Entrepreneurial Drive and the Informal Economy In Cameroon (West Africa): Necessity Versus Opportunity Driven Motive.

We identified three distinct sub-groups within the informal entrepreneurial sector - the Street Walker, Street Corner and Store Owner informal entrepreneurs - and then examined each group's motives. Face-to-face structured interviews with 200 informal entrepreneurs in Cameroon found that the majority, especially Street Walker and Street Corner informal entrepreneurs, are predominantly necessity-driven while Store Owner entrepreneurs are predominantly opportunitydriven. Our study also revealed a progression pattern whereby some Street Walkers do progress to Street Corner and ultimately to Store Owner entrepreneurs. Public policy implications for institutional support that can grow the informal economy into the formal economy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]