Table 3 Descriptive statistics of key variables used in the study
From: Performance, behaviour and organization of maize trading in Malawi
Variable | No. of traders | Mean | SD. | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Log of profit | 172 | 4.9 | 2.178 | .613 | 7.133 |
Age of business | 172 | 7.263 | 5.706 | 1 | 28 |
Age of trader | 172 | 34.127 | 9.043 | 20 | 71 |
Trader is male | 172 | .919 | .274 | 0 | 1 |
Trader dictates prices | 172 | .39 | .488 | 0 | 1 |
Trader interaction (count) | 172 | 9.906 | 9.544 | 1 | 90 |
Distance to nearest market (log mins) | 172 | 2.674 | 1.112 | 0 | 4.787 |
Trader has an export licence | 172 | .093 | .291 | 0 | 1 |
Industry size (log) | 172 | 2.187 | .98 | 2 | 4.605 |
Measures of social capital | |||||
  Religion of trader | |||||
    Roman Catholic | 172 | .152 | .781 | 0 | 1 |
    Christian Protestant | 172 | .651 | .477 | 0 | 1 |
    Islam | 172 | .14 | .347 | 0 | 1 |
    African Traditional Religion | 172 | .006 | .076 | 0 | 1 |
    None | 172 | .041 | .198 | 0 | 1 |
    Other religions | 172 | .012 | .107 | 0 | 1 |
  Trader’s mother tongue | |||||
    Chiyawo | 172 | .041 | .198 | 0 | 1 |
    Chilomwe | 172 | .035 | .184 | 0 | 1 |
    Chisena | 172 | .006 | .076 | 0 | 1 |
No. family members in business | 172 | 1.285 | 1.446 | 1 | 8 |
No. close friends in business | 172 | 5.622 | 6.373 | 0 | 40 |
Contacts with regional traders | 172 | 12.32 | 12.15 | 0 | 100 |
Contacts with distant traders | 172 | 8.564 | 9.066 | 0 | 60 |
Experience (years) with brokers | 172 | 4.378 | 2.452 | 1 | 15 |
Business was registered | 172 | .244 | .43 | 0 | 1 |