Abstract:
Street vending has persisted for centuries and pervasive across the globe since it plays a
remarkable role in fulfilling customer needs in the context of the informal economy. In the
contemporary business context, authorities have not paid sufficient attention towards street
vendors. The paper addresses the specific features of street vending in the context of Sri
Lanka, various challenges faced by street vendors and possible courses of action for the
empowerment of street vendors. Accordingly, location issue with lack of infrastructure, less
support from the government, insecurity and unstable conditions, slow growth, lack of
financing opportunities and less support from banks were identified as major challenges faced
by street vendors in Sri Lanka. Proper location and infrastructure development, assurance of
security including a specific insurance scheme and financial assistance are proposed to
empower street vendors to enhance their performanc
