The nature and importance of such relationships are very obvious in developing countries; like Egypt. In popular areas, open markets are not organized and involve high degree of bargaining, while in much more modernized areas, open markets are more organized and reflect pre-defined economic transactions. Such variation between the two economically different areas makes it clearer that the economic; and social, characteristics of one area greatly determine the way people behave in public spaces.

Although public space could be merely a function of various interlinked factors, socio-economic often contributes significantly to its formulation and designation. Social and economic behaviors could either be reflected in individuals’ income and consumption patterns, or on the macroeconomic indicators of the country as a political entity. In this regard, researchers interested in urban regeneration, economics (and/or environmental economics), sociology, and market consultancy usually link sociology and economics to public space.

In general, the characteristics of public spaces are greatly affected by people’s behaviors; which are collectively a function of economic, sociological, environmental, and political factors. This paper is trying to investigate how markets and academic foundations are aligned and to find out the commonalities and differences between the practical and theoretical context. In doing so, the paper will start with primary research conducted through two fieldwork sessions, and then follow with some scholarly explanations.

First, with regard to the primary research, fieldwork was conducted in Monday Market and Al-Maadi Market (both located in Greater Cairo) to explore and observe the social and economic behaviors that are witnessed in retail public spaces in Egypt. In this perspective, the study investigated the market place as an entity in relation to the neighborhood areas. In doing so, it was attempted to answer questions like: Do social and economic status shape the way people perceive, and accordingly react towards, such places? What are the reasons for the presence of such characteristics? By taking a snap shot on the features of retail public spaces in different areas of Egypt, the paper analyzes the on-sight socio-economic reasons behind the existence (if any) of such differential features in these public spaces.

Second, with regard to the secondary research, scholars formulate arguments about public space from several perspectives. On one hand, some try to compare and contrast between good public spaces and good markets, or provide the steps needed to create good and successful public markets. In addition, others trace the effect of consumption on citizenship, space, and practice, and the effect of urban renaissance on public spaces. Finally, some scholars try to investigate the effect of recently emerging consumption behaviors on reshaping public space and how the socioeconomic behaviors could be used to trace the culture of this place.

Ultimately, this paper is trying to find an academic explanation for the behaviors being observed in two samples of retail public spaces in Egypt. Then it will propose some probable implications of such behaviors on public spaces in Egypt and the society as a whole.

In addition, the vast construction of shopping malls in Egypt, relative to the existing open markets, raises many doubts regarding the equality of income distribution, and how the poor districts are able to survive. The outcomes of the new global trends are advantageous to high income-groups, but yet harmful to the low-income groups. Such modernity calls for organized and transparent government interventions and regulations to guarantee the social and economic prosperity for the whole nation; being regarded as a homogenous unit. Given fair distribution of the nation wealth; whether from applying open door policies, or infant industry protection policies, the government should make it safe for the surrounding regions of the immediate beneficial groups to grape some of the advantages.

Has shopping becomes part of culture reproduction? Over the modern era, the processes of cultural reproduction have been increasingly attached to the concept of consumerism and the way buyers and sellers transact commodities. Shopping and consumption have become major sustainable factors that contribute to shaping citizens identities, social membership and shape their lifestyles (Salter 19). So, by tracing the socioeconomic behaviors taking place in markets, an overall picture of the country’s culture could be drawn, future predictions could be figured out, yet controlled and assessed. Is the government currently adapting such strategy? I personally doubt!

At 6 in the afternoon, I went to Al-Maadi Market; Located in Al-Maadi, to interview pedestrians and observe the retail public space behaviors¹. While observing the market economic performance, I found out that the main products offered for sale are food and clothing. People there buy variety of vegetables, fruits, and birds with moderate price; and acceptable quality. There are also a variety of cloth stores that could somehow be considered as fashionable. When I interviewed the buyers in the market, they said that they prefer a minimum level of quality for them to purchase; and therefore they go to this particular market. Most of the people buy moderate-to-large amounts of food products; because they usually go shopping once per week and sometimes twice per month. While; on the other hand, they buy small amounts of cloth even though they might go shopping once per three month or season. They regard cloth to be of a less necessity than food; and therefore they prefer to tight their budget regarding it. It was not recognizable that bargaining takes place during economic transactions.

While observing the market social performance, I found out that the population density is quite high; however, both genders go shopping. Moreover, considerable organization is noticeable. Cars are allowed; and have enough space, to access the market, cloth are marketed appropriately through advertisements of stores, food is properly put on carts, horses and donkeys are used to pull the carts and not just stored, there are rubbish cans, and the dress code was casual. Although there is a striking noise the moment I got into the market, aggression is not the dominant communicating attitude. Rather, the noise reasoning is the high population and the car traffic. In addition, I was not very recognizable when I entered the market; I just looked the same as the rest of the population. I did not find problems talking to the sellers; they were quite helpful. However, talking to the pedestrians was much harder; it might be part of the Egyptian culture not to talk to strangers. Finally, people walk in groups or individually, and rarely greet one another in case finding, by coincidence; any familiar person. So, I concluded that people do not know one another very much.

Notes:

1. Al-Maadi Market Operates 24 hours, 7 days per week (24/7)

     Some of the economic features that are to be observed are like: what people sell or buy; how they choose among different commodities, then the quantity and the quality of such transactions. I will relate such criteria to the social behaviors being observed that include: how people interact with their family members, friends, or strangers.

     By taking a snap shot on the features of retail public spaces in different areas of Egypt, I will focus on the socio-economic reasons behind the existence of such differential features, and then try to find an academic explanation for them; as well as the implications of such characteristics on the individual and the society as a whole. This presentation will reflect on the main argument of my paper: exploring the economic and social factors contributing to the existing features of retail public space in Egypt. So, ultimately, this presentation will reflect on the main argument of my paper: exploring the economic and social factors contributing to the existing features of retail public space in Egypt.

At 6 in the afternoon, I went to Monday Market; Located in Down Town, to interview pedestrians and observe the retail public space behaviors¹. While observing the market economic performance, I found out that the main product offered for sale is food. People there buy variety of vegetables, fruits, and birds with very low price; and very low quality. They basically afford their necessities and hence the market offers only the basic foods. When I interviewed the buyers in the market, they said that they prefer to buy deer even with low quality. In a way, this is what is offered in the market, and in other way, this is what they afford to pay. In addition, most of the people buy moderate amounts of products; because they usually go shopping once per day and sometimes twice per week. It was also recognizable that bargaining could be considered the dominant means of economic transactions.

While observing the market social performance, I found out that the population density is quite high, with about 98 percent of it are females doing shopping activities; while the rest are males just sitting on two cafes and smoking Shesha; with a seemingly bored state. Although the market is obviously designed for cars to enter; such spaces are allocated for carts and to store various kinds of birds. Moreover, the bad smell and lack of organization were very noticeable before even getting into the market. Ducks, horses, and all kinds of insects were up there, food is put on the floor, rubbish is everywhere, and people are not dressed up appropriately. Aggressiveness is the general communicating attitude; Loud voice, shouting, touching, and pissing are the way people talk. When I first entered the market, people mingled and gazed about my appearance as if I am a stranger. Talking to buyers was extremely hard, and to sellers; I first have to buy one of the commodities offered for sale. People do not stop greetings and they usually walk in pairs. So, I also concluded that most of the people know one another; not only the sellers but also the buyers.

Notes:

1. Monday Market Operates 24 hours, 7 days per week (24/7)

For my research, I want to explore the social and economic behaviors that are witnessed in retail public spaces in different developing countries. Do social and economic statuses affect the way people perceive, and accordingly react towards, such places? What are the reasons for the presence of such characteristics? By taking a snap shot on the features of retail public spaces in different developing countries, I will focus on the socio-economic reasons behind the existence of such differential features, and then try to find an academic explanation for them; as well as the implications of such characteristics on the individual and the society as a whole.

Methods:

First, I will start by a primary research to answer the question: What are the features? Or in other words, what is the relationship between the interaction of supply and demand, and different economic and social classes of buyers and sellers? In answering such question, I will observe and document the economics and social behaviors in two markets: Open Markets and Hyper Markets. I will observe Open Markets that have very high population, involve bargaining powers as a dominant means for conducting transactions, and are surrounded by low-income compounds. Then I will observe Hyper Malls that are characterized by high-income population, high-class stores, and brands with fixed prices. Ultimately, I will compare the socio-economic behaviors in these two places and find the commonalities and differenced between them.

Next, I will do a secondary research to answer the question: Is there a relationship between these two variables? And what is the kind of such relationship? To answer such question I will search in the library databases for books, peer-reviewed articles, and recent publications on public spaces in general and how they are different from those in developing world. Such comparison will lead me to find the academic explanations of such features. What are the academic frameworks that sociologists and economists used to explain and justify such behaviors? How do they affect the economic, sociological, and the psychological health of both the individual and the country as a whole? Such questions will be tackled and answered with the aid of the academic and theoretical foundations.

What are the social and economic behaviors that are witnessed in different public spaces in Egypt? How people regard such places? What are the reasons for the presence of such characteristics?

Research Question:

What are the economic and social reasons behind the features of public spaces in Egypt or the developing countries?

Focusing on the Why side:

     – Primary Research:

Tool: Documenting what is happening in three markets: Open Markets, Shopping Malls, and Retail stores, to observe:

• The relationship between the interaction of supply and demand, and different economic and social classes of buyers and sellers

     – Secondary Research:

Tool: Search in the library databases for books, peer-reviewed articles, and recent publications on public spaces in general and how they are different from those in Egypt or the developing world to find:

• The academic explanations and implications of such features

Thesis Statement: In general, public spaces are greatly affected by people’s behaviors; which are collectively a function of other several financial, managerial and sociological factors that lead them to acquire certain characteristics. This paper is trying to summarize and review what scholars have come up with while conducting their researches about public spaces and how they could be related to economics.

I. Introduction

A. General information about what kinds of scholars are interested in issues of Economics and public space:

a. Researchers in Urban Regeneration

b. Market consultants and experts in the management and development of public markets and rebuilding local economies

c. Researchers interested in socio-economic health and space

d. Researchers in Economics and Business

e. Scholars in People and Environmental studies

B. General Information about the kinds of questions these articles ask and the arguments they make:

a. The comparison and contrast between good public spaces and good markets.

b. The steps needed to create good and successful public markets.

c. The relations between neighborhood socio-economic status and features of public open spaces (POS) hypothesized to influence children’s physical activity.

d. The effect of consumption on citizenship, space, and practice.

e. The effect of urban renaissance on public spaces

C. General Information about the conceptions of Public Space in the articles reviewed:

a. Good public spaces are usually seen to be of high density, more diversity, and high degree of social encounters than private spaces.

b. Much of what makes a great market is identical to what makes a great public space.

c. Public Open Space is an important venue for physical activity and free access.

d. The effect of globalization, privatization, and economic restructuring on public space nature and characteristics.

e. Public space in urban cities characteristics while meeting economic development goals.

II. Review of: ‘Heads up’ Versus ‘Heads Down’ Retail: the missing link between good public spaces and good markets? AND Ten Qualities of Successful Public Markets

First: ‘Heads up’ Versus ‘Heads Down’ Retail: the missing link between good public spaces and good markets?

a. Good public space according to:

i. density,

ii. diversity, and

iii. social encounters.

b. Good public space vs. good markets:

i. The market recorded approximately similar degrees of density and diversity, whereas significantly different degrees of social encounters.

ii. The market constitutes a huge percentage of functional encounters being compared to chance and new encounters.

c. “Heads up” and “heads down”: Markets are characterized by heads up people; the supermarkets are more characterized by head down people.

d. The relation between people’s behavior and the nature of the place

i. The nature of the retail place determines the nature of the public space and collectively determines the nature of the city.

ii. Governments should design long term plans and social impact assessment

iii. People act according to the nature of the place and not the other way round.

Second: Qualities of Successful Public Markets

a. Successful public space (markets); seek everyday experience of:

1. seeing other people,

2. chance of conversations, and the unpredicted delights

3. public gathering place

4. sustainable business structure

b. Qualities of successful Public Markets:

1. vendor,

2. mix,

3. public spaces,

4. connections,

5. economics,

6. promotion, and

7. Value.

III. Review of: Do features of public open spaces vary according to neighborhood socio-economic status?

a. The effect of socio-economic factors on the nature of public open space (POS):

i. Public spaces that are specifically open. • parks as one of the POSs

ii. Children’s physical behavior according to different levels of socio-economic neighborhoods.

b. Park features may explain socio-economic variations in physical activity:

i. High socioeconomic neighborhoods acquire more features that are likely to promote physical activity amongst children.

• having more facilities

ii. Children from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods tend to engage less in physical activities.

• Low access to destinations, footpaths and walking trails

IV. Review of: Geographies of consumption: citizenship, space and practice AND Tourism, Urban Governance and Public Space

First: Review of: Geographies of consumption: citizenship, space and practice:

a. The relationships between consumption and forms of urban space:

i. Globalization Contributes to changing the perception of public space.

ii. Privatization has emphasized the role of urbanization in changing the culture of consumption.

iii. Consumerism has become one of public space characteristics.

b. Materialism has become very much associated with consumption in public spaces:

i. Integration of fashion and identity takes place.

ii. Changes in the nature of consumption

Second: Review of: Tourism, Urban Governance and Public Space:

a. The relationship between tourism, urban governance and public space:

i. The way by which the new urban governance affects consumption patterns.

ii. The way by which the daily life is affected by economic development factors like tourist attractions.

iii. Challenging various tourism management discourses.

b. Public spaces in western countries:

i. Turned to be places where people live, shop and work.

ii. The outcomes of complex negotiations between the worldwide and the home levels.

iii. Involving a dynamic process of interactions among:

• Tourism development

• Urban renaissance

• The public

V. Generalizations about Economics and Public Space:

a. Emerging strong common themes between ‘Heads up’ Versus ‘Heads Down’ Retail: the missing link between good public spaces and good markets? AND Ten Qualities of Successful Public Markets:

i. Good public space vs. good markets

ii. Qualities of successful Public Markets

iii. The relation between people’s behavior and the nature of the place

b. Do features of public open spaces vary according to neighborhood socio-economic status?

i. The relationship between economic or social level and physical activities

ii. Egypt case: slum areas Vs. Down Town

c. Emerging strong common themes between Geographies of consumption: citizenship, space and practice AND Tourism, Urban Governance and Public Space

i. The relationship between globalization, consumerism, and public space

ii. The relationship between urbanization, and public space

d. Concluding remarks:

i. Common and different themes among the researches

ii. How developing nations; like Egypt, could take the advantage of having precious public spaces not economically utilized?

     According to the author; David O’Neil, people are attracted to public spaces; and markets in specific, for so many reasons and most importantly to seek everyday experience of: seeing other people, having the chance of conversations, and the unpredicted delights. In that regard, public market is ultimately being viewed as a public space (David). In that sense, public markets are required to be planned as a “public gathering place” and with a “sustainable business structure”; for them to be perceived as “Successful Public Markets”.  Based on a study about the best public markets around the world; it is concluded that for public markets to meet such needs and be successful, they have to acquire certain ten qualities to make them attractive for people to go again and again. These qualities are: right vendor, right location, right mix, right mission, right public spaces, right connections, right economics, right promotion, right value, and right management. Since we are more concerned about how economics could be related to public spaces, it is more important to have a deep look at the economic-related qualities that successful public markets should meet.

     Firstly, for a Successful Public Markets to have the right vendors; it should meet high quality standards, have welcoming appearance that is easy to approach for everyone, and its products should be informative and distinctive; or attain the merchandising criteria. In addition, the place should be creative for customers to be regularly attached and competitive enough to be advantaged over other places; in other words, it should be attractive, and have high degree of customer loyalty.

     Secondly, for a Successful Public Markets to have the right mix; it should have internal competition by which it builds quality, and keeps prices reasonable; Where  prices are required to meet various customer affordable and desired quality levels. It should also offer various products and shops for customers to compare. Finally, it should intensively offer domestic products for customer local demands and eliminate those that are not often needed or demanded; given a certain balance between new and old-fashioned ones³.

     Thirdly, for a Successful Public Markets to have the right public spaces; it should have a sense of entry, and an opportunity for rest, chit-chat, and snacking, maintenance. It should provide comfort in all seasons and things to look at like; other people and retail activity. In addition, it should have a visual connection to a place and both formal and informal traits. It should also be welcoming to make sure that everyone feels at easiness and have a sense of flexibility.

     Fourthly, for a Successful Public Markets to have the right connections; it should reflect the community and have a sense of public identity. It should also link different communities together through facilitated means of communications; like public transportation, and cross-cultural attributes; like foods, ideas, and customs. In addition, it should provide a network of overlapping partners and retail units that share common benefits.

     Fifthly, for a Successful Public Markets to have the right economics; it should be a sustainable and realistic foundation. In that regard, it requires fundraising, creates affordable business opportunities through fair rents, encourages investment, and possesses accountability in all operations. It should also capitalize on small opportunities and provide cashless transactions, public investments, and job creations

     Sixth, for a Successful Public Markets to have the right promotion, it should engage in effective marketing tools by economically advertising tools. Such tools should meet customer expectations and continuous attention.  For instance, it could hold events, engage in public relations, and undergo press releases. It should also work on attaining good market perception, builds customer loyalty, and sustain partner relationships.

     Seventhly and finally, for a Successful Public Markets to have the right value, it should acquire qualified products and experiences, boosts local economy, creates local jobs, builds social capital, affirm a sense of place, and be a an economic opportunity. Ultimately, it should have a fun way to feel good and a high sense of local ownership.

Notes:

1. PPS Founded in 1975, PPS embraces the insights of William (Holly) Whyte, a pioneer in understanding the way people use public spaces. Today, PPS has become an internationally recognized center for best-practices, information, and resources about Place-making.
2. David O’Neil is the former General Manager of the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, where he directed the overall market revitalization for ten years.
3. Namely; “classic merchandise but always a bit of the new”

Works Cited:

David, O’Neil. “Ten Qualities of Successful Public Markets.” PROJECTS for PUBLIC SPACES

     (2005): n. pag. Web. 26 Feb 2010.

     http://www.pps.org/markets/info/markets_articles/ten_characteristics.

    The research is mainly comparing good public space features to that of good markets and whether we can regard certain markets to be good public spaces or not. In this regard, the definition of good public space and its main characteristics are the key concept in the research. In specific, the author compared the degree of density, diversity, and social encounters in public spaces in general to that of Union Square Greenmarket located in New York city and retail supermarkets.

    In such comparison, the author found out that good markets are closed to being a good public space in certain regards. According to three days observation, it was found that the good market recorded about similar degrees of density and diversity, whereas much different degrees of social encounters. Thus, it was crucial to tackle different types of social encounters; namely: chance, new, and functional encounters. In this regard, the author found out that the good markets constitute a huge percentage of functional encounters being compared to chance and new encounters. This means that most of the people are likely to gather on buying stuff more than to meet by chance or get to know one another for the first time.

   Apart from the three introduced criteria introduced by the scholars, the author introduced new concepts of “heads up” and “heads down”. It was found that, in general, good markets are characterized by heads up people where they mostly look up for diversified products, entertainments, and many retail options. On the other hand, the supermarkets are more characterized by head down people where they mostly look up for specific products being offered in certain places that are already known before people’s arrival.

   In addition, the author found it crucial to tackle the relation between people’s behavior and the nature of the place; not just fitting to what people need. The nature of the retail place determines the nature of the public space and collectively determines the nature of the city. Therefore, governments should design long-term plans and social impact assessments of constructing or setting public spaces because people act according to the nature of the place and not the other way round.