Exploring the Business Sustainability of Small-Scale Vegetable Vendors: A Phenomenological Inquiry in the Public Market of Malaybalay City, Bukidnon
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajsde.v5i2.6661Keywords:
Business Sustainability, Phenomenology, Rural Entrepreneurship, Small Enterprises, Vegetable VendorsAbstract
In Malaybalay City, many individuals depend on vegetable farming and vending as a vital source of livelihood, yet sustaining these small businesses is often uncertain. Faced with unstable income, high costs, and external challenges, the struggles of vendors reveal the pressing need to understand their resilience and survival strategies. The inquiry gathered insights from small-scale vegetable vendors in Malaybalay City through in-depth interviews to reveal the meanings behind their lived experiences and everyday challenges. The findings reveal that small-scale vegetable vendors sustain their livelihoods through a combination of adaptive business strategies, emotional regulation, social support, and personal motivation. These practices enable them to remain resilient and operational despite ongoing financial pressures, unstable supply, and daily uncertainties in the public market. The results imply that business sustainability among small-scale vegetable vendors depends on flexible, low-cost strategies that respond directly to daily challenges rather than on formal systems alone. Strengthening these adaptive capacities can help vendors maintain continuity, reduce vulnerability, and improve long-term livelihood stability.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Alliah Mae L. Cahanap, Jasmin A. Gansayan, Jacqueline T. Mariquit, Mary Jane L. Ybañez, Laika Marie C. Ceballos, Maria Elvie S. Bermeo, Evan P. Taja-on
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
