Forkuor, J.B.Akuoko, K.O.Yeboah, E.H.2017-10-302017-10-3020172158244010.1177/2158244017691563http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh/handle/123456789/22311The existing literature on the relationship between regulators and street vendors remain fragmented and limited to specific countries and contexts. This article presents a narrative review of the existing literature on the relationship between regulators and street vendors, and through that creates a unified picture of an otherwise fragmented literature and knowledge base. The concepts of negotiation, power, social network, and perception are used to analyze the various strategies street vendors have used in gaining access to urban public spaces in different parts of the developing world. It is revealed that even though city regulators have access to formal power, street vendors possess a variety of negotiating strategies that gives them access to both formal and informal power. © The Author(s) 2017.enNegotiationPowerSocial networkStreet vendorsUrban regulatorsArticle