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This paper discusses a reinterpretation of the role played by micro-units (i.e., the set of own-account workers, unpaid family workers, and wage workers in units of less than five workers) in contemporary capitalism, through the combined use of the notions of the reserve army of labor and the petty commodity production. Statistics from Mexico show that there are flows between this sector, medium and large units, unemployment, and inactivity so that their intersection with the reserve army of labor is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to analyze the relationship between working poverty and informality, based on the Argentine case of the last two decades. We examine the net effect of labor informality on monetary poverty and under which labor, socio-demographic, and family conditions informality is more strongly associated with poverty. We use micro data from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses' (indec) Permanent Household Survey and apply microsimulations and multivariate analysis. The results show that informality is a structural component of the urban labor market and that the net effect of informality is relevant and sustained over time. However, they also reveal that the relationship between informality and poverty is not straightforward: most informal insertions are not directly linked to economic deprivation. The risk of poverty among the informally employed is explained not only by the characteristics of their occupations, but also by sociodemographic characteristics, dependency rates in their households, and the low protective capacity of social benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to analyze the scope and importance of the cooperation dynamics of Latin America's two largest economies, it is essential to observe their respective roles in the global scenario. To this end, it will be shown that under specific contexts there are nations that, despite their similarities, achieve a limited scope of cooperation. This paper will address the possible theoretical bases under the paradigms of realism, idealism and constructivism in order to understand the dynamics of the relationship between Mexico and Brazil, from its beginnings and consolidation as nations, analyze their convergences and contemporary challenges of trade balance and investments to end with the most relevant pending issues for both nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that housing is a key element for security, access to resources, and the integration of migrant individuals, we inquire, concerning the rental market, about the forms of vulnerability to which they are exposed and the resources used (or not) to confront them. We present the case of Lima, the city that has received the largest number of Venezuelan migrants (1.1 million) in recent years. As an exploratory study, we conducted 37 interviews with tenants (27 Venezuelan migrants, 10 Peruvians). We analyzed the cases for each group, seeking common problems and strategies to address them. We found that Venezuelan individuals face challenges in searching for and staying in housing not only due to their restricted citizenship and employment in the informal sector, but also due to their limited access to social resources. As a result, they are more exposed to critical events and must confront them on their own. Consequently, their vulnerability is greater, and their housing tenure is always unstable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the arrival of COVID-19 in Mexico, a majority of the population was affected in terms of their labor participation. This article aims to measure the levels of educational mismatch-overeducation and undereducation-in Mexico before and after the closure of activities decreed during the pandemic. The research examines changes in educational adjustment from the first quarter of 2020 to the third quarter of the same year and the first quarter of the following year, and it investigates whether there were modifications in sociodemographic profiles, changes in the conditions of those experiencing educational mismatch, and if these dynamics were a result of the crisis. The analysis uses the National Occupation and Employment Survey and employs multinomial models to assess the probability of being in some form of educational mismatch, with a grouped base for five survey editions to establish changes over time. The results show an increase of approximately 0.5% in overeducation in the total occupied population, considering sociodemographic and labor insertion characteristics. Similarly, there are differences between informal and formal employment in terms of how these changes occur, with the former showing increases first, followed by the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is intended to examine the relationship between the Employment Vulnerability Index (EVI) and labor informality in Ecuador in 2018, 2019, and 2021 (considering both preand post-pandemic periods). The EVI was constructed using a polychoric principal components analysis (PCPA), while a logistic regression model and a two-stage least squares linear probability model were employed to evaluate its association with workers’ informal status. The findings indicate a positive correlation between employment vulnerability and the likelihood of a worker being engaged in the informal sector, with this correlation being particularly pronounced among individuals with higher EVI scores. Accordingly, policymakers are advised to concentrate their efforts on enhancing workers’ conditions by increasing educational attainment and implementing programs designed to incentivize formal employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the context of the informal sector's economic and social importance, this paper analyzes the strategies used by the owners of informal economic units to locate their businesses in agglomeration economies. Using information from semi-structured interviews and hemerographic tracking, we analyze the activities and strategies conducted by leaders and members of one of Puebla's largest street vendor organizations. Having a pragmatic-utilitarian and protectionist profile simultaneously, the Organization assures its affiliates of obtaining a space at an agglomeration point (in public space) and assures a means of solution to alleviate social security and basic public services deficiencies. The incentives to join the Organization have generated an especially important affiliation growth and geographic expansion with popularity and economic, political, and social strength in Puebla, characteristics that must be considered for public policy design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is relevant to build a common view of the city, of those diverse cities, which actually make up the district of Medellin, the city of hillsides, the rural peasant city, the city of tenants, possessors, and owners, the city of the large informal economy family, the city of dwellers, and, even, the city of street dwellers. This shared vision should lead to a collective agenda, which will guide development plans and, even more, land-use plans, by promoting a more inclusive and equitable network-city. This concrete, real, participatory process is what we should consider, in a certain way, the path toward Urban Peace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Labor informality and the formalization of employment have already been widely discussed. However, the problem remains on the public and government agendas at both the national and subnational levels. Objective: The objective is to assess the design of the public policy instruments that the government of Nuevo León has implemented (2015-2021) for the formalization of employment. The target population of the instruments are the Micro, Small and Medium enterprises of the state of Nuevo León. Method and technique: Firstly, a documentary research in secondary sources was carried out. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were conducted with officials in charge of the public policy instruments for the formalization of employment. The people interviewed were: the Director of Support and Development for Small and Medium Enterprises of the Government of the State of Nuevo León; the Coordinator of the Service Center for Small and Medium Enterprises of the Government of the State of Nuevo León; the head of the State Commission for Regulatory Improvement of the Government of the State of Nuevo León; the Coordinator for the Promotion of the Impulsa Nuevo León Program; the Director of Planning and Public Policies of the Government of the State of Nuevo León; and the Director of the Economic Development Commission of the Nuevo León Council. To systematize the opinions of the interviewees, the ATLAS.ti computer program was used and the categories created are presented in Table 2. Finally, the ideology of the actors involved was contrasted with three key precepts of neoliberalism that were identified. Results: 1. The Government of Nuevo León does not have information about the number of jobs generated by the companies that receive government financial support. 2. The planning of public policy instruments is carried out, mainly, by the private sector. 3. The business chambers of Small and Medium Enterprises are the ones that are mainly involved. 4. Financial support is granted after companies go to the government to request it and there is no research and development. 5. Financial support is mainly concentrated in the formal Micro, Small and Medium-sized enterprises, but there is no updated registry. 6. Monitoring is carried out as long as the companies continue to attend to the offices of the government of Nuevo León. Conclusions: It is concluded that it is necessary to redesign the public policy instruments under the leadership of the government of Nuevo León and to link, specifically, the target population of the programs with the forms of state intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]