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This paper investigates whether and how digital economy (especially digital platforms and digital finance) restrains the informal economic activities in China measured by the MIMIC (multiple indicators multiple causes) model. Using Chinese provincial panel data from 1995 to 2020, we find that the average size of China's provincial informal economy displays a five-stage fluctuation, ranging from 13.63 % to 17.53 %. More importantly, we uncover a robust "inverted U-shaped" nonlinear relationship between the digital platform development and the informal economy, with a turning point of 0.4189. Initially, the development of digital platforms increases informal economic activities by disrupting traditional sectors, causing new types of tax evasion, challenging regulators and raising digital crime. However, beyond a certain threshold, digital platforms can overcome these problems through more job creations and improved regulation. Meanwhile, the digital financial development is proved to have a negative impact on the informal economy because it can offer much more advantages in addressing informality such as making payments transparent, easing credit constraints, raising total income, helping governments reach people and businesses. Our study provides convincing evidence and valuable advice for policymakers when developing digital economy to curb the informal economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sharing economy is a modern digitalized alternative to traditional economic relationships and is developing and growing dynamically. The most positive evidence suggests that the sharing economy could match the traditional market economy in terms of the volume of transactions. Globally, the main sharing economy markets are China, the USA and Europe, and within the EU consumer interest in sharing services is high as 52% are aware of sharing options and 17% have used them at least once. According to data, the most developed sharing subsectors in the EU are shared accommodation and shared mobility. As these are the main sub-sectors also in the tourism industry, it is obvious that the sharing economy has entered the tourism industry and is rearranging the traditional tourist business. Therefore, the main purpose of the current study is to investigate the tourism application perspectives of the sharing economy on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast as the latter is the highest developed tourist area in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Ensayos - Revista de Economía is the property of Ensayos Revista de Economia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The challenge of reducing unemployment and underemployment is more relevant than ever in all developing countries. To identify the factors contributing to the improvement of the conditions of young people in the labour market, this paper aims to analyse the determinants of job search techniques in the labour market. Based on data from the Integrated Regional Survey on Employment and the Informal Sector, the estimation results of the multinomial logit model show that very few unemployed workers consider institutional intermediaries as their main job search technique. It is also important to note that work experience, mother's employment status, education level of the unemployed and the head of household, age, and length of time spent unemployed significantly influence the choice of the main job search technique in Benin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the emerging dynamics of formal and informal employment in the context of Maharashtra. Using the unit-level records from the recently published Employment and Unemployment Surveys (EUS) of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in 2011–12 and various rounds of Periodical Labour Force Surveys (PLFSs), we examine the nature and patterns of formal and informal employment. Also, we investigate the role of personal, household, and labour market characteristics in shaping the dichotomy between formal and informal employment in Maharashtra. The findings of the paper suggest that the wage gap between formal and informal employment is greatly influenced by individual and employment characteristics such as gender, marital status, years of schooling, technical education, vocational training, work experience, and industry of work. In addition, the paper also finds evidence for the marginalisation of women from the labour market, the enormous size of women in unpaid domestic duties, the lack of adequate coverage of formal employment in the rural sector, wage disparity, and the burgeoning size of informal employment. From a policy perspective, the paper suggests fostering inclusive economic growth by facilitating greater participation of women in the labour market and increasing the coverage of formal employment, which is crucial for attaining a decent living standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The informal economy, often characterized by unregulated and untaxed economic activities, has significant yet understudied implications for sustainable development and inclusivity. This paper explores the influence of the size of the shadow economy and undeclared work patterns (envelope wage, without a formal contract and bogus self-employed) on the Leave No One Behind Index and the Sustainable Development Index developed by the United Nations across European countries from 2000 to 2021. Employing panel data regression models, the research investigates the differential impacts of informality on these indices, revealing a negative correlation with the informal economy and a positive association with various forms of undeclared work. The analysis, comprising 18 models segmented by region – Central and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Europe – demonstrates that the adverse effects of the informal economy are more pronounced, whereas the positive contributions of undeclared work patterns are subtler, yet significant. The study's findings suggest a complex interaction between informal economic activities and sustainable development goals, challenging the conventional perspective on informality and its role in inclusive development. The results indicate that while the shadow economy may hinder broad development efforts, informal labor arrangements support vulnerable populations, underscoring the need for nuanced policy interventions that recognize the multifaceted nature of work and its impacts on development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the effect of the minimum wage on employment in the formal and informal sectors in Indonesia. This study has a panel data set with a total of 170 observations consisting of 34 provinces in Indonesia during the 2017-2021 period. The use of the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method, fixed effect, and random effect are used to compare the results of the three methods used. The results explain that the minimum wage has a negative and significant effect on the absorption of formal sector workers, while the minimum wage has a positive and significant effect on the absorption of informal sector workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited economic development in Arunachal Pradesh has resulted in high unemployment rates, especially among youth, due to a lack of industrialization and job prospects. The state heavily relies on government jobs, which are now nearly saturated, while the informal sector, mainly supported by migrant workers from neighbouring states, remains a crucial employment source. This study examines the urban informal sector in Arunachal Pradesh using primary data from 450 workers across seven urban areas in East Siang and Papumpare districts. It explores contractual relationships, employment types, and earnings quality to reveal the socio-economic characteristics of these workers. Gender dynamics highlight the need for gender-sensitive policies, and migration patterns reveal economic drivers of rural-urban migration. The study also underscores workforce vulnerability through educational attainment levels, indicating a need for skill development. Employment nature aligns with Lewis’s dualism theory, emphasizing self-employment. Payment methods, mainly monthly, show the sector’s adaptability but also irregular income challenges. Analysis of working hours reveals the labour-intensive nature of informal sector jobs, impacting worker well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ensayos - Revista de Economía is the property of Ensayos Revista de Economia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The benefit of digitalisation, including the use of information management systems and electronic databases, in improving the effectiveness of social protection programmes is acknowledged by researchers and practitioners. However, concerns about digital- and financial exclusion stemming from increased reliance on digital technologies have also surfaced in recent studies. This study uses official data from South Africa's General Household Survey and the Global Findex database to explore these concerns. The potential gains of expanding social protection programmes through digitalisation are tested with simulations and distinct levels of income shocks. Additionally, two logistic regressions are employed to analyse relevant demographic variables for digital and financial inclusion. In combination with the quantitative approach, qualitative interviews were conducted with social protection experts from the South African Social Security Agency to gain insights into the impact of the digitalisation of social protection programmes. The results suggest that digitalising identification and delivery mechanisms in social protection improves equality through increased income levels. Digital access is associated with education, income, gender, population group, family size, and participation in the formal or informal sector. Financial access is linked to education level and gender. The study also identified perceived opportunities, including enhanced verification and streamlined application processes, which can improve programme effectiveness. However, integration, coordination, limited digital infrastructure, and digital illiteracy challenges may increase both digital- and financial exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women workers in the informal economy are in extremely vulnerable situations, with no protection through labour laws, no effective policy measures to address their situations, and lack of access to social security schemes. This paper underlines the need for a broader interpretation of social security in a state like Uttar Pradesh (UP) characterised by a high degree of deprivation and vulnerability of a large section of the unorganised workforce. In this paper, we intend to examine the coverage of protective social security in urban unorganised labour market in UP by different groups of unorganised workers, viz., domestic workers, construction workers, tailors and garment workers. We confine our analysis here only to the examination of protective measures prevalent in the labour market, that is employees' provident fund, gratuity, pension, maternity benefit/leaves, sickness allowance, among others to the wage paid informal workers. To examine the status of social security among urban women informal worker SSI (Social Security Index) has been computed, which reveals the fact that the level and status of social security enjoyed by the urban women informal workers is not satisfactory. An attempt has also been made in this section to examine the relationship between explanatory variables and dependent variable (SSI). This issue needs attention minimum social security net be ensured for all workers irrespective of wage, enterprise size, and place of origin. It is also imperative to clearly define national policy for informal workers, including a national social protection strategy for them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper introduces a new management theory, "Informal Business Practices" (IBP), focusing on microlevel business practices that are informal, illegal, unregulated, or unethical. Evidence for IBP is found in general literature on taxes, shadow economies, corporate governance, accounting, and human resource management. It also references the World Bank's 'doing business' indicators and enterprise surveys, further confirmed by a small survey among retired managers in emerging markets. This led to formulating an economic theory of IBP focused on minimizing business costs and a behavioral theory linking IBP to business attitudes and behaviors. In 2022, a field study in Uganda used over 80 Likert variables for a survey among 18 SMEs to determine the economic drivers of formality and establish the "formality gap" with full regulatory and legal compliance. Insights were verified through semi-structured interviews with business managers/owners, providing further evidence for the economic and behavioral theories of IBP. The paper concludes that this preliminary result justifies more extensive research into the concept of IBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper attempts to see the women and child worker in the old city of Hyderabad in the Bangle industry. Women make up a sizable portion of India's labour force, yet they are paid less and have less secure jobs than men. As a result, many of these mothers choose to earn an income for their families by working from home. Women who work in the informal sector work with minimum pay and hence the girl child is an easy prey to assist the mother in supplementing the income and helping in the household chores so that more time is left to pursue the trade for an income. Our sample includes 100 women respondents and 150 girls. Being in the unregulated, home-based informal sector has made it challenging to organize the employees, leaving the bulk of bangle-makers in precarious positions both at work and at home. The increasing number of children, especially girls, who are taking part in the production of bangles is also a cause for alarm. It would appear that the piece rate method of payment and the fact that the work may be done from home encourage the participation of family members, including children, in the labour force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on relations between Syrian and local workers in the informal garment sector. It presents a framework showing the participation and integration of the Syrian refugees and the local workers' response to this process. The findings are based on empirical materials collected in the Esenler district of Istanbul, including 60 interviews with Syrians and locals as well as participant observation in an informal garment atelier in 2020 to 2021. This study shows how Syrian refugees produce coping tactics and gain bargaining power. The research reveals different forms of relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explains the intellectual journey of Lauchlin Currie, Canadian by origin and Colombian by destination. His contributions were notable in the US at the time of the great world crisis of 1929-1932 in the field of monetary theory and policy and his first publication dates back to 1931, as referenced by his biographer. He directed the first World Bank mission to an underdeveloped country, Colombia, in 1949- 1950. He proposed an original development theory applicable to the country and called it Operation Colombia (1961) supported by a book called "Accelerating Development: the necessity and the means". He was the inspirer and architect of the Development Plan of the Four Strategies in the early 1970s. He made recommendations to the 1991 constituent on free central banking and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents unpublished, new empirical data on the psychological readiness of Bulgarians to become part of shadowy economic practices, as well as estimates of actual participation in such practices. The data are derived from a national representative survey of the population conducted in 2021, but have not lost their relevance, since the economic behavior of individuals is characterized by a high degree of constancy. The research shows a relatively high psychological readiness for inclusion in the “shadow economy”, and two violations of the labor and insurance legislation are most often encountered in the Bulgarian economy – work without a contract and work with a fictitious contract, in which the person is insured for a smaller amount, but he is paid additional tax-free cash – “money in a bag”. About one-third of Bulgarians are defined as economic deviants (violating laws and regulations), while the other two-thirds adhere to economic conformism (follow laws and regulations) in their behavior. In this context, the question of mastering the “shadow economy” remains open, and its relevance not only does not diminish, it also necessitates the activation of the efforts of the entire society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Ciencias Sociales (13159518) is the property of Revista de Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad del Zulia Venezuela and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We find the informal sector of Nepal, which employs nearly 60% of non-agricultural labour force, to have underperformed between the period 1995/96 and 2010/11. We locate a large performance gap between the 'traditional/non-capitalist' segment, comprising family-based household enterprises that occupy a majority portion of informal sector, and the 'modern/capitalist' segment employing wage labour, which shows heterogeneity existent within the informal sector. We find that, by employing an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression of independently pooled cross sections of enterprises over three rounds of Nepal Living Standard Survey (NLSS 1995/96, NLSS 2003/04, and NLSS 2010/11), the performance gap between the traditional/non-capitalist enterprises and the modern/capitalist enterprises did not lessen over time indicating a persistent dualism within the sector. We further explore the rural-urban dimension of informal sector, through the use of a regression-based decomposition exercise, to find that while the rural-urban differential in informal sector shrunk between the period 1995/96 and 2010/11, it is attributed to the underperformance of urban firms and the stagnancy of rural firms over time. The dismal performance of informal sector, particularly the existence of a large (non-declining) proportion of traditional/non-capitalist segment at a meagre income level, raises question on the possibility of transformation in the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the public health system and socioeconomic sector, one of the worst being the impacts on the informal economy. Despite their past survival, the current pandemic-induced crisis has cast doubt on informal economy resilience. This study aims to capture the informal economy resilience facing the unprecedented economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. We reviewed 42 selected peer-reviewed journal articles to synthesise a general concept of informal economy resilience during pandemic-induced crisis. We found that strict lockdown during a pandemic becomes the main driver that exacerbates the vulnerability of informal economy. The impacts are spatiotemporally varied, different within the group, and have multilevel characteristics (from individual to society). This vulnerable condition has triggered the informal economy to conduct several coping mechanisms to face economic disadvantages. Both individual coping mechanisms and government intervention have altered the informal economy's resilience throughout time. The current combination of defense mechanisms results in four possibilities: bounce back better, bounce back, recover but worsen, and collapse. This review offers valuable insights into the appropriate actions that governments should undertake in response to economic downturns resulting from pandemics. It highlights the importance of considering vulnerable groups when formulating policy during a crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ciência & Saúde Coletiva is the property of Associacao Brasileira de Pos-Graduacao em Saude Coletiva and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article argues that to understand housing as domestic only is a misconception. People intensify the use of their homes in ways that create substantial economic opportunities, urban services, and a range of social protections for themselves and their communities. The research presented here introduces the concept of 'space-use intensity', influenced by time-use surveys, Jane Jacobs's ideas on mixed-use, and the continuum approach to the informal economy, as conceptualized by Elinor Ostrom. Further, it describes the 'house interview' methodology devised to document spaceuse intensity and presents findings from houses in informal sett lements in Bogotá, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, and Dakar. The data reveal that houses are less than a third residential (29 per cent), almost half of the uses are economic (47 per cent), and they provide a fair share of urban or community services (24 per cent). This visual methodology demonstrates that local governments are overlooking 83.8 per cent of the activities taking place within homes. In sum, the evidence discussed here shows that homes contribute significantly to the urban economy and public services, making space-use intensity analysis instrumental in the design of effective housing, urban, and social protection policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of EURE is the property of Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper aims to look at the social responsibility of the tourism industry in the Mandalika Special Economic Zone, West Nusa Tenggara in involving the community in the development process. This research is qualitative research using the saturation technique in data search. The number of respondents in this study was 16 people who were interviewed in depth. The data obtained were then analyzed using 4 stages including reduction, display, triangulation, and decision-making. The findings show that the tourism sector in the Mandalika Special Economic Zone only involves a small portion of the community in development. Most of the people in KEK Mandalika are only involved in the informal sector such as renting houses, selling souvenirs, renting vehicles, selling food, etc. This is the first paper that evaluates the social responsibility of tourism activities in the Mandalika Special Economic Zone, Indonesia, particularly in involving the community in the development process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the budget deficit in Romania requires the adoption of a fiscal policy mix that will lead to an increase in budget revenue by increasing fiscal pressure and reducing tax evasion. Diminishing the informal economy requires knowing the determinants of tax evasion in order to shape a fiscal policy and strategy by the executive to achieve this. On the basis of the above, the questionnaire was used as a research method to establish the perception of taxpayers on the determinants of tax evasion, which enabled relevant information to be obtained on the characteristics that determine and sustain this phenomenon. The identification of the determinants that influence the evasive behavior was achieved by using a questionnaire by creating a free Gmail account. The statistical validation of the questionnaire was carried out using the Alpha Cronbach coefficient. Novelty: Taxpayers' perception of tax evasion is analyzed through the prism of recent changes to the legislation governing this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Demonetization was one of the macroeconomic shocks that occurred in India on 8th November 2016, leading to an impact on liquidity for informal laborers. The income of informal laborers declined, which increased poverty and inequality among the informal workers. Therefore, the study aims to comprehend how demonetization affected the informal labor segment of the Faridabad district of Haryana. Furthermore, skill development in this setting is crucial in addressing poverty because it increases laborer's "employability", "productivity", and promotes "equitable growth." Thus, another objective of the study is to understand how the laborer's productivity and employability are related to the enhancement of the skill of informal workers, which can thereafter address the SDGs 1 (Zero Poverty), 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Economic Growth & Decent Work), 10 (Zero Inequality). Method: Regression analysis has been used to assess the causal relationship between the money supply, income creation, and gross domestic savings based on secondary data. This was supported by primary data collected through surveys from informal laborers in a particular Faridabad industrial cluster. Further, the descriptive research (ANOVA) and econometric model will show how skill development among informal workers promotes employability and productivity, and primary data will show how gender, education, and skill affect productivity, respectively. This may further reduce the poverty levels complemented by a national, state-level policy analysis. Results: The study revealed a decrease in average income (from INR 10,340 to INR 7,075) and savings (from INR 1,330 to INR -2,092) of informal workers after demonetization. The study also shows that male salaries improve when they receive formal skill development training, that is, by INR 1096.944 (INR 11429) from INR 10332. On the other hand, the average income of female informal workers who have informal training and no primary education comes to be at INR 10332.79. Originality: The research is an original mixed-method approach to determine the intuitive and positive links between changes in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Money Supply (M3), and household Gross Domestic Savings. It is further supported by primary data that show how demonetization affected informal workers' savings and the effect of skill on their earnings (a proxy variable for labor productivity). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Relaciones Internacionales, Estrategia y Seguridad is the property of Revista de Relaciones Internacionales, Estrategia y Seguridad and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper examines the recent surge in employment figures in India, which is quite unexpected due to several economic disruptions, including COVID-19. This has raised numerous questions regarding the quality and conditions of these newly generated jobs. The findings clearly indicate a rise in the share of unpaid family workers, especially among women in rural areas, while the proportion of regular employment has declined in recent years. Additionally, there is a predominance of informal employment and workers in the informal sector, which is also on the rise. These trends indicate a rise in distress-driven employment and a partial recovery of the labour market post COVID-19. Addressing these challenges requires urgent policy interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women own account workers earned just over half what men own account workers earned and women employees in formal firms earned less than men employees in formal firms. However, mainstream economists have tended to remain negative or hostile towards the informal economy: viewing informal workers (especially the self-employed) as non-compliant and non-productive - a problem to be tackled - and blaming the persistence of informality on informal workers themselves or on labour regulations and social policies that are seen to create perverse incentives for firms and workers to operate informally. Is it more perverse that a few workers and firms shift to informality when non-contributory social protection is offered to informal workers or that informal workers, well over half of all workers, do not receive social protection and face catastrophic costs when family members fall ill, are disabled, become old or die? First, there is a high prevalence of self-employment; most self-employment is informal and most informal workers are self-employed; and most informal self-employed are own account workers, who do not hire others, or contributing family workers in/on family firms or farms trying to earn a decent living, not entrepreneurs who hire others. The second is that social protection systems that combine contributory social insurance for formal workers with non-contributory social protection for informal workers drive informality, as both firms and workers chose informality, which enables them to access some social protection benefits without having to pay employment-linked social insurance contributions. [Extracted from the article]

This paper investigates the heterogeneous, long, and short-run and causal relationship between the size of the informal economy and three usual variables related to each of the most important theoretical approaches on informality, namely, the dualist, legalist, and structuralist view. Specifically, we consider GDP per capita, institutional quality and trade openness. We explore this relationship, using novel econometric techniques such as CS-ARDL panel data approach to analyses a sample of 133 countries over the period 1995 to 2017. The results show a long-run relationship between the variables at the global level and by country group. GDP per capita, institutional quality and trade openness are negatively associated with the size of the informal economy. The signs confirm the dual and legal hypothesis; however, the sign is opposite to that suggested by the structuralist hypothesis. Additionally, we obtain a U-shaped relationship between the size of the informal economy and the level of economic development. This means that the informal economy does not tend to disappear in the long run. In terms of policy implications, we provide support about the effectiveness of GDP per capita, institutional quality and trade openness in diminishing the size of the informal economy. Nevertheless, based on our results of a U-shaped relationship between informality and GDP per capita, public policy should be designed conditional on the level of development of a certain country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research paper, we empirically investigate the impact of the business environment on small and medium enterprises employment growth. We use two samples of both formal and informal small and medium enterprises in Kosovo. The sample of formal sector consists of 1000 businesses, while the sample of informal sector consists of 250 businesses. The logistic regression models were employed to check the statistical significance of the business environment barriers on small and medium enterprises employment in both sectors. According to our econometric analysis, some institutional obstacles such as corruption and business registration procedures affect small enterprises employment in the formal sector. Results indicate that business environment barriers have no statistical significant correlation with employment of informal small and medium enterprises, which relates to the isolated institutional context where these firms operate. The compared evidences of the two samples show that formal small enterprises outperform informal ones in terms of employment growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the article is to highlight the results of the study of counteracting the shadow economy in the system of ensuring the economic security of the agricultural sector and its impact on the poverty level of the population. The relationship between the shadowing of the economy and the growth of the poverty level in Ukraine is substantiated, which is confirmed by the results of cluster and regression analysis. A study of the dynamics of the integral indicator of the level of the shadow economy and changes in the volume of real GDP in Ukraine is conducted and the volume of official GDP created by shadow wages is estimated. Predictive assessments of the level of the shadow economy and poverty in the coming years have been made, and growth trends have been established. It has been found that the growth of the level of the shadow economy has a significant impact on the population poverty indicator. The regional features of the spread of the shadow economy and population poverty are analyzed, as a result of which it has been proved that a higher standard of living of the population and a lower level of poverty are observed in the border and industrially developed regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article argues that tax morale is an essential component of social capital with a significant impact on tax compliance and tax collection. Against this backdrop, the results of the study are based on a questionnaire survey in Bulgaria, conducted among 1280 employed individuals. They work in enterprises that are representative of the country’s economy in terms of economic activity, size, and geographical location. We design an index to assess the tax morale of the respondents and use it to address a series of questions. What is the tax morale of the Bulgarian population currently? What factors possibly influence it? Are there any differences between various population groups, based on socio-demographic or socio-economic characteristics? The results show that tax morale in Bulgaria is heterogeneous. Such findings lead to certain conclusions about economic policy reforms. By influencing the tax morale of the population, policymakers can improve tax collection. Our estimations show that a relatively large share of the population in Bulgaria has average or low tax morale. We point out that one of the most effective ways to increase tax revenues is through targeted measures to improve the tax morale of specific groups of people with a high inclination to participate in the shadow economy and evade taxes. Using statistical tests and ordinal regression models, this article provides empirical evidence that the profile of these individuals includes low income, living in regional cities, younger age and poor education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bitácora Urbano/Territorial is the property of Bitacora Urbano/Territorial and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bitácora Urbano/Territorial is the property of Bitacora Urbano/Territorial and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Papers: Revista de Sociologia is the property of Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

MSWM is a significant issue in developing countries worldwide. The research aims to determine the problems and total/per capita waste generations and address some of the research shortage regarding MSWM in the Dadu. A structured close-ended questionnaire survey has been used, whereas interviews have been designed to ask officials regarding the MSWM. SPSS and ArcGIS software were use for the analysis of data. To evaluate the policies designed for MSWM and the study area's existing situation, the 'wasteaware' benchmark indicator framework technique is used. The results revealed that the MSW generation is 117 tons/d, which equals 0.62 kg/cap/day and illustrates the weak system. The inhabitants of Dadu MC generate 59% organic waste. It has been observed that all services of MSWM are provided by the public sector, with zero contribution from the informal sectors, and require improvements in management and physical infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Urbanisation has accelerated the pace of development throughout the world. Big cities provide employment and livelihood for workers because of which workers have always migrated from rural areas to cities. However, in India, most of the migrant workers are absorbed in the low-paid and low-skilled jobs in the widespread informal sector. With the outbreak of COVID-19, lockdown was declared suddenly without any notice in India during the last week of March 2019 and most of the urban informal sector workers suddenly lost their jobs, and since they had no protection, they were pushed into poverty. Detailed analysis of such losses is of utmost importance so that perfectly appropriate remedial measures can be taken by the government. Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report of 2019-20 has analysed the situation of labour market in India for four quarters from July 2019 to June 2020. Therefore, the last quarter of the data will give us the valuable information about the urban labour market during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic period. This study analyses the possible reasons behind decline in monthly earnings and labour market participation of urban people in India during the period of outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, i.e. during the period from April 2020 to June 2020, using the data of fourth quarter from each of the PLFSs of 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 since they have identical seasonal conditions. We have used cross-tabulation method to find out employment and unemployment rates of people in urban areas according to gender and type of employment for the period, from July to June, for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020. We have also tried to find the reasons behind the decline in income of workers during the first three months of the pandemic period, i.e. during the fourth quarter of 2019-20, compared to the fourth quarter of 2017-18 and that of 2018-19 using the Mincerian wage equation. Our empirical results have shown that urban workers in India have lost jobs and suffered from significant decline in income during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic period in almost all types of employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on results from a panel of 2778 workers interviewed during and after the 68-day hard lockdown imposed in India, the following study examines the livelihood impact of the pandemic and the extent of subsequent recovery or lack thereof. Focussing specifically on workers located in the informal economy, the study is a useful addition to the burgeoning body of work on the economic impacts of Covid-19 by providing an insight into the employment and earnings recovery of those located at the margins. These findings are spliced across socio-economic groups to showcase the differential impact of the pandemic on different demographics within the informal sector. Our results show that six months after the hard lockdown, one out five persons were still out of work. Conditioned on being employed prior to the lockdown and having lost work during the lockdown, we find that urban respondents, women, workers above 60 and graduates were significantly less likely to recover from the shock. A similar exercise carried out for women workers showed that middle aged women, never married women and women who were not-literate or educated up until primary and middle school were significantly more likely to recover from job loss. Older women, those located in urban areas and Muslim women were on the other hand significantly less likely to recover from the job loss. Earnings on the whole were half of what they used to be prior to the pandemic. Some better off workers shifted to more precarious types of employment. Given the fall in earnings, poorer worker households were forced to borrow and the amount of loan taken was multiple times their average monthly income. In the context of loss in employment and reverse migration, the survey results show a substantial unmet demand for work under the MGNREGA programme even after the lockdown was lifted. We conclude that despite a partial recovery in the subsequent period, the pandemic-induced lockdown has undermined the material conditions for subsistence for a large segment within the informal economy. Moreover, any attempts made to re-imagine what a social protection programme for the informal economy should look like must take into account the segments most susceptible to an economic shock on their livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short essay explores some of the issues at stake when science and technology studies (STS) are situated within a global frame. Global, in this reading, is both historical and aspirational. As historical, it rejects the East-West dichotomy, insisting instead on one world as the outcome of multiple unequal and uneven world-making processes. As aspirational, to consider what a global STS would look like this essay imagines a world where technology studies were invented in the megacities of the Global South. At once it becomes clear that familiar concepts need revision: illegibility gets added to legibility, repair and dismantling join production and construction, permanence and impermanence occupy the same register of privilege. Making particular what had been considered general forces a reconsideration of the objects, methods, boundaries and histories of our studies. This is further demonstrated by a comparison of hybridity/isation as it is understood respectively in STS and post-colonial studies. What becomes apparent is the relative absence of violence as a core STS concept, notwithstanding its centrality in the making of the modern world. Going global exposes intellectual foundations STS scholars have been unable or unwilling to acknowledge; this alone makes the exercise productive and worthwhile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to contribute to the deepening of knowledge on the theoretical foundations of formalization, based on a literature review in order to identify the paths of formalization. The present analysis shows that working in the informal sector is a rationally motivated decision of the entrepreneur. One of the solutions lies in the efficiency of the services provided by the State, given that the payment of taxes does not give the right to a simultaneous counterpart. It also shows that both the state and the entrepreneurs benefit from cooperation. Thus, their relations must be governed by a optimal contractual relationship for the successful formalisation. It has also been shown that micro-enterprises are subject to inadequate legislation, hence the need to revise the legislation in force. Also, the lack of support from the financial system and training programs adapted to the specificities of the enterprises would constitute fewer factors of production. Thus, it is desirable to improve the access of informal entrepreneurs to these productive resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Political Science Review is the property of Canadian Political Science Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of covid-19 symptoms between informal home-based workers and a control group and to assess the association of these cases with blood elements concentrations and other relevant risk factors for Sars-Cov-2 infection. METHODS: Welders chemically exposed to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) (n = 26) and control participants (n = 25) answered questionnaires on adherence to social distancing and signs and symptoms of the disease for five months during the covid-19 pandemic. After follow-up, covid-19 serology tests were performed on a subsample of 12 chemically exposed workers and 20 control participants. Before the pandemic, PTE concentrations in blood (As, Mn, Ni, Cd, Hg, Sb, Sn, Cu, Zn, and Pb) were measured by ICP-MS. RESULTS: The chemically exposed group had higher lead and cadmium levels in blood (p < 0.01). The control group presented lower adherence to social distancing (p = 0.016). Although not significant, welders had a 74% greater chance of having at least one covid-19 symptom compared with control participants, but their adherence to social distancing decreased this chance by 20%. The use of taxis for transportation was a risk factor significantly associated with covid-19 symptoms. CONCLUSION: The lower adherence to social distancing among the control group greatly influences the development of covid-19. The literature lacks data linking exposure to PTEs and Sars-Cov-2 infection and/or severity. In this study, despite chemical exposure, working from home may have protected welders against covid-19, considering that they maintained greater social distancing than control participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian economy is categorized as one of the fastest growing advancing economies. Much of the growth has been attributed to the industrialization process post-independence especially after economic reforms of 1990s. However, the formal industrial sector has been unable to absorb the growing labor force and thus majority of labor force have been forced to derive and find self-employment options in the informal sector. The current study is an attempt to analyze the Indian industry in light of this formal and informal bifurcation. Using the stochastic frontier analysis, the production functions are validated and technical efficiency (TE) is predicted. The study reveals that the formal industrial sector in India is relatively efficient. However, the informal sector, apart from absorbing higher number of labor force, is performing better than dictated by hitherto classic theoretic predictions. The study also analyzes the factors influencing the TE of the formal and informal sectors. The study concludes that the formal and informal sectors mutually reinforce the industrial growth in India, have positive linkages and contribute efficaciously to economic outcomes like output and employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There appears to be long silence in this field ever since the eighties. It is acknowledged perhaps that the yardstick of measuring surplus labour is highly subjective. This created serious doubts as to how to build up major theoretical and empirical conundrums on a subjective ground. The advent of efficiency analysis provided a rigid norm for defining what is "optimal" and hence "sub-optimal". However, the only problem of efficiency is that it is a radial measure. Ray (in: Hosh, Neogi (eds) Theory and application of productivity and efficiency: econometric and DEA approach, Macmillan India Limited Chennai, 2005) introduced sub-vector efficiency to tackle this problem. Basically, the sub-vector defines the input requirement set when some of the inputs are fixed. Sub- vector efficiency is conditional to the choice of the prefixed inputs. This can then be used for assessing the extent of surplus labour. This method has been used by Sengupta et al. (Sarvekshana 29(95), 20–39, 2009, 2011) on a limited sphere. Our aim is to extend this methodology to the NSSO 73rd round data, covering all the states of India and with entire informal sector. We found significant instances of surplus labour. Among the factors that explain the surplus labour are the constraints that the firm have to deal with. Smallness can curb the desire to fly with open wings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subcontracting with its employment-generating and capital-saving characteristics has the potential to play a very important role in the Indian economy by forging a mutually beneficial linkage between the organised and unorganised manufacturing sectors. Rising competition in the face of opening up of the economy has made subcontracting even more relevant in recent periods. This paper attempts to explore different aspects of subcontracting within unincorporated manufacturing enterprises in the unorganised sector using recent NSSO data. Incidence and pattern of subcontracting across regional, locational, industry groups and enterprise types have been examined. Determinants of subcontracting and its impact on the performance of the units have been explored using econometric exercises. The results indicate that the probability of subcontracting is significantly higher for larger units, in urban areas, in intermediate goods, and for units with a higher proportion of skilled workers. However, subcontracted firms are more likely to contract in size over a 3-year period compared to non-subcontracted firms. This indicates that modern aspects in terms of a larger scale of operation, better accessibility, connectivity, infrastructure, and higher skill intensity are preconditions for subcontracting but unfortunately this tied mode of production has failed to play its expected role. Though they are stepping stones to the modernisation process, they have remained as survival strategies for a large mass of unregistered units. A well-designed policy targeted to promote formal–informal linkage and change of outlook towards the phenomenon of subcontracting may go a long way in exploiting the full potential of subcontracting in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much has been written about the role of waste pickers in the global south. This literature has examined conflicts over waste, particularly in the context of privatization and state initiatives that seek to more systematically and legibly capture waste's value. These conflicts suggest that, perhaps ironically, there is not enough valuable waste for all those willing to work to reclaim it. In this paper, we argue that there remains ambiguity over fundamental questions around the meaning of 'rights' to material resources in conditions of scarcity. Here, we do not seek to determine who ought to have access, but instead look to an empirical case to understand ongoing practices and permissions that enable access to waste. We asked those who work in the informal waste sector about who is ultimately given permission to access this value, and how such permissions are framed, demanded, enacted, infringed upon and contested. We also looked to see how well words mapped onto actions, and what happened when conflicts arose. In this context, we report a series of 'guidelines' that the waste pickers in our research used to establish, negotiate and contest claims to access waste among those who work informally in the sector and with others who see its value. We conclude by considering the implications of thinking of waste as a limited resource and of the ongoing construction and negotiation of permissions, rather than rights, to take materials in the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]