'investigations.

While the methodologicalissue is of central importance to the author it is
likely to be of less interest
to the reader seeking planning and policy
implications.The inclusionof a final section on methodology leaves the reader
with the sense of the primacy of methodological rather
than content
considerations,and detracts somewhat from the conclusiveness of the work.
The reader is left with many questions -
not only those raised rather than

94 &ok Rtvitws

resolved by the author, but also those emerging from a critical assessment of
the role of academic research in addressing the pressing development issues
touching the Third World urban poor.
Reviewed by Veronica M Brand, Harare.