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A fire hazard is a disaster whose process is always unpredictable. The extent of its coverage and how significant the impact it will have is unpredictable. Dense settlements, especially in big cities, including Kampong Kulitan Semarang, have never escaped the physical problems of the area, including the danger of fire. In densely populated areas, fires have the most potential to become a disaster. This research is motivated by the high number of fire cases in Semarang City in 2020, as many as 570 cases. Kampong Kulitan is an area that is densely populated and densely built. Hence, the risk of fire in this area is high, and the community of Kampong Kulitan must have prepared. Preparedness is an activity to deal with disasters through quick and appropriate steps to minimize property losses and loss of life. The study was conducted using a descriptive qualitative method by conducting direct observations and interviews in the kampong Kulitan. Kampong Kulitan is an urban kampong with a relatively high residential density. The houses in Kampong Kulitan have historical value because, in the past, this area was owned by a wealthy landowner named Tasripin and his family, who were engaged in the business of tanning leather. The people who inhabit the kampong Kulitan are divided into 2, namely the descendants of the Tasripin family as landlords and migrants from other areas of Javanese ethnicity, most of whom work in the informal sector. Kampong Kulitan is a high-density village with narrow road conditions and a row of densely packed houses. There are also many multi-story housings, and there are also many housings that use combustible materials. These environmental conditions can facilitate the spread of fire in the event of a fire. Based on the research results, it is known that the level of preparedness of the people of Kampong Kulitan is in the category of being unprepared. The lack of community preparedness in dealing with fire disasters is caused by inhibiting factors, namely internal factors such as the lack of community knowledge about physical vulnerability, and external factors, namely the lack of training and simulation of disaster preparedness. In order to improve the already formed Kampung Kulitan, it is necessary to apply a passive fire protection system. It is recommended to make more use of fire-resistant materials, suitable electrical installation arrangements, as well as the use of roads as building separators, and community preparedness in dealing with fire incidents by utilizing existing potential, such as wells, river water, and cooking culture outside the home or on the terrace. The urban village can cooperate with the BPBD of Semarang to routinely hold training and disaster preparedness on a massive, equitable, and sustainable basis, especially in dense settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the current state of Indian Railways and dwells upon the present and potential challenges. Railways act as one of the major and busiest networks globally; it is a quintessential model of commercial transport for both goods and passengers. Recognized as the largest employer globally, it is hardly surprising that Indian Railways directly employs 6% of the total employment within the organized sector plus a 2.5% employment that gets generated through other entities dependent on it. The Railways boasts of being the fourth-largest rail network world-wide. Thus it is credited as the most accessible, prevalent, and affordable means of both passenger and goods transport. Having said this, it does face tough challenges in terms of catering to the ever-rising population and keeping a check on operational costs, which puts several constraints ahead of it. A committee of experts has been constituted to enforce reforms and improvements in services from time to time. This study tries to reflect upon the reforms proposed by experts with a special focus on Foreign Direct Investment requirements and creating a sustainable Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The study endeavors to benchmark the Indian Railways with the Russian Railways' recent experience implementing the FDI and PPP models. It suggests a way forward to enforce better private participation and dwell upon policy measures to reform the Indian Railways. The study is qualitative and highlights the constraints and challenges that they pose in people's service. To analyze the scenario further, we have tried to draw a parallel with relatable economies like Russia and benchmarked with the Russian Railway's reforms, which could help compare similar reforms in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effort to realize electric vehicles as a substitute for fossil fuel vehicles is a tangible manifestation of the Indonesian government's commitment to reducing carbon emissions. Of course, in accelerating the development of electric cars, we must prepare some infrastructure to start from the availability of the primary material nickel for the manufacture of batteries as well as the management of industrial areas by ensuring the survival of the surrounding community and the preservation of nature. Also, must prepare policies related to waste management from vehicle batteries. Battery waste is classified as electronic waste, which contains many hazardous chemicals. Based on data from the National Waste Management Information System, in 2021, there will be 3.33% metal waste from 24 million tons of waste. Where the battery is one of the compositions of the metal waste, the amount of metal waste may increase in line with the policy of accelerating battery-based electric vehicles. Therefore, the focus of this study is how to determine the policy recommendations for the man agement of electric vehicle battery waste by utilizing the informal sector. The qualitative method used is a desk review approach through a literacy study of several scientific references. Then analyzed, the study's results descriptively to obtain the concept of the required policy formulation. The results show that the informal sector can cooperate with the formal sector and share roles in the recycling process. The part that the informal sector, namely scavengers, can carry out is the collecting, segregating, and dismantling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An issue largely ignored in the past: the existence of a large informal economy has lately come to be openly acknowledged by the authorities. Renewed interest in unregulated economic activities is because an increase in the size of the informal economy may hinder economic growth and generate a loss in revenues for the government budget. This study creates a novel dataset for the parallel economy in Uzbekistan from 1990 to 2017 using a two-sector Dynamic General Equilibrium model. The size of the parallel economy is estimated with the help of several macroeconomic variables and parameters calibrated to fit the country profile of Uzbekistan. National accounts data for Uzbekistan is obtained from the Penn World Table of the University of California and the University of Groningen. The model has the edge over other approaches in that it has micro-foundations, for it is constructed on the consuming behavior of the household and its interaction with the government; thus, the adjective 'two-sector' is used. In the first stage, the contextual need for this study is presented and informs the reader about the scope of the issue. Secondly, we employ descriptive statistics to illustrate the tendency and movements of the parallel economy; we also deploy sensitivity analyses with calibrating the values of parameters to explore different economic scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic waste is considered one of the fastest-growing types of waste produced from electrical and electronic devices, growing by 3-5% a year around the world. The study reports that E-waste generation is 3 times as high as any other waste source. A developing country such as India is the third largest contributor to world's E-waste generation and annually generates about 3.2 million tons of E-waste. Maharashtra a state of India tops with 19% E-waste generation amongst all other states. The legislation for E-waste management in India is evolved and amended several times to improvise E-waste management between years 1986 to 2018. However, the management of E-waste was little improved over the three-year timeframe. Formal sectors are working toward E-waste management. But due to the lack of efficient infrastructure and resources to manage E-waste, informal sectors are evolved in India. 95% of the E-waste generated in India is recycled by informal sectors. Residents living in these areas are at the greater risks to health posed by unsatisfactory activities. On the other hand, E-waste has showed some benefits in construction industry. According to study, the rough aggregate for concrete preparation is insufficient; efforts have been made to substitute E-waste partly with rough aggregates. E-waste has immense potential for use in different industries but cannot be ignored for its effect on the atmosphere, economy and society. This study recommends that the less legislative rigour, which has a significant environmental impact, has caused informal industries to manufacture electronics and electrical appliances (EEE's) from other countries and dump them in India. Thus, strict measures and legislation should be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The smoked fish centre is one of the informal sector industries that absorb many workers. However, many workers do their job without adhering 5S principle and poor work posture. The 5Sprinciple stands for Sorting, Setting in order, Shine, Standardizing and Sustaining or 5S (seiri, seiso, seiton, seiketsu, shitsuke) in Japanese that is a way to organize the workplace to be better sustainable workplace. Awkward posture has the potential to increase musculoskeletal complaints in workers. This research aimed to analyze the association between individual characteristics such as age, work period, and 5S principle implementation with musculoskeletal disorders complaints among smoked fish workers. This research was a quantitative study with a cross-sectional approach. The population and the sample in this study were 141 smoked fish workers in Demak, Central Java. The data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using regression correlation. There was no relationship between age and MSDs complaints (p = 0.521). In addition, there was no relationship between a work period and MSDs complaints (p > 0.05). Meanwhile, implementing the 5S principle was significantly associated with MSDs complaints (p < 0.05). Therefore, it is recommended to design a good layout and workstation to reduce MSDs complaints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the hidden depths of covert operations and clandestine dealings, the sinew of currency entwines in a sinister ballet, fueling the malevolent fires of terrorism, bestowing upon it the means to unleash havoc and anguish upon unsuspecting souls. Within the intricate web of the global economy, the haunting specter of terrorist financing looms large, its tendrils entangling a labyrinthine network of cartels funding jihadist endeavors, all entwined within the ideological struggle between material wealth and religious fervor. The aim of this study is to delve into the intricate layers of terrorist financing. The first layer involves conducting a literature review focusing on the 2000s, providing insights into the subject. Moving on to the second layer, a behavioral analysis of terrorist financiers is presented, highlighting the formation of alliances between terrorists and financiers. The third layer examines the utilization of advanced technology and intelligent materials in combating the issue of terrorist financing. Finally, the research concludes with an overview of the challenges posed by the influence of the black economy in a globalized world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many people, despites being educated or not, struggle to find decent jobs in the formal economy. Some end-up working in the informal economy as self-employed/own-account workers. Informal economy is the largest employer with more potentials, employing approximately 61 percent of the global labour force. Despite different forms of occupations, street trading is the most visible occupation in the informal economy. There is a research gap between formal and informal economy, with most research done in the formal economy. It is recommended that micro-level individuals must be included in research to broaden knowledge. The informal economic activities are not reported in government statistics. It is odd because the informal economy is the largest global employer and street trading is found in both developed and developing economies. Informal economic activities are however associated with lack of growth and social security, money laundering, and financing of terrorist activities. The study was conducted to determine work engagement of street traders using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). The UWES is validated and used for quantitative studies in the formal economy. The instrument was pretested and piloted for quality appraisal purposes for validation and use in the informal economy. The general lack of credible records of street trading activities, makes it difficult for researchers to conduct studies using different methodologies in the informal economy. The convenience sampling strategy, a nonprobability sampling startegy, was used in choosing participants, and was most valid for solving the problem of the study, choosing participants accidentally on availability. Most quantitative studies involving street traders are restricted to using nonprobabiliity sampling, which is a concern. The high birth and/or mortality rate of street trading businesses make the database inconsistent to use as some do not report when exiting or entering. The lack of credible records/database of street trading activities, and over reliance on nonprobability sampling strategy, restrict the holistic generation of knowledge. The street traders' activities must be registered to develop from knowledge generated through research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid surge in electronic devices has led to an exponential rise in electronic waste (e-waste), necessitating a robust strategy for its management. The Green Deal, within its overarching vision for sustainability, champions a circular economy and advocates for eco-friendly practices, encompassing e-waste management. In India, where the informal sector dominates e-waste handling, outdated methods and lack of regulation pose environmental and health hazards. This article examines the dichotomy between informal and formal e-waste management, exploring challenges faced by both sectors and proposing a cradle-to-cradle (C2C) model for sustainable collaboration. The aim of the research is to transform e-waste from a problem into an opportunity, envisioning a sustainable future in e-waste management. The research method involves the use of a rigorous approach using critical analysis and a comprehensive literature review to clarify the complexities in the field of electronic waste (e-waste) management. The synthesis of studies, from assessing enablers of e-waste management to evaluating circular economy models, provides valuable insights for stakeholders and policymakers. The study scrutinizes the existing infrastructure, discusses challenges, and proposes a strategic model bridging formal-informal e-waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of decent work availability is still a big challenge in Indonesia. A key element of decent work is employment opportunities where people work in informal sectors are the mains indicator. However, the informal sectors will derive new problems in a long period because their workers are very vulnerable to economic shocks. They do not have a fixed income, lack basic social or legal protections such as health insurance or accident insurance, and no pension plan. Various factors influenced who works in informal sectors. In this study, we want to classify the type of workers working in informal and formal sectors. We used a classification technique called Classification and Regression Tree (CART) and non-linear Support Vector Machine (SVM) to answer such a problem. We implemented both techniques to worker status in the Blitar regency in 2019. We have that the performance of SVM is better than CART due to the classification accuracy score where the CART score is 79.56 percent while the SVM reaches 85.32 percent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to study the behaviour of formality of 390 microenterprises (ME) and its impact, based on data from a survey that was conducted in the city of Casablanca. We explain, on one hand, the choice of the level of formality using an Ordered Probit model. On the other hand, we analyse the effect of registration and other factors on productivity, using the Stochastic Frontier Approach which considers the risk of self-selection. The results from the first model emphasize the effect of the entrepreneur's demographic and socio-economic characteristics as well as those related to the ME and its environment. The Stochastic Frontier Approach allowed us to verify the existence of a differentiated efficiency bared on the level of formality. It also appears that the education level of the owner, gender and age of the employees, the main reason for business creation and its size, impact productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown has caused massive disruption in almost every sector of the economy in India and informal sector has been the worst affected. The sericulture and handloom industry being the second most employers in the informal sector is important to the economy in terms of employment generation, output and export. But, the industry has been engulfed with manifold problems since its inception and COVID-19 crisis worsened the condition of the sericulture workers. In this context, the current study is an attempt to look into the impact of pandemic and lockdown on the industry in the informal sector in Karnataka and the key problems faced by the workers in their everyday life. Taking information from both primary and secondary sources, it is observed that the sericulture industry in Karnataka is severely affected by COVID-19 and lockdown which resulted in loss of income and livelihood to the handloom workers. Ban on non-essential transportation facilities led to unavailability of raw materials, inflated price of yarn and dyes. Closure of markets resulted in unsold clothes piling up in weavers' residents which drastically affected revenue generation in this sector. The weavers are living and working in ill standard houses and suffering from malnutrition, indebtedness etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study performs an empirical analysis on the characteristics of individuals' willingness to engage in the shadow economy. The focus of the paper is on the demand side of the shadow economy: willingness to purchase products or services for a lower price in exchange for not reporting the activity to the tax administration institutions. A nationally representative survey data of 1,001 individuals in Latvia is used to examine the relationship between tax-compliant behaviour, fear of punishment, material deprivation and government efficiency. The survey results show that the demand side of the shadow economy is widespread, as the acquisition of goods and services are carried out by many Latvians, including those who do not receive undeclared income. Economic constraints drive the demand, but the engagement with the shadow economy has a strong relationship also with the perceived quality of government efficiency in public spending and corruption level assessment. On the other hand, trust in the tax administration or the perceived probability to get caught for evading taxes does not correlate with the decision to acquire goods or services for a lower price by not paying taxes. The study contributes to the current shadow economy research by showing that the tax morale on the demand side is not driven exclusively by a material deprivation. Policies that simultaneously address effective public spending, eliminates corruption and focus on poverty reduction has the potential to limit the demand side of the shadow economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product design is a key aspect of human intelligence and creativity, attracting not only experts but also workers and self-employed without any formal design training. Although numerous people in developing countries design and manufacture simple products in metalworking microenterprises, there is very little systematic knowledge about their design process. This paper aims to fill this gap in design knowledge. We aim at investigating some aspects of design process in the metalworking microenterprises in Tanzania. The findings reveal how they identify needs, and generate and evaluate concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shadow labour market is a significant part of the economy. The fact that the informal labour is primarily focused on value creation suggests that it is important not to fully eliminate informal activities, but to transform them from an informal to a formal mode. Literature analysis revealed that comprehensive research of the determinants of the shadow labour market must consider not only general, but also specific factors that most significantly affect a particular market because this approach allows to develop the relevant preventive measures. The major purpose of this research is to assess the impact of the relevant shadow economy determinants on Lithuanian shadow labour market and provide the recommendations concerning reduction of this market. The results of the respondent survey and expert evaluation confirmed that Lithuanian shadow labour market is most significantly affected by low tax morale and low wages. The other influential factors are excessive tax burden, income inequality, and distrust in the national government. The cases of informal work are most common in the construction, wholesale and retail, motor vehicle and motorcycle repair, and accommodation and catering service sectors. To diminish the size of Lithuanian shadow labour market, it is recommendable to ensure stability of the tax system, reduce wage-related taxes, and raise the population's tax morale by educating the public about the consequences of the informal economy and arranging the appropriate tax administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BPJS Health Insurance is the institution authorized to manage the implementation of the national health insurance program in Indonesia. Since operating in 2014, BPJS Health Insurance is required to continue to develop its programs, in order to provide optimal services for the entire community. Including the demands for the adoption of the latest technology in service operations and technical implementation of service programs. It has been more than 2 years that BPJS Kesehatan has implemented mobile digital services. The goal is to provide convenience and service optimization, considering that almost all people already have mobile phones. However, in practice, services using this technology are still not optimal, especially for the informal community sector. The low use of mobile digital in the informal sector is the basis for the study in this research. In essence, the purposes of using the BPJS health program's mobile digital services are: the ease of paying and changing membership data, the ease of knowing information on family participant data, the ease of knowing information on participant contribution bills, the ease of obtaining information on health facilities and the ease of submitting complaints, and requests for information about the program. This research is directed at measuring the constraints of customer participation in using digital mobile, and measuring customer responses about the effectiveness of this application. The results of this study show that, some of the obstacles that affect the participation target of the National Health Insurance program in BPJS health insurance informal sector workers are: 1). Information on the places where BPJS health insurance participants receive; 2). Socialization of the BPJS Health insurance; 3). Current fees are applied to participants; 4). Health service facilities and infrastructure in the hospital; 5). Availability of Medicines. Factors that causing low JKN application usage are: a). The member has tried the application before, but they don't really understand how to use it; b). Bad signals in some areas, so the JKN mobile services in unaccesable; c). The member only use it for check the participant menu and dues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Egypt, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are dominated with micro-enterprises, most of which are in the informal sector. Conventionally, Egyptians have been risk-averse, shying away from starting their own businesses. However, this mindset has recently changed, especially among women and the youth, and more so with the advent of information and communication technologies, particularly social media. This study examines the determinants of engaging in digital entrepreneurship (DE), focusing on women and the youth who are owners of informal MSMEs. The study combines the theory of planned behaviour with the diffusion of innovation theory as a conceptual framework. It tests whether an entrepreneur’s characteristics, attitudes, goals, and the innovation attributes of social media, in terms of perceived relative advantage, trialability, and observability have resulted in informal MSMEs’ DE adoption. A questionnaire was constructed, and data were collected through phone interviews with 408 Egyptian women and youth male entrepreneurs who own informal MSMEs that only operate online. Results of the statistical analysis reveal the significantly negative impact of selfconfidence and boredom on DE adoption. In contrast, making money, connectivity, self-actualization, and minimizing direct costs positively affects DE adoption. Research on MSMEs in Egypt is limited due to the lack of published data, especially regarding the informal ones. Furthermore, studies tackling DE adoption are scarce. This research contributes to the scant literature by providing a modified theoretical framework for future academic studies. The findings will be useful to future entrepreneurs. educators and policy makers to target economic development through MSME creation and the inclusion and empowerment of women and the youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informal economy is a phenomenon present in all Latin American countries. It causes lower level of productivity and social problems given the fact that informal workers do not have social benefits neither the possibility of having a retirement fund if they keep in the informal market. Reducing the size of the informal sector of the economy is a step that must be taken in order to improve the economic and social situation. One important factor of a policy to reduce the size of informal economy is the access to credit to entrepreneurs. This paper summarizes briefly the situation of informal economy in Bogotá, Colombia and proposes microfinancing as a realistic and inclusive way to include informal enterprises into the formal sector of the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The existence of discrepancies between the tax revenues foreseen in Romania's budget and the revenues actually collected in a budget year implies the existence of a high level of underground economy and, implicitly, tax evasion. With the deprivation of the State of its due revenues, the offer of quality public services, which are indispensable for the good functioning of society, is also limited. In this context, the role of the tax authorities in reducing this phenomenon becomes crucial and calls for firm action based on a clear and coherent vision. Prior Work: The work presents, in a synthetic way, the notion of underground economy and its main component, tax evasion, its incidence areas in Romania, the role of the tax authorities in eradicating this phenomenon, as well as the evolution of the phenomenon in recent years, against the background of changes in the structure of the tax authorities. Approach: In order to underline the role of control structures in the fight against tax evasion, we have studied the situation in Romania, analyzing the dynamics of the phenomenon in the last decade in the context of the reorganization of the tax authority. Results: Following the study, the dynamics of tax evasion in recent years were outlined and a series of conclusions and recommendations were formulated on how to improve this process in Romania. Implications: Academics and researchers have a great responsibility on how they can support the eradication of tax evasion, whether in terms of the workforce they train or the solutions they can offer to mitigate the phenomenon. Value: This study aims to highlight the role of tax authorities in the process of reducing the underground economy in Romania and invites readers interested in this topic to get involved by providing feedback to improve this process in Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carrying over 75% of the last-mile mobile Internet traffic, WiFi has inevitably become an enticing target for various security threats. In this work, we characterize a wide variety of real-world WiFi threats at an unprecedented scale, involving 19 million WiFi access points (APs) mostly located in China, by deploying a crowdsourced security checking system on 14 million mobile devices in the wild. Leveraging the collected data, we reveal the landscape of nationwide WiFi threats for the first time. We find that the prevalence, riskiness, and breakdown of WiFi threats deviate significantly from common understandings and prior studies. In particular, we detect attacks at around 4% of all WiFi APs, uncover that most WiFi attacks are driven by an underground economy, and provide strong evidence of web analytics platforms being the bottleneck of its monetization chain. Further, we provide insightful guidance for defending against WiFi attacks at scale, and some of our efforts have already yielded real-world impact--effectively disrupted the WiFi attack ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine how mobile solutions technology boosting agribusinesses in Ghana. It sought to access the impact these mobile solutions have been improving the efficiency in the procurement and value chain processes in the agribusinesses, through which financial inclusion of the informal sector of the economic is being integrating into the mainstream. The study mainly focuses on the agricultural sector in Ghana. In addition, it explores how some of these mobile solution technologies contribute to the growth being experienced. The study used primary data sourced from interviews conducted in the rural farming villages and towns in Ghana and secondary data mainly sourced from the various development partners of Ghana. Findings of the study showed there is positive influence of these solutions, in the improvement of efficiency in the value chain of the agricultural sector of Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides a comprehensive concept of the shadow economy, currently used in international practice. The main incentives for the shadow activity of business entities in advanced countries are investigated: taxes, payments to the social security fund, and so on. The article analyzes the degree of the shadow economy in the Russian Federation, as well as informal employment by gender and age composition. The analysis of the level of gross domestic product per capita (GDP) is carried out. Data on the number of people employed in the shadow sector as a percentage of the total population for the study period is also presented. Information on the scope of the shadow economy that are not taken into account by Rosstat, is introduced. The main reasons for the formation and development of shadow business in the country are identified. It should be noted that the methods of combating the shadow economy have not had the desired effect so far, which suggests that the causes of the shadow economy have deep roots and are outside the field of economic relations. We have concluded that the causes of shadow economic relations are behavioral characteristics of people, sociopsychological as a result of a low level of culture, lack of trust in society, specific characteristics of mentality, etc. Also, the main causes for the formation and growth of the shadow sector of the economy in Russia include economic (high tax obligation), political, administrative, legal and social. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation serves a steppingstone for re-instigating growth in the indigenous industries of developing countries. One such sector which accounts for one of the largest employment generation opportunity in India is the handicraft sector. The informal sector, which includes handicrafts, has been described by the International Labour Organization (ILO) as a part of economic activity characterized by certain features like reliance on local available resources and skills, family ownership, small scale operations, labour intensity, traditional technology, skills generally acquired outside school system, unregulated and competitive markets. This study aims at understanding the challenges the Indian handicraft market is facing and highlighting the current practices adopted to tackle them. The handicraft sector today is faced with a lot of challenges ranging from unorganized marketing and inadequate market information to lack of support mechanism for product development. The study adopts a case-based methodology involving primary sources such as field interviews with the key stakeholders of the industry within North Indian region as well as secondary sources including publicly available information about competitive ventures and government interventions. The hub and spoke model is a significantly popular industry tool for dealing with the problems similar to the ones faced currently by the handicraft industry. A similar model was adopted and its compatibility within our problem statement was evaluated. Findings revolved around the fact that how incorporating a simple hub and spoke based model coupled with appropriate technological intervention could address the identified challenges. It also highlights how exchange of information through a digital marketplace can bring about sustainable change in an otherwise ailing industry. We conclude the paper with the proposal of a hub and spoke model custom-made for the North Indian sector, in an attempt to reinvigorate the regional handicraft business through innovative intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corruption and shadow economy are two glitches that almost all societies and nations are facing, although there is a qualitative difference between developed and less developed economies. Measures how to combat corruption and shadow economy, are issues that are increasingly on the national and international agendas of politicians and policymakers, yet the expected outcomes are deficient, especially for developing countries. Thus, this paper intends to compare and contrast the level of corruption and shadow economy with special focus to the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), as well as to estimate their relationship. Many researchers hypothesize that corruption and the shadow economy are substitutes in high income countries while they are complements in low income countries. This hypothesis was tested for a cross section of 13 CEEC countries. According to OLS fitted line there is a negative relationship between corruption and shadow economy for the sample countries, however the panel regression results for static models do not reveal robust evidence, while considering the results of the dynamic model GMM as more reliable it can be disclosed that corruption and shadow economy are complements for this set of countries as it was obtained a positive and highly significant relationship between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the construction of the RDNK there are three stages of activities namely pre-construction, construction, operation and maintenance. In the construction phase there is a preparatory work that provides employment opportunities for the community around the Puspiptek Serpong area. Preparation work is the stage of work that must be planned before the execution of the main work of a construction project. This study aims to obtain an overview of the economic potential that exists in the site preparation stage. Site preparation is carried out after the site permit and construction permit are obtained. The method used is a literature review on problems and analysis. The results of the study indicate that at the preparation stage of the RDNK site there are job opportunities in the informal sector, so that it can accommodate professional workers in the formal sector who were not initially accommodated. The employment opportunities include the provision of consumption, transportation, shelter and clean water supply, which if can be utilized proportionally will improve the welfare of the community. With employment opportunities, there is considerable economic potential for the RDNK site preparation stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existence of shadow or grey economy counts for decades. Nobody argues its illegality though not any government can eradicate and bring it to the end. The discussion of this very actual matter will be focused on the insight whether how this parallel illegal economy helps the poor to survive and how the rich absolutely consciously contribute to its prosperity. The subsequent positive and negative issues related to this constant process will be clearly trackable through the discussion in the present topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the study, it was proved that the institutional development of employment in Russia depends on the degree of conformity of formal and informal institutions, and the higher the degree of discrepancy between them, the higher the risk of the spread of informal labor practices and the formation of an employment policy that does not meet the requirements of the modern development of the country's economy. To mitigate this problem, the article proposes three schemes of action and proves that the third is the most preferable: the first approach is pulling up the formal sector of the economy to the informal, i.e. It is proposed not to impose artificially constructed formal institutions, but to legalize already existing informal norms and practices by which society lives; the second approach is pulling up the informal sector of the economy to the formal; the third approach is the oncoming movement of formal and informal institutions, for its implementation, the state must carry out two functions: stimulating, i.e. contribute to the formation of a legal environment that would fill the vacuum between existing formal rules and actual labor practices, and punish, that is, the state should create favorable institutional conditions for monitoring the implementation of labor legislation and applying measures in case of violation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the article is to study the characteristic features of labor migration in the Moscow region, which is distinguished by gender identity and feminist manifestations. The structure of the number of migrants engaged in labor activities in the Russian Federation by gender and age composition is being studied. It raises the issue of non-observance of human rights in relation to migrants, which has a pronounced gender specificity - from violation of labor rights, the existence of informal employment sectors to extremely burdensome forms of coercion, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, slavery. It is emphasized that women migrants show greater social adaptability than men. It is summarized that labor migration of women in most cases is more effective for maintaining the level of well-being of their family and ensuring its safety as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The name of the article is "The Impact of Peer to Peer Economy on Tourist Destination Management" the topic was choosen by author because of two important reasons, the first of them is the fact that peer to peer economy is standing on invisible border between the shadow economy and the one that is officialy declared. The second fact is the importance of travel industry for the development of national and mainly regional economy, bringing taxes, employment and development. For some tourist destination the role of tourism is indisputable, but in some phases of life cycle of a tourist destination the number of tourist could bring more negatives impacts then the positives ones. Especially peer to peer economy appearing in accomodation services it menas accomodations services offerd by platforms like Airbnb could increase the range of accommodation options that are already unbearable within the tourist destination and unacceptable to the indigenous peoples, which can lead to a reduction in the attractiveness of this tourist destination for other visitou with the other result of tax cuts, loss of competitiveness and tension in respective industry. The aim of the article is to make analysis of the impact and possible limits of development and usage of peer to peer economy (sharing acono-my) in travel industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconstructing detailed practices of eight Chinese education and training organizations with interviews, archives and observation data, this article reverses prevailing ideas in transitology and status advantage studies. Across the education and training industry (ETI), along with other industries related to socialist public goods, underdog organizations whose founders were marginalized by the state and whose practices were noncompliant with regulations and norms rose to market leader positions and their leadership was sustained. I argue that multi-dimensional institutional complexity, especially where it is unclear whether organizations therein are private and whether they are for-profit, provides the social condition for the last to become the first. A giant state sector and the informal economy constitute the two social sources for this type of multi-dimensional institutional complexity. Noncompliant practices drawn from the informal economy not only help underdog organizations secure key resources, but institutionally complex conditions unintentionally turned state regulations against noncompliance into advantages for underdogs. This article proposes the impact of competing models' differentiated access to the social sources of the institutional complexity on the inter-model competition as a new mechanism of change under institutional complexity. The way the ETI became a private and forprofit industry also represents a novel bottom-up trajectory for the rise of China's private sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil experienced population ageing and improvement in educational attainment between 1980- 2010. Proportion of workers in the formal economic sector increased between 2000-2010. Earnings decreased from 1980 to 1991 and increased in 2000. However, earnings in the formal economic sector decreased again in 2010. We estimate associations of individual- and area-level variables with individual earnings of male workers living in urban areas in Brazil. Ordinary least squares regressions estimate variations on earnings of male workers, using the 1980-2010 Demographic Censuses. Individual independent variables include age, education, economic sector, race/color, marital status, religion, and region of residence. Contextual independent variables consider demographic, educational, and economic sector compositions by areas of residence. Considering individual-level variables, older and better educated workers have higher earnings. Workers in the formal economic sector have higher earnings than in the informal sector. For area-level variables, higher proportions of people working in the formal economic sector have positive associations with earnings. Proportions of people in age-education groups have negative associations with earnings mostly among older workers. For models by economic sector, proportions in age-education groups have higher positive coefficients in the informal sector, compared to the formal sector. Transitions in demographic, educational, and economic sector compositions are correlated with earnings. These effects generate greater economic inequality in the informal sector than in the formal sector. Our main contribution is the estimation of models about associations of individual earnings with individual and area-level variables, which can be replicated for other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is focused on VAT evasion and especially carousel frauds. It describes the types of VAT evasion, the methods of its estimation and measures taken by the European member state to fight it. The aim of the article is to develop a reasonable method for evaluation the volume of carousel fraud. It uses the ex-post calculation of the impact of the specific reverse-charge implemented in the Czech Republic on waste and scrap in 2011. The analysis is employing the trade balance data published by Czech Statistical Office and a model of the carousel fraud to estimate the size of the carousel fraud existing prior to the implementation of the specific reverse charge in the CR. The volume of the supposed carousels in waste and scrap present in the period from 1.4. 2010 to 31.3. 2011 in the CR is according to the authors 56 mil. EUR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The empirical evidence from less developed post-transition countries shows that high unemployment is often coupled with a high rate of informal economy, a phenomenon also known as 'shadow puzzle'. According to the 'shadow puzzle' hypothesis, high shares of informal sector accompanied by a high unemployment rate may indicate an overlap between these two categories due to the overestimation of unemployment i.e. false identification as unemployed of those who are de facto informally employed. The aim of this paper is toassess the interplay between unemployment and informal work practices of unemployed workers in Macedonia, which will shed light and to some extent clarify the 'shadow puzzle'. For this purpose weuse the results from a survey carried out on a sample of registered unemployed workers in order to identify the profile of unemployed who are informally employed, and we draw some implications for labour market policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been little conceptual frameworks developed on how scholars in the mobile marketing arena should measure mobile marketing acceptance in small businesses' entrepreneurs operating in the informal economies to drive sustainability and customer retention. The results reveal that perceived behavioral control and usability are antecedents of mobile marketing acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second tier of Latvian pension system obliges the participants to contribute 6% of their salary to State Funded Pension Scheme with the aim to provide an accumulation of pension capital through funding and investments. This capital is funded in behalf of a certain individual, but in case of death before achieving the retirement age, the whole amount of accrued capital must be transferred to the first level of pension system as an additional financing of current pensioners' benefits. Thus, successors don't benefit from the really accrued capital of the second tier, as far as pension capital inheritance rights are still not provided in Latvia. The aim of the paper is to estimate an opportunity of funded pension capital inheritance in Latvia and its potential effect on the participants of Latvian pension system. For achieving the aim of the research current experience of pension capital inheritance in the EU countries has been assessed. The potential effect on the participants of the system has been evaluated by means of representative survey. One of the main conclusions of the research is that Latvia is one of few countries in the EU, which does not provide pension capital inheritance in any form. However, Latvian inhabitants consider an inheritance to be a necessary option of State Funded Pension Scheme and a method of influence on some aspects of undeclared work. Therefore, an acceptance of capital inheritance may have a positive impact on the indicators of shadow economy in Latvia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the introduction of startup India and make in India, lots of expectations were raised. Industrial sector was getting new boost to get flourished, when there was a sudden blast in form of demonetization on 8th November 2017. Now after completing one year of demonetization our small scale industry and informal sector of Indian economy are still struggling for survival. Demonetization and hasty implementation of GST have adversely impacted India's economic growth. Both have affected informal sector and small scale sector which are responsible for 40% of GDP. The country has recorded slowest growth in last three years (5.7 % GDP growth during April to June 2017). Withdrawal of 86% of currency plus GST badly affected small scale sectors. Private sector investment has collapsed and economy is running on just one engine of Public spending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the negative impact of shadow economy on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Tourism Industry, where SMEs constitute 98 percent of the national economy. Our findings indicate that shadow economy widens the gap between SMEs and large enterprises, and presents the biggest obstacle for the development of SMEs. Moreover, our research confirms that the shadow economy has the potential of destroying national economies in smaller countries, like Greece. Our research was based on a questionnaire survey amongst 213 owners of tourism SMEs in Greece. We used an innovative statistical method for data analysis combining Chi-Square Test, ANOVA and Econometric Analysis, in order to obtain high quality results, according to validity and reliability criteria. Our groundbreaking research offers practical implications and suggestions on how to address the crucial issue of shadow economy as a hampering block to the development of SMEs as well as Foreign Direct Investment. We suggest that the survival of SMEs is impossible without the reduction of the shadow economy, and that a change in the institutional framework is necessary to achieve this goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to overcome environmental issues related to increasing greenhouse gas emissions, Indonesia is one of the countries that has committed to supporting the use of electric vehicles to replace internal combustion vehicles. The potential increase in the use of electric vehicles creates a large potential for the generation of electric vehicles to reach the end of life (EoL). This EoL electric vehicle can pollute the environment if released into the environment. It will be very unfortunate if this consumable electric vehicle is left alone and becomes garbage even though it contains a limited number of metals. Therefore, a circular supply chain (CSC) system is needed in Indonesia to reduce waste in the form of EoL electric vehicles and reduce the need for raw materials for the manufacture of electric vehicles considering that the materials used are non-renewable. This research presents a conceptual model of the influential factors toward the CSC implementation of electric vehicles in Indonesia. The model was developed based on literature review and secondary sources analyses to capture both the difference between CSC in Indonesia and in developed countries based on the role of the informal sector in handling products that reach the EOL. The informal sector is usually small in scale and uses simple technology. This means the recycling process carried out will result in greater pollution than using standard methods with adequate technology. This causes the CSC system in Indonesia to produce greater pollution than in developed countries, considering that the role of the informal sector cannot be eliminated in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice mill is one of the businesses in informal sector. From the rice milling process, ergonomic problems arise when employees work with bent position that done repeatedly to lift grain sacks to be transferred to peeler machine. This situation will affect the comfort of work, thus increasing the workload, muscle tension, and fatigue. The consequence will certainly affect the health and productivity of workers. In this study introduces ergo Tri Hita Karana (ergo THK) as an ergonomics intervention model which solves ergonomics problems of the cultural aspects of THK. The study aim is to determine the modification of working conditions based Ergo THK to reduce workload, muscle tension and fatigue. This research uses Randomized Pretest and Posttest Control Group Design experimental design. The subjects were 30 male rice mill workers with an age range of 16 until 56 years, and then divided into 15 subjects in the control group and 15 subjects in the treatment group. The results showed that the average posttest workloads in the control group are 136.950 more less 0.297 and in the treatment group are 107.60 more less 0.396. Significance analysis showed that after the two groups done their activities, the average workload significantly different p less than 0.005. The amount of reduction in the workload between the two groups was 21.43 percent. In muscle tension posttest showed that the mean score of the muscle tension in the control group was 62.67 more less 7.31 and the treatment group was 20.96 more less 2.96. Significance analysis showed that both groups mean muscle-tension results were significantly different p less than 0.005. The amount of reduction in tension between the control group and the treatment group while working was 66.55 percent. At fatigue posttest showed that the mean score of fatigue in the control group was 76.40 more less 13.51 and the treatment group was 55.53 more less 9.51. Significant analysis showed that the mean fatigue of both groups significantly different p less than 0.005. The amount of reduction in fatigue between the control group and the treatment group while working was 27.31 percent. From this study it can be concluded that the modification of the working conditions based on Ergo THK can reduce the workload by 21.43 percent, muscle tension by 66.55 percent and fatigue by 27.31 percent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is situated in a night market consisting of unlicensed hawkers in Hong Kong. The existing research on informal economies has presumed the relation of place and class as a given backdrop: an informal economy is a static workplace for the poor. To problematize this presumption, this paper uses Cultural Discourse Analysis (Carbaugh, 2007, 2016) to explore how hawkers constitute their identities and the meanings of place. Drawing from the participant observation and semi-structured interviews with 15 hawkers conducted between 2015 and 2016, two cultural terms of class identifications (i.e. the poor and businessman); and a term relating to the power dynamics in place, giving face, have been identified. The analysis shows these terms and associated practices constitute hawkers as precarious beings in place. This paper hopes to contribute to highlighting the constitutive role of place-based communication practice in making everyday precarity in place and contextualize precarity in developing Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers insight to a study which evaluates the role of mobile phones in the transformation of the informal economy. It mentions about the concept of the informal economy and economic activities and how it is applied in studies of Kampala. It also informs that the concept has been applied to mostly cities of the global south and thus used and measured by international and bilateral organizations.

The paper explores the evolution of technologically entrepreneurial companies in the context of a transforming economy and emerging institutions, particularly in the Russian region. The authors employed a co-evolutionary approach and a case study design to examine 15 technology enterprises established in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. The study revealed two distinct types of entrepreneurs: "Wild entrepreneurs" and "Tamed entrepreneurs." "Wild entrepreneurs," who are more typical in the early stages of transition, operate independently and rely on informal institutions. On the other hand, "Tamed entrepreneurs" become more prevalent as the transition progresses and prefer a clear and developed formal institutional environment. The authors also discovered that the entrepreneurial ecosystem's dynamics are the result of the interplay between entrepreneurs' intentionality, environment, and institutional effects. They found that premature formalization of institutions, in the absence of strong informal institutions, may lead to the growing dependence of entrepreneurs and their businesses on an increasingly rigid environment, resulting in weaker entrepreneurs. The study has important implications for policymakers and entrepreneurs. Policymakers must understand the different types of entrepreneurs that emerge in various stages of transition and develop policies that support their unique needs. Entrepreneurs, on the other hand, must be aware of the importance of balancing formal and informal institutions to succeed in the evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims at investigating the impact of the labor market on the railway transport in Serbia, as the World Bank Group report on labor market in Western Balkans was used to consider the comparison data with which the relevant data and information from the Republic of Serbia can be compared. The study methodology is based on the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (SORS), “Labor Force Study”, which is the most complex and the only internationally comparable instrument for labor trends monitoring, registering demographic and socio-economic characteristics of population aged 15 and over. The main aim of the study is estimating the labor force volume, i.e. employed and unemployed population, where employment relates to work in both formal and informal sectors and its impact on railway transport in Serbia. The study results, which include data on employment / unemployment rate for the period 2017-2022 were used to take the stock of the current situation on the labor market in Serbia and it shows dynamic changes and their considerable impact on the railway transport in Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature does not provide any universal definition of the shadow economy, there are various perceptions of this phenomenon, and the phenomenon itself is defined depending on the purpose of particular studies that highlight the features of the shadow economy as a complex phenomenon relevant to the research direction. In general, the shadow economy is defined as an aggregate of activities that are not recognized, registered, protected and/or not regulated by public authorities, so the purpose of the article is to analyse the shadow economy and its dangerous to the overall economy. The shadow economy comprises legal or illegal activities which are required by law to be fully reported, but which are deliberately hidden from authorities to evade overly strict market regulations, tax payment, and bureaucratic procedures related to business registration and execution. In the case of illegal activities, the shadow economy can be considered an object of a criminal act. Different theories of the shadow economy propose that the results of different studies can reveal a fixed, variable or random relationship between the shadow economy and various macroeconomic indicators, so the impact of the shadow economy on the general economy can be treated either as negative or positive: although the shadow economy tends to reduce state budget revenue and distort natural market competition and information, at the same time it performs the functions of establishing closer relations among economic agents, generating or increasing their income, and distributing resources more efficiently than it is done in the formal economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic development of a country is a key factor for the development of all other spheres of life in the country. So, economic development affects directly, or indirectly in the development of the labor market. Governments of different countries, constantly found the challenge of finding appropriate solutions for sustainable economic development and reducing the number of the unemployed. Even Kosovo, like other countries around the world, faces this challenge. As a country emerging from war for 15 years, and with the declared independence since 2008, a country with a developing economy, of course this challenge is even more difficult.. People with average age of the youngest in Europe, and inability to provide employment opportunities, every day more and more is adding frustration to people. The dissatisfaction Was Observed Even with the large number of illegal migrants in recent months, who are Unable to find work, take the risk of traveling illegally to Europe, with the only hope of finding better opportunities of employment and lifestyle. Lack of accurate data on the number of unemployed, made it difficult to analyze this issue, this happens mainly due to the large number of unregistered workers, informal economy, etc. With a GDP of approximately 2,600 € per capita, Kosovo is one of the poorest countries in Europe 34.5% of the 1.8 million inhabitants live in poverty, on less than € 1.55 per day (12% live in extreme poverty, with less than 1€ per day), so poverty is very high. There are no significant differences between poverty in urban and rural areas, but there are significant differences in different regions of Kosovo, where the poverty rate varies from 53.8 to 18 percent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we explore the gendered spatial arrangements of economic activity in one neighborhood in Detroit. We are interested in understanding how the larger political economy and spatial arrangements and practices shape the social relationships which mediate exchanges in the informal economy. The ways in which urban space is structured shapes and supports social networks and challenges dichotomous relationships of space. We show how space is fluid in this neighborhood, Dtown, as women carve out and use space in new ways to create and sustain networks of economic and social importance in their community, which challenges standard conceptualization of private and public space. We present three types of space in Dtown; public space, private businesses and private homes. We show how private spaces, businesses and homes have become more public as they are used for economic, community and social activities, which are often intertwined and cross all three spaces. Our data show the gendered ways that public and private space is blurred and suggest that we should not only look at how public spaces are contested or become privatized but also the process by which private space becomes public. These gendered and racialized processes have important implications for women's social and economic opportunities which should be investigated further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of many negative consequences of the prison boom and so-called punitive turn in the US criminal justice system is an increase in "punitive frugality" inside the nation's prisons. Health, education, and food services (among others) have been greatly reduced as privatization increases. Often, the costs of programs and services are passed on to inmates--they pay fees for doctor visits, increased charges for GED test taking, and commissary costs for food beyond the minimum calories provided by the state. Yet, inmates are not unresponsive in the face of prison cost-cutting measures or perceived downturns in the quality of services; they react in many ways that can be empirically observed. In addition to overt demonstrations of dissatisfaction such as rioting, inmates also engage in covert displays. Drawing on ethnographic observations within a state prison and in-depth interviews with inmates, this paper outlines one such covert response: the adaptation of informal prison markets and currency to reflect inmate needs and counter a gradual reduction of food services. In my fieldsite (as in many state prisons), "luxury" goods like tobacco have been replaced by nutritional items, such as ramen noodles, as the de facto currency of the informal prison economy. This paper discusses this transition to ramen currency and outlines the prison ramen market. In doing so, it aims to connect trends in micro transactions (e.g., trading packets of ramen for other goods or services in prison) with the macro conditions of the US carceral field in the era of mass incarceration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is aimed at the ascertainment of whether the determinants of digital shadow economy are included in the methods of traditional shadow economy estimation. The results of the research have disclosed that the methods of shadow economy estimation consider general economic, monetary, money turnover, electricity and energy consumption, labour market, taxation, legal, and societal variables. However, the determinants of digital shadow economy are not included in the methods of shadow economy estimation, which not only impedes understanding of the real scopes of this phenomenon, but also complicates development of the measures aimed at digital shadow economy investigation and prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tax avoidance and tax evasion significantly affect public budget revenues as well as the redistributive goals of the state. The rate of the shadow economy varies across EU Member States. Any attempt to measure this social phenomenon is full of empirical difficulties. By methods to determine the size of the shadow economy we can only estimate the tax gap that quantifies the extent of tax evasion. In this paper we deal with one of the methods of monetary measurement of the tax gap - money demand method. We are analyzing the results achieved for the euro area for the time period 2002 - 2015. From the outputs can be estimated not only the size of the tax gap in the euro area countries, but also we can evaluate the effectiveness of measures and recommendations of the European Commission which are aimed at combating tax evasion and tax fraud. For monitoring the research problems were mainly used methods of observation, comparison, and also mathematical and statistical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]