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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of self-employment among rural to urban migrants in China. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis is based on a sample of migrant household heads from the 2008 Rural-Urban Migration in China and Indonesia (RUMiCI) survey. An estimate of the wage differential between self-employed and employed workers is obtained by means of an endogenous switching model and used to estimate the employment choice. The procedure is extended to account for migration selectivity bias, for alternative statuses before migration, and for different post-migration employment histories. Findings – Self-employed migrants are positively selected with respect to their unobserved characteristics; their wages are substantially higher than what they would have obtained had they chosen paid work. Furthermore, even after accounting for the substantial heterogeneity across cities, industries, occupations, and after correcting for the migration selectivity bias, the wage differential is found to be an important determinant of self-employment. Research limitations/implications – The finding that market imperfections do not constrain the self-employment choice of migrants does not imply that reforms designed to eliminate institutional barriers are undesirable. Policy should target the reduction of gaps between urban residents and migrants (such as the household registration system – hukou), so that migrants can access new business opportunities which are currently a prerogative of urban residents. Originality/value – The paper analyses the determinants of self-employment using a recent survey based on a sample of rural-to-urban migrants in China. The key findings indicate that migrants who choose self-employment are positively selected in terms of their unobservable characteristics. Moreover, the wage differential has a strong positive effect on the probability of choosing self-employment. In the transition to a market economy, which is taking place in China, the identification of the determinants of self-employment is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how the experiences of work–family conflict (WFC) and health- and sleep-related outcomes differ among traditionally employed and two forms of self-employment (SE): incorporated and unincorporated workers. Moreover, to explore whether the rationale in one's decision to enter SE might influence these experiences, the authors additionally examined work-family (WF)- and non-WF-related reasons behind an individual's decision to pursue incorporated vs unincorporated SE status. Design/methodology/approach: Using anonymous Mechanical Turk survey data from a high-quality US adult worker sample (n=711; 62 percent male, age M=33.94) consisting of traditionally (78 percent) and self-employed individuals, the authors conducted an analysis of covariance to test hypotheses regarding the relationships between employment status, reasons for pursuing SE, WFC, sleep disturbance, sleep hours and physical health complaints. Findings: Results showed WFC was positively related to sleep disturbances and physical health complaints and this relationship was exacerbated for self-employed workers, particularly those who were incorporated. Unincorporated self-employed individuals indicated more WF-balance-related reasons for pursuing SE compared to incorporated workers. Moreover, individuals who pursued SE for WF-balance reasons tended to report fewer negative reactions to WFC. Practical implications: SE is associated with more negative sleep and health-related outcomes in response to WFC. This is particularly true for incorporated workers. Individuals should bear in mind these outcomes when considering whether to pursue SE. Moreover, governmental policies, and calls for change in such policies, should not only address financially related detriments (e.g. higher taxes, fewer benefits and protections) but also increasing support and providing resources (e.g. health insurance, family leave and entrepreneurial workplace initiatives) regarding the work/family and health-related impairments common for this growing, independent portion of the workforce. Originality/value: This is the first study to examine WF-related rationales for pursuing SE and differing sleep and health outcomes in response to WFC as a function of SE status and type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Social support has been identified as a valuable resource that could help entrepreneurs maintain goal directness in their endeavours and increase their life satisfaction. However, to date, scant research has examined the effect of perceived social support on life satisfaction during the transition from paid employment to self-employment. This paper uses the job demand resource model (JD–R) as a theoretical lens to investigate this relationship. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on the household income and labour dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, we use latent growth curve modelling (LGCM) to investigate the trajectories of entrepreneurs' perceived social support and life satisfaction (n = 1,303) up to five years after their transition into self-employment. Findings: Results suggest that entrepreneurs experience a boost in life satisfaction in the transition phase, followed by a declining trend in the years that follow. We find that both the initial perception and the evolution of perceived social support are positively related to life satisfaction over time across gender groups. However, we find that females may benefit more from early social support soon after the transition into self-employment to forestall declines in life satisfaction over the long-term. Research limitations/implications: The generalisability of the research findings beyond the Australian context is undefined. Future research needs to examine to what extent these results can generalize to other samples within different cultural and institutional frameworks. Practical implications: Since perceived social support is a strong buffering mechanism that helps mitigate job demands, entrepreneurs need to be proactive in building a strong network. Individuals who switch to self-employment should carefully map and build a strong social network that can help them weather the challenges and setbacks in their new job. Originality/value: This study extends the JD–R literature by examining the transition into self-employment, considered an "active job" characterised by high demands and high decision latitude. LGCM modelling captures how both initial levels and changes in social support affect life satisfaction during entrepreneurship entry and over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper analyses the relation between occupational characteristics and the probability that a worker in the Netherlands has a false self-employed arrangement instead of an employee arrangement. These are arrangements in which self-employed workers perform tasks in the hierarchy of the firm as if they were employees. Design/methodology/approach: Data from the Dutch Labour Force Survey is used to analyse the relationship between occupational skill, routine and wage level and the probability to be a false self-employed or a standard or non-standard employee. Findings: The results show that the probability to be false self-employed decreases slightly with the skill level of the occupation, but there is no evidence that false self-employment is more likely in low paid, routine occupations. Workers in the lowest paid occupations are more likely to have a non-standard contract as an employee. False self-employment arrangements are more likely in the (lower) middle paid occupations. Finally, the results show that working in the highest paid occupations increases the probability of being in a false self-employed arrangement, but only in arrangements that are characterised by economic and organizational dependency. These are arrangements with financial dependency on one client for income combined with dependency on this client on when and where to work. Originality/value: This study makes an important contribution to the literature on identifying vulnerable self-employed workers as well as to the literature on mechanisms behind the growth of solo self-employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Self-employment has been stressed as a way for immigrants to enter and improve their situation in the labour market. However, research shows that some people who become self-employed revert to wage employment or unemployment. The purpose of the paper is to study the labour market consequences of temporary self-employment on paid employment among immigrants. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses micro-econometric methods to estimate the effect of self-employment, relative to continued wage employment, on earnings and employment opportunities in 2006. The paper also identifies the type of wage earner that temporarily enters self-employment. Findings – The paper finds that, relative to continued wage employment, self-employment, with few exceptions, does not improve outcomes in the wage sector of immigrants and may in fact be associated with lower earnings and difficulties in returning to paid employment. Practical implications – The results indicate that encouraging immigrant wage earners to become self-employed should be done with care, since self-employment does not necessarily improve subsequent labour market outcomes. Originality/value – This study will be valuable to those who are interested in the economic consequences of immigrant self-employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of the predicted earnings differential between self-employment and wage-employment on self-employment propensities in Sweden using a large data set from the year 2003. Design/methodology/approach -- The analysis in the paper is based on the presumption that the individual chooses to work in either the self-employed or the wage-employed sector. The separate earnings functions for the self-employed and the wage-employed are estimated in order to predict an individual's earnings in each sector. In order to overcome selectivity problems a Heckman approach is used at this stage. Finally, a structural probit model, where the difference in predicted earnings from the two sectors is included as an independent variable, is estimated. Findings -- The main result is that the predicted differential between self-employment and wage-employment earnings plays an important role for the self-employment decision and that an increase in this earnings differential will lead to a higher self-employment rate and to an increase in total employment in Sweden. Originality/value -- The policy relevance of this question is evident since previous research has shown that serf-employed individuals do not only create jobs for themselves but also for others. Thus, an increase in the earnings from self-employment relative to the earnings from wage-employment will increase the self-employment rate as well as total employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — It is known that the self-employed are generally more satisfied than salaried workers. The aim of this paper is to test whether this phenomenon is particularly found for the first-generation self-employed. Design/methodology/approach — French and British panel data are analysed, which include information on various measures of job satisfaction, and the respondent's parents' occupation. Job satisfaction regressions were run in which the first-and second-generation self-employed were distinguished between. Findings — The study finds that first-generation self-employed (those whose parents were not. self-employed) are more satisfied overall than are the second-generation self-employed. The findings are consistent between the British and French data. Research limitations/implications — While the results are the same in the two countries considered, further validation work should extend the analysis across countries. While the authors are fairly sure that the second-generation self-employed do worse, they cannot precisely distinguish between comparison to one's parents, constrained occupational choice, and selection effects due to lower barriers to self-employment entry. Originality/value — The authors believe that this is one of the first papers to distinguish between types of self-employed in terms of their higher satisfaction. The finding that parents' labour force status continues to have a significant impact on their children's job satisfaction argues for a more systematic consideration of intergenerational factors in the analysis of labour markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Previous research has shown that self-employed workers are more likely than employees to retire late or to be uncertain about retirement timing. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. This study aims to fill this gap, by focusing on the explanatory role of various job characteristics – flexibility, autonomy, skills-job match and job security – for explaining differences in retirement preferences between the solo self-employed and employees. Design/methodology/approach: Data were used of 8,325 employees and 663 solo self-employed respondents (age 45–64) in the Netherlands, who participated in 2016 in the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability, and Motivation (STREAM). The outcome variable distinguished between early, on-time, late and uncertain retirement preferences. Multinomial logistic regression models were estimated, and mediation was tested using the Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method. Findings: The solo self-employed are more likely than employees to prefer late retirement (vs "on-time") and to be uncertain about their preferred retirement age. Job characteristics mediate 21% of the relationship between solo self-employment and late retirement preferences: the self-employed experience more possibilities than employees to work from home and to choose their own working times, which partly explains why they prefer to retire late. Originality/value: In discussions about retirement, often reference is made to differences in retirement savings and retirement regulations between the solo self-employed and employees. The current study shows that differences in job characteristics also partly explain the relatively late preferred retirement timing of solo self-employed workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to study what platform-related user factors influence the employment potential of a lean platform for self-employed professionals. Design/methodology/approach: The article employs the system data of a Dutch platform firm, which include consumers looking for painters (N = 17,224) and self-employed painters (N = 1,752) who pursue client acquisition by submitting proposals (N = 101,974). This data is analysed using non-parametric tests. Findings: Study of this platform shows that the platform functions as a channel of acquisition for self-employed professionals. This lean platform enables matching of information of supply and demand, thereby facilitating processes of acquisition. The number of competitors, distance to a potential job and non-standard proposals are statistically significant factors that influence whether a consumer is interested in a proposal. Effect sizes are very small. Research limitations/implications: This platform is a two-way market for information about service jobs, which excludes a price setting mechanism. The findings of this study cannot be generalized to other forms of platforms. Practical implications: The market for service professionals is very local; therefore, the platform firm may alter the algorithm to accommodate this. Self-employed professionals should approach using the platform in the same way as normal forms of acquisition. Social implications: This particular type of two-sided market is an extension of regular forms of acquisition by creating "weak ties" through the platform. Originality/value: The article uses a unique data set to study the impact and limitations of digitalization of the (labour) market for service professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]