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Russel-Research-Method-in-Anthropology

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START:<br />

SEARCH WHOLESALE MARKET<br />

FOR INFORMATION ON SUPPLY,<br />

DEALS, PURCHASES OR OTHER<br />

SOULARD VENDORS<br />

SELECT ITEM FROM MENTAL<br />

LIST OF REGULAR ITEMS<br />

NO<br />

IS PRODUCT IN SEASON?<br />

AVAILABLE AT WHOLESALE<br />

MARKET?<br />

DEMAND-SUPPLY ALGORITHM FOR STANDARD-QUALITY PRODUCE FIRMS<br />

YES<br />

BUY<br />

NORMAL<br />

Q<br />

WHAT IS THE SUPPLY<br />

TIGHT OF ITEM THIS WEEK FLOODED<br />

AT PRODUCE ROW?<br />

IS THE COST LOW<br />

ENOUGH FOR YOU<br />

TO BEAT SUPER-<br />

MARKET PRICES?<br />

NO<br />

OMIT ITEM OR BUY<br />

MINIMUM FOR<br />

REGULAR CUSTOMERS<br />

NORMAL<br />

BUY<br />

NORMAL<br />

Q<br />

BUY LIGHT<br />

(SOMEWHAT LESS<br />

THAN NORMAL Q)<br />

YES<br />

GO TO RELEVANT<br />

'A' DEMAND-SUPPLY<br />

ALGORITHM FOR Q<br />

MISCELLANEOUS MODIFIERS:<br />

IF ITEM HAS BEEN SCARCE, INCREASE Q, IF PLENTIFUL, REDUCE Q.<br />

IF KIDS ARE HOME FROM SCHOOL, INCREASE Q.<br />

IF FIRST WEEK OF MONTH, INCREASE Q. IF LAST OF MONTH, REDUCE Q.<br />

IF ITEM CAN BE PRICED AT NEXT LOWER WHOLESALE-DOLLAR PRICE,<br />

COMPARED WITH RECENT PRICE, INCREASE Q.<br />

BUY Q CASES<br />

OF ITEM<br />

TIGHT<br />

OMIT ITEM<br />

OR BUY MINIMUM Q<br />

FOR REGULAR CUSTOMERS<br />

NO<br />

DEMAND-SUPPLY ALGORITHM FOR<br />

BARGAIN-QUALITY PRODUCE FIRMS<br />

WHAT IS THE SUPPLY<br />

OF ITEM THIS WEEK<br />

AT PRODUCE ROW?<br />

CAN YOU FIND A<br />

DEAL ON ITEM?<br />

YES<br />

NORMAL<br />

OR<br />

FLOODED<br />

BUY<br />

NORMAL<br />

Q<br />

HAVE I LOOKED FOR<br />

FOR ITEM ON SPECIAL<br />

CAN YOU FIND<br />

NO<br />

NORMAL<br />

NO<br />

ALL MY REGULAR ITEMS?<br />

SALE, HOW WERE SALES<br />

OR<br />

TIGHT<br />

A DEAL IN ITEM?<br />

OF ITEM LAST WEEK AT<br />

FLOODED<br />

YES<br />

SOULARD MARKET?<br />

YES<br />

YES<br />

DO NOT<br />

INCREASE Q<br />

TIGHT<br />

IS DEAL SHARED<br />

WITH OTHER<br />

SOULARD VENDORS?<br />

FOR ITEM ON SPECIAL<br />

SALE, HOW WERE SALES<br />

OF THAT ITEM LAST WEEK<br />

AT SOULARD MARKET?<br />

NO<br />

'BINGO'<br />

CORNER MARKET<br />

BUY TWICE NORMAL Q<br />

NORMAL<br />

OR<br />

FLOODED<br />

BUY NORMAL Q<br />

OR A BIT MORE<br />

ARE MY STAND'S<br />

SLOTS FULL?<br />

NO<br />

LOOK FOR ITEMS MOST<br />

SIMILAR TO REGULAR ITEMS<br />

YES<br />

FOR EACH ITEM:<br />

HAVE I SOLD THIS ITEM SUCCESSFULLY?<br />

CAN MY WORKERS HANDLE THIS ITEM?<br />

WILL THIS ITEM YIELD ENOUGH GROSS<br />

SALES IF I BUY A REGULAR Q?<br />

WILL THIS ITEM YIELD ENOUGH NET<br />

INCOME TO JUSTIFY ITS COST?<br />

IF ONE OR MORE<br />

ANSWERS ARE 'NO'<br />

GO TO 'A'<br />

BUY<br />

NORMAL<br />

Q<br />

NORMAL<br />

OR<br />

FLOODED<br />

BUY A BIT<br />

MORE THAN<br />

NORMAL Q<br />

NO<br />

HOW WAS SUPPLY<br />

AT PRODUCE ROW<br />

THIS WEEK?<br />

TIGHT<br />

'BINGO'<br />

BUY TWICE<br />

NORMAL Q<br />

IS DEAL SHARED<br />

WITH OTHER<br />

SOULARD<br />

MERCHANTS?<br />

YES<br />

BUY NORMAL TO<br />

ONE AND A HALF<br />

NORMAL Q<br />

LEGEND: Q = QUANTITY<br />

NO<br />

CAN I LEAVE A WORKER HOME?<br />

CAN I RISK SPREADING A<br />

REGULAR ITEM OVER TWO SLOTS?<br />

YES<br />

GO TO MARKET<br />

Figure 16.2. Plattner’s model for how merchants <strong>in</strong> the Soulard Market <strong>in</strong> St. Louis decide what and how much produce to buy.<br />

SOURCE: S. Plattner, ‘‘Economic Decision Mak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a Public Marketplace.’’ American Ethnologist Vol. 9, p. 404, 1982. Reproduced by permission of the American Anthropological<br />

Association Not for further reproduction.

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