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This article aims to examine the transfer of informality from mothers to daughters in a group of women who get financial help from a community aid and social development foundation. By administering a questionnaire to a cohort of 1156 female microentrepreneurs in Chile throughout 2021, the findings reveal that having a mother who was employed in the informal sector is linked to a 27% higher likelihood of being engaged in informal economic activities, compared to individuals whose mothers were part of the formal economy. Furthermore, compelling data is presented regarding the significance of education and the adverse impact of parenthood on women. The outcomes yield significant contributions in terms of theory, practice, and particularly public policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiscal consolidation literature often neglects that there are economies characterized by sizable underground sectors, with their mechanisms of response to fiscal policy shocks. Therefore, reliable analyses of fiscal consolidation plans call for the decomposition of Gross Domestic Product in its regular and hidden components. We investigate fiscal consolidation effects in the context of tax evasion for the Italian economy. Results show that a temporary cut in public spending associated with a permanent drop in tax rate yet entails tax evasion reduction. The main underlying mechanism is the strong responsiveness of the underground sector, implying a reallocation of resources toward the regular sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Government responsiveness is a key feature and justification for democracy. Yet, previous studies show that the ability of governments to deliver responsive policies critically depends on the availability of resources. This study suggests that the shadow economy hurts democratic responsiveness because it reduces government revenues and decreases the reliability of economic statistics. Governments facing lower resources then respond to wider economic constraints and not to their publics. Using Eurobarometer data to evaluate public opinion in 15 European democracies and data on welfare generosity to measure policy outputs, this study finds that larger submerged economies correspond to less responsive governments. Additionally, the empirical analysis highlights that the shadow economy makes welfare systems less generous and taxation rates more demanding. These novel results have important implications for our understanding of democracy and help us clarify the conditions under which governments are more or less likely to deliver responsive policies. Finally, these results demonstrate the importance of studying the political consequences of the shadow economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

States often fortify their borders against militant threats. How do these efforts shape civilian welfare and perceptions in borderland communities? I conceptualize border fortification as a legibility‐building endeavor. By bolstering state reach in areas of weak historical penetration, fortification enhances the government's capacity for monitoring, administration, and control. Yet, expanding state authority also disrupts traditional cross‐border markets. A trade‐off between security and corruption emerges in consequence. I provide evidence for this theory in a difference‐in‐differences framework, combining administrative records on violence and representative data from a NATO‐commissioned survey fielded across Afghanistan. Fortification facilitates government information‐collection, improving security provision and fostering civilian reliance on state forces. Enhanced state capacity is countervailed by negative economic impacts. By disturbing the informal borderland economy, fortification fuels criminalization and local opposition. Civilians rely on illicit economic entrepreneurs to sustain traditional market access. Higher smuggling rents fuel official corruption and bribe‐taking. The findings point to a key dilemma inherent in border fortification strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a large‐scale randomized controlled field trial that tests the interest of informal businesses in free and online business registration. In collaboration with the Indonesian government, we designed a free and easy to use online registration portal for small businesses and sent WhatsApp or text messages to around 50 000 businesses to inform them about this new registration portal. We find that sending three rounds of short WhatsApp or text messages resulted in 3.4% of recipients clicking the registration link in the messages. Only 0.1% of recipients registered through the portal. Different phrasing of messages results in different click rate, different registration rate, and different rates the sender's number is blocked. Neutral message performs the best, followed by message that emphasizes that registration is easy. Message that appeals to people's patriotic feelings or message that emphasizes that registration is free performs the last. ENDNOTES: To test the interest of informal businesses in free and online business registration, we designed a free and easy to use online registration portal for small businesses in collaboration with the Indonesian government and sent WhatsApp or text messages to around 40 000 businesses to inform them about this new registration portal. We find that the messages resulted in 3.4% of recipients clicking the registration link in the message and 0.1% of recipients registering through the portal. Interestingly, different phrasing of messages resulted in different click rate, different registration rate, and different rates the sender's number was blocked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic waste (e-waste), often dominated by the informal sector, has had adverse effects on recipient developing countries' economies, health and physical environment. Ghana, over the years, has had support from international organisations to manage its e-waste crisis. Until 2016, there was no e-waste specific policy to guide the management of the sector. In 2016, Ghana passed a regulatory policy – Act 917 – to specifically deal with e-waste, supported by other frameworks such as a regulatory instrument (L.I. 2250), a technical guideline for environmentally sound e-waste management and an e-waste-specific policy, which is currently being developed. However, there is dearth of research on how effectively a regulatory policy such as Act 917 can help address an informally dominated sector whose crude recycling approaches have had great environmental and health impacts. Adapting the analytical framework and intervention theory, key stakeholders within the e-waste sector were interviewed on: the effectiveness of the Act, the challenges confronting them and their involvement in the design and implementation processes. The findings showed that stakeholders were represented at various stages of the process. Informal recyclers were provided with training programmes, health centres and an incentive scheme to minimise burning of electrical and electronic equipment. There however exist many challenges to the sound management of the sector, particularly, the lack of end-to-end recycling facilities, registering and formalising the sector and sequencing of the e-waste policy and regulatory framework. The research concludes by recommending areas for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the effect of euro adoption on the shadow economies of a group of European Union member countries using pooled mean group estimation. Controlling for macroeconomic factors and conducting several robustness checks, our results indicate that euro adoption has a negative association with the size of the shadow economy for this particular group of EU countries. We speculate this relationship may be due to increased transparency in financial markets, more government regulation post-euro adoption, or more legal-sector opportunities post-euro adoption. European countries considering euro adoption may find the results useful in making their final decision regarding currency adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of informal economy and ecological footprint on environmental regulation for a sample of 25 Sub-Saharan Africa economies (SSA) countries from 1991 to 2017. The results obtained from the techniques of static panel (Pooled ordinary least squares (POLS), random effects (RE), fixed effects (FE), and panel corrected standard error (PCSE)) as well as from dynamic panel (generalized method of moments in differences (D-GMM), and generalized method of moments in system (S-GMM)) were all consistent. They showed that the environmental regulation has a significant positive impact for both informal economy and ecological footprint in the selected economies. Regarding the relation between ecological footprint and per capita gross domestic product (GDP), an inverted U-shaped environmental Kuznets curve is verified. The study concludes that weak environmental regulation in the region reinforces informal economy and environmental pollution. Hence, findings from this study can help policymakers in the region to have a better understanding of the role of environmental regulation in reducing informal economy and environmental degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyses of the informal economy are vital to understanding economic activity in developing countries, but challenges abound when analysing something that is so difficult to measure. In this article, we explore these challenges and what they mean for research and research design in studies of the informal economy. We review key economic theories developed to study the informal economy, before critically discussing the range of methods of data collection available for researchers. All approaches to data collection have limitations, yet many studies fail to reflect adequately on these in their design and presentation. In reviewing data sources for economic analyses of informality, we give particular attention to surveys designed and led by academic researchers, the consideration of which is omitted from leading official organisations' own reports on data collection in the informal economy. In the absence of a unifying theory and data sources that deliver the 'comprehensive and accurate' data called for by some authors we argue, first, that no one source of data is intrinsically superior; and second, that research on the informal economy must embrace transparency—around the data used, their alignment with the underlying theory adopted, and the detailed arrangements for data collection and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) prohibits the payment of bribes to foreign public officials. We uncover an unintended consequence—the shadow economies of the countries of these officials increase after FCPA enforcement. Our hypothesis is that corrupt officials may be switching to taking bribes from illegal markets. We find that one case of FCPA enforcement alone increases the shadow economy by as much as 0.27 percentage points (pp), tree loss—an indicator of illegal logging—by 0.027 pp, and trade misinvoicing by 0.5 pp. Our results suggest the need to harmonize anti-corruption policies across all sectors—legal and illegal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the empirical literature on the effects of informal competition on firm performance and provide directions for future research. Design/methodology/approach: We search the Scopus and Web of Science databases and adopt a specific protocol to perform a systematic review of the literature. We screen 536 documents and apply three inclusion criteria for filtering. Findings: We identify the impact of informal competition on nine types of formal firms' performance. We assess the findings according to the explanatory and response variables and the data samples of the articles reviewed. We find that five areas of focus are under-researched due to analyses of country or region-specific data, or lack of consensus because of contradicting findings. Originality/value: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review of the empirical literature on the effects of informal competition on the performance of formal firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In pursuit of good governance and better allocation of resources, corruption and informal economy are of interest to policymakers and citizens alike. The impacts of military spending on the informal economy are scant. Moreover, the effects of an external factor, such as corruption that moderates this relationship, have largely been neglected in previous studies. Hence, this paper investigates how corruption moderates the effects of military spending on the informal economy in 30 Asian countries from 1995 to 2017. Design/methodology/approach: This paper utilizes the GMM estimation technique, which allows cross-sectional dependence and slope homogeneity in panel data analysis, to examine the moderating role of corruption on the relationship between military spending and the informal economy. Findings: Empirical findings from this paper indicate that an increase in military spending declines the informal economy while corruption increases it. Interestingly, the negative effects of military spending on the informal economy will mitigate with a greater degree of corruption in the Asian region. We also find that enhancing economic growth and attracting more FDI has reduced the informal economy in Asian countries. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical study conducted to examine the moderating role of corruption on the military spending – informal economy nexus. Thus far, this approach has not been investigated in the existing literature, particularly for Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we analyse the effectiveness of ride‐alongs, a specific mobile method, to better understand the daily realities of informal mobile livelihoods in Hanoi, Vietnam. The field of mobile methods has seen significant advances both within and beyond geography. Yet, there is still an absence of literature comparing the benefits and drawbacks of using a consistent mobile method across different forms of mobility in the same context, such as pedal‐powered versus motorised transport. Additionally, studies specifically addressing the daily experiences of informal cyclo (trishaw) drivers in Vietnam are scarce. Our paper aims to fill these gaps by evaluating the effectiveness of ride‐along interviews in understanding the mobility and livelihood challenges faced by informal cyclo and motorbike taxi (xe ôm) drivers in Hanoi, who navigate the city's dense and chaotic traffic to earn a living. Ride‐alongs provide a unique perspective on the city's informal transportation sector, uncovering new insights into the nuanced micro‐mobilities and rapid decision‐making required of these drivers. Cyclo drivers navigate Hanoi's streets with considerations for tourist appeal, physical exertion, and police avoidance. Meanwhile, xe ôm drivers manoeuvre through alleyways and roads, balancing efficiency, speed, and passenger demands. Both groups are concerned with circumventing often‐corrupt police, managing local traffic conditions, and adapting to changing weather patterns. This comparative study reveals the benefits and insights gained from ride‐along interviews with mobile informal economy workers, highlighting the similarities and differences in the choices and tactics these drivers employ. The method allows for a deeper understanding of how vehicle type, physical demands, and the socio‐political environment shape the split‐second decisions these drivers must make to maintain their livelihoods on Hanoi's streets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mid‐2020, the municipal authority of Accra, Ghana levelled the dwellings of approximately 450 residents remaining in an informal beach settlement in Jamestown, long the centre of an artisanal fishing economy. The destruction marked the culmination of at least four demolition cycles to clear ground for a Chinese‐financed commercial harbour. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between demolitions, we demonstrate how residents erected smaller, more precarious structures designed for ease of disassembly/reassembly using cheaper, salvaged building materials—a tactic we term dis/incremental dwelling. We interpret these practices of everyday refusal as asserting residents’ “right to the beach”—a claim to access beach and marine space, to participate in convivial associative life and the informal fishing economy, and to resist political marginalisation from infrastructure development and ocean grabbing. The right to the beach provides a conceptual and political vocabulary to centre just coastal futures in urban West Africa and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the shadow economy and its major determinants has been an important part of economic literature over the past few decades. In this article, we analyse the impact of exchange rate volatility on the presence of the shadow economy for the current 38 OECD countries over the period of 1991–2021 in both a linear and nonlinear manner. We provide the opportunity to test whether an exchange rate adjustment may follow a nonlinear path and analyse the asymmetric impact of exchange rate volatility on the shadow economy. We estimate a linear ARDL model for each country and find support that exchange rate variability significantly affects the shadow economy both in the short run and long run in most countries both in linear and nonlinear models. However, by estimating a nonlinear ARDL model, we find an asymmetric exchange rate volatility effect in all 38 countries concluding that exchange rate volatility and risks associated with it significantly affects the shadow economy. Thus, it is crucial that this group of nations adequately implement financial policies to minimize this risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractKolkata, known for its cultural diversity, reflects the inequalities of its informal sector, reminiscent of a feudal system. The city is home to various foreign communities, including Armenians, Jews, Parsis, and particularly the Chinese. Historically, Kolkata saw a significant influx of Chinese immigrants, followed by phases of exclusion. Despite challenges, the Chinese community has thrived for over two decades, contributing to the city’s cultural richness. This research explores how Chinese individuals in Kolkata, unfamiliar with local social structures, perceive and categorize others, defining their ethnic identity. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, the study finds that many Chinese in Kolkata identify as Indian-Chinese or Chinese-Indians. The community’s evolving belief systems reflect their ongoing search for a cultural identity. Through this exploration, they work to define their core values and roles within society, constantly adapting to the cultural landscape of Kolkata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of Fintech is revolutionizing global financial engagement, moving away from traditional payment systems. This study, thus, explores the interaction between communication dynamics, Fintech use, intentions, cashless transactions adoption, financial literacy, personal innovativeness, and socioeconomic development in Pakistan. The study employs a dual methodology, encompassing "PLS-SEM and Probit Model alongside Propensity Score Matching technique." The survey targeted small business owners and individuals involved in informal sectors, encompassing roles such as fruit and vegetable vendors, small shop owners, taxi drivers, and auto rickshaw operators. A total of 394 responses were analyzed. The findings highlight the facilitating role of individuals' intentions to use cashless transactions, acting as a mediator through which Fintech use fosters actual behavior. Moreover, the study finds financial literacy and personal innovativeness as critical moderating factors. Adopting cashless transactions emerges as a pathway to enhanced financial inclusion, particularly impactful for small business owners. The achieved financial inclusion has the potential for profound financial inclusion implications, as evidenced by its positive effects on sustainable livelihoods, living conditions, and social development among small business owners and individuals operating within the informal sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether there is a difference in the hidden economy's set of determinants across developed and developing countries. Applying extreme bounds analysis (EBA) to a cross-sectional dataset of 33 developed and 97 developing countries, we find a considerable variation in the determinants of the hidden economy across developed and developing countries. The results show that internet usage, inflation, financial development, poverty, and monetary freedom are robust determinants of the hidden economy exclusively in developing countries. Whereas the time required to start a business and GDP per capita growth play a crucial role exclusively in developed countries. Remarkably, the property rights index is the only determinant that is robust in both types of countries. These findings offer important insights for policymakers seeking to address the challenges posed by the hidden economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the gender pay gap within Portugal's informal economies, analyzing data spanning the years 2005 to 2020 using Vector Error Correction Models (VECM). The study focuses on four key variables: employers (total), wage and salaried workers (female), wage and salaried workers (male), and educational attainment by way of completing a minimum of upper secondary schooling among a population of age 25+. The findings reveal nuanced relationships among these variables: educational attainment (EA) positively impacts the total number of employers within Portugal's informal economies. A significant correlation exists between EA and wage and salaried workers (female), albeit with complex dynamics. Similarly, EA correlates with wage and salaried workers (male), though the influence is less pronounced. EA also demonstrates a significant association with educational attainment through completing upper secondary schooling among a population of age 25+. These results underscore the multifaceted nature of the gender pay gap within informal economies, influenced by a variety of factors beyond education. Policymakers and stakeholders should consider these findings when designing strategies to promote gender equality in this critical sector, recognizing the need for comprehensive and context-specific approaches. Further research is encouraged to deepen our understanding of this issue and inform evidence-based interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Latin American labor markets continue to be quantified, to identify the social and economic impacts that this pandemic had, and to design more efficient public policies that would protect the most vulnerable groups. For this reason, the research question was as follows: what were the changes in the labor formality rates before and two years after the main contingency measures of the COVID-19 pandemic were implemented? Methods: Using data from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay, the formality rate (t) was analyzed, which was calculated using a weighted average between the formal employment rates of the number (i) of economic sectors (p) in a specific period (t). Results: The results suggest that the weighted labor formality rate increased in the countries of the region. These changes in formality could be the result of greater capital accumulation, the integration of productive processes, the integration of commercialization processes, and differentiated fiscal stimuli (i.e., the intrasectoral aspect), but it was not due to the displacement of workers from highly informal economic sectors to more formalized sectors (i.e., the intersectoral component). Discussion: The findings emphasized the precarious situation of women in the region, regardless of the country, particularly in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. These findings suggest the need to design public policies that reverse the current situation of the labor market and prevent future economic shocks, with special emphasis on the informal sector and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can and does realism explain the linkage between China's economic advancement and its ever-increasing hard power and global influence? Realists assert that a growth in a nation's economy triggers an upsurge in its craving for military or security advancement and power. Since the commencement of China's 'opening policy,' its economy has witnessed tremendous hikes, being ranked second to the US economy. A vital coincidence of this is the ever-increasing attempt to modernising its military and general security systems. Of major concern is China's recently established foreign military base in Djibouti in the 'Horn of Africa.' Realists have suggested that in such a Hobbesian world, Beijing will employ its economic power to assert its security interests. Analysing this linkage through a realist perspective, using case studies and historical analogies, the article concludes that realism best provides reasons for the phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

Although considerable discussion has been devoted to the macro determinants of labor market variables across genders, comparatively little attention has been given to the contribution of the informal economy to this market. This study was aimed at empirically investigating the impact of the size of the shadow or informal economy (IE) on labor market variables across genders in 12 Middle Eastern countries. The study used quarterly time series data on each country under investigation, covering 1991 to 2015. Phillips–Perron unit root tests were carried out to verify the stationarity of the examined economic series. An autoregressive distributed lag approach was adopted to conduct cointegration tests and estimate long-run regression coefficients and error correction terms. The results indicated that the IE served men and women differently across countries. Whereas this economy had a long-run positive relationship with men's employment rates in Bahrain, Iran, Qatar, and Turkey, this relationship existed among women only in Israel. IE activities matter in the employment of men and women in Middle Eastern countries. The sizes of IEs in the labor market are a significant factor that favors men's employment rather than that of women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Zimbabwe's 'new' dispensation, young people's agency pertaining to the precarious informal sector and livelihoods has so far received limited attention in youth research, youth literature and social policy of the Global South. This article seeks to reduce lacunae in this regard by exploring their lived experiences, situated meanings and agency, basing on Harare City as the heuristic case study. Against prolonged socioeconomic and political crises, spiralling unemployment and poverty, enduring generational divides and accumulating waithood, the 'new' dispensation is yet to deliver on developmental transformation for the benefit of young people. Detached from the general view of young people as passive victims of socioeconomic problems, the article advances them as agentive actors in pursuing livelihood pathways and improving individual and household wellbeing. Improving young people lives should be based on empirical evidence of their diverse situations and agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protracted displacement is one of the most complex and difficult humanitarian problems facing the international community today. This paper argues that urban protracted displacement deserves status as a distinct state of refugeehood, and that better analysis of the structural and individual barriers to economic inclusion of urban refugees and IDPs should underpin both incremental and radical policy response. The paper draws on a study of protracted displacement in four countries, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya and Afghanistan, to explore those barriers through application of the Displacement Economies Framework, a theoretical and programming tool developed through the research, to help rethink responses to protracted displacement in cities. The paper thus contributes to literatures on urban protracted displacement and to a gap in the research on displacement economies in cities, demonstrating that addressing structural and individual barriers is key to supporting the economic inclusion of displaced people in cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrorism financing poses a direct threat to South Africa's national security as well as the integrity and reputation of its financial system. Terrorism financing has the potential to finance and enable terrorist activities locally and abroad. Over and above posing a security threat, it also impacts the integrity of non-financial institutions such as charities and non-profit organizations which could be exploited, often unwittingly, for the financing of terrorism. Terrorist groups make use of multiple methods to raise move, store and/or use funds and exploit the inherent vulnerabilities of countries' regulatory, financial, law enforcement and security frameworks. Their techniques vary and depend on the sophistication and objectives of terrorists, terrorist organizations and their sympathizers. Terrorism financing investigations are usually extremely complex, particularly with regard to the identification of financiers and ultimate end-users of the generated funds. This is due to the myriad financial transaction mediums such as cash and crypto assets, the international nature of transfers between financial jurisdictions, the informal financial sector (e.g. Hawala), as well as the capacity and capability challenges faced by financial institutions, regulators, supervisory bodies and law enforcement agencies. Funds intended for terrorism related activities may be derived from legitimate as well as from illicit sources, making terrorism financing particularly difficult to detect, disrupt and prevent. The constant evolution of terrorism financing methods in response to new and increasingly sophisticated countermeasures remains a continual challenge locally and for international financial oversight bodies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and its regional-style bodies. This paper will investigate and assess South Africa's vulnerability to terrorism financing and the counter-terrorist financing framework to effectively combat terrorism financing. The key issues to be appraised include an assessment of factors that contribute to SA's vulnerability to terrorism financing. A counter-terrorist financing framework adopted by SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to contribute to an investigation of the role of European integration as a potential growth driver or convergence engine for emerging Europe. We classify emerging Europe into two groups of economies: (1) 11 new EU member states from Central and Eastern Europe; and (2) six EU candidate countries from the Western Balkans. Our results are also highly relevant for the so-called 'association trio' within the EU's framework of Eastern partnership. The more specific research objectives are to explore (1) what the main driving forces behind growth dynamics in post-communist economies in Europe are; and (2) whether the experience of fast-reforming new EU member states can be replicated or adapted to the EU candidate countries. We provide evidence that the process of European integration holds strong transformative power to accelerate institutional progress and support economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of insurance services and the sustainability of businesses in the Nigerian informal sector. The analysis relies on extant literature sourced from various sources to develop an understanding of the current trends of insurance services in the Nigerian informal sector and develop a suggested model for improved insurance service delivery in the Nigerian informal sector. Findings show that stakeholder commitment is necessary for better impact of insurance services in the sector. The conclusion emphasizes the possibility of business sustainability through consolidated insurance services among stakeholders in the sector. Part of the suggestion for further research is the need for a wider focus on insurance practices both in the formal and informal sectors of the Nigerian economy. This is coupled with an exploratory view on the impact of policy development on insurance support to business activities in the Nigerian informal sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The role of Microfinance institutions (MFIs) in driving financial inclusion is contested. We argue that the ability of MFIs to consistently contribute to financial inclusion depends on their business model and its resilience to structural changes. We find that MFIs with an embedded business model (i.e., deep engagement with the local community) perform better in the aftermath of structural policy interventions as compared to MFIs with a transactional model. Using a difference in differences analysis on a database of MFIs that operated in India during the currency demonetization, we find support for our hypotheses. Our findings indicate that while transactional MFIs do better in a stable environment, embedded MFIs hold the advantage in a turbulent environment. Our results underscore the role of business model fit with the environment in driving financial inclusion. We also alert practitioners to the tradeoffs involved in being embedded in the local context (or lack thereof). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the nexus between shadow economy and income inequality in the West African region. The study applies second-generation panel estimation techniques to analyze the effect and the direction of causation between the variables. The results reveal that the shadow economy reduces income inequality in the region in both short-run and long-run estimations. A similar result is documented when alternative estimation techniques are employed. In addition, the panel causality results show a bidirectional relationship between shadow economy and income inequality in the West African economy. The implications of the study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is not only a life-threatening but also life changing event that happens suddenly, the effects extends beyond the TSCI survivors to include their families. In Rwanda to the best knowledge of authors, there is no published information on the epidemiology of TSCI. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the incidence rate, etiology and injury characteristics of TSCI. Methods: All survivors of acute TSCI who met the inclusion criteria were prospectively recruited for a one-year period. The International Spinal Cord Injury Core Data Set was used to collect the minimum set of variables to facilitate worldwide comparison of epidemiological data, while the International Standards for the Neurological Classification was used to categorize TSCI according to the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS). Data were collected by trained physiotherapists. Study design: A prospective, open-ended, cohort study design. Setting: All referral hospitals within the Republic of Rwanda. Results: Overall, 122 adult individuals sustained a TSCI between 10th October 2019 until 9th October 2020 and all consented to take part in the study. The male-to-female ratio was 3.9:1, and the mean age was 42.5 (SD = ±14.8) years. The crude incidence rate of TSCI was 22.2 per million people (95% CI, 18.4--26.5) with significant differences in sex-adjusted rates for all age groups while men 46 years of age and older presented with the highest incidence. The leading causes of TSCI were falls (73.8%), followed by road traffic accidents (18.9%). Moreover, SCI lesions of the cervical region (n = 69) were the most common, followed by the lumbosacral region (n = 27). Fifty-one (41.8%) participants were diagnosed as complete injury, i.e., AIS A, while incomplete injury category C constituted 35 (28.7%). Conclusion: The incidence and etiology of TSCI in Rwanda are comparable to worldwide estimates and figures. Largely, the etiology of TSCI are preventable as it is caused due to falls and road traffic accidents. There is a need to consider preventive strategies and policies on activities that predispose people to falls. Policies should focus largely on occupational health and safety in both formal and informal sectors of work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent high unemployment in South Africa rendered many in the informal economy structurally vulnerable to shocks such as the COVID‐19 pandemic. The social relief of distress (SRD) grant was a government attempt to alleviate the pandemic's fallout. Given the lack of scholarly information on the impact and reach of the SRD grant within the informal economy, particularly on day labourers, this study investigates the impact of the SRD grant on the lives and livelihoods of South African day labourers in Tshwane, South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative research design, utilising in depth interviews, transcription, inductive qualitative coding and thematic analysis. Many day labourers could not access the SRD grant due to, for example the loss or absence of identity documents, and/or lack of Internet access and information on the application process. For those who received it, some pressure relating to the cost of transport and basic needs was alleviated. Occasionally, day labourers use it to supplement other funds to acquire specialised tools. Importantly, the grant was not a disincentive to continue their work‐seeking activities. The findings question the effectiveness of policy responses to economic crises within the informal sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effect of the shadow economy on tax revenue and the moderating effect of mobile phone penetration in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using data on 26 SSA countries over 11 years and employing the system General Method of Moments (GMM) approach, the study reveals that the shadow economy has a significant negative effect on tax revenue in SSA, whereas mobile phone penetration has a significant positive effect on tax revenue. Again, mobile phone penetration plays a moderating role in the shadow economy-tax revenue nexus in SSA. Governments in the SSA region need to update their tax administration systems, construct and enhance infrastructure linked to emerging mobile technology, and implement best practices in tax regulations. Lastly, governments and telecommunications companies should implement some kind of consumer education in the informal sector to raise awareness of the advantages of using mobile phones for business transactions and the simplicity of paying taxes using a mobile device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the lack of research on career plateau in the public sector, despite extensive studies on the topic in the private sector. Topics include various types of career plateau, the predominant methodological approaches used in research, and the importance of understanding how public sector-specific factors might impact career plateau experiences.

Does terrorism contribute to the growth of the shadow economy? While extensive literature has delved into the causes and consequences of terrorism, little has been studied on its impact on the shadow economy. Employing data on terrorism and the shadow economies of 116 countries from 1990 to 2017, we demonstrate that terrorism results in an increase in the size of the shadow economy and that the effect is larger in autocracies. We argue that the economic and social impacts of terrorism create environments that reinforce both exit and exclusion factors through the erosion of institutional trust and social capital, ultimately incentivizing or compelling actors to seek alternative methods of economic activities. Furthermore, a lack of free and horizontal information-sharing venues to address public fear and repressive counterterrorism measures in autocracies further hamper the economic pursuits of individuals, businesses, and foreign investors, facilitating their engagement in informal economic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous international development targets aim to encourage and formalize remittances, because they can support development efforts while controlling and monitoring illicit capital flows. Despite continued efforts to promote formal remittance channels, informal remittances flourish among specific population groups. This study uses data from the Canadian Study on International Money Transfers to analyze the determinants of remittance modality or channel choice. Previous empirical work tends to classify remittances as either formal or informal. In contrast, this article considers a variety of channels. It shows that the dichotomization of formal versus informal remittances masks crucial differences across remittance channels. Due to Canada's unique geographical positionality, cash transfers operate distinctly from informal methods despite often being treated as a homogenous group in other studies. Interestingly, remitters are also more likely to use formal money transfer operators (most of which offer cash pickup options to recipients) than informal channels to send funds to countries with larger informal sectors. Within the context of Canadian remittance outflows, this invalidates the frequent assumption that more informal destination country economies push remitters to opt for informal transfer methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article undertakes a socio-legal analysis of India's changing labour laws and situates migrant workers within the broader context of the changing relations between state, capital, and labour amid the reforms that were introduced in 2019–2020. It illustrates the precarity of migrant workers and the possibility of their legal exclusion from the revised labour codes, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic-led lockdowns. The new codes reduced the number of establishments under regulation and diluted provisions that can hold contractors and employers accountable, which increases the scope for exploitation of workers and has serious implications for the rights of migrants. The labour law reforms, we argue, appear to have favoured capital in its relations with workers and have increased the degree of informality in a wide range of industries. Inter-state migrant workers may find themselves excluded from protective provisions that hold employers accountable for their treatment and this may make them more vulnerable in the informal sector. The article concludes that this push by the state to boost the 'ease of doing business' via precarious forms of employment and whittling away the protections of inter-state migrant workers may be far more detrimental than expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study illustrates how incarcerated Latinx people create alternative social worlds or queer worldmakings as they negotiate everyday life in prison. I explore how these queer Latinx worldmakings are created and lived through the formation of chosen families or familias and the organizing of family dinners. Latinx queer worldmakings are temporary productions of social worlds that facilitate navigating life in the present while being queer and Latinx to resist as well as reconfigure disciplining heteronormative and white supremacist processes. It is the process of performing and creating a present that is oriented towards the future. I argue that such queer Latinx worldmakings counter white heteronormative social-spatial norms and carcerality, while also providing important lessons on what it means to live, love, and make place in and beyond the prison. The Latinx incarcerated women participants queered prison life by engaging in informal economies, negotiating relationships with correction officers, and securing ingredients for family dinners. By using an autoethnographic/testimonio approach and conversations with an incarcerated family member and friends, I explore two ways Latinx queer worldmakings are enacted: the creation of chosen families, and the organizing of family dinners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 settlements in Bogota, 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]

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]

COVID 19 is one of the major disasters that significantly disrupted the socio-economic statuses of various businesses and nations at large. The purpose of the study was to explore the extent to which COVID 19 affected financial inclusion in Zimbabwe. The quantitative research methodology and the purposive sampling technique were employed. Data was collected using in-depth and focus discussion group interviews from 35 participants. Data was analysed using thematic data analysis approach. Barred people in rural areas from accessing financial services which directly and indirectly increased the magnitude of poverty among people running informal businesses. Financial inclusion, is a key driver to poverty reduction; hence the negative impact of on financial inclusion significantly propels poverty in societies. Digitalizing financial services is one of the strategies which can be utilized to promote financial inclusion in the post-era. Financial institutions should use technology in financial services, so that those in rural areas do not incur transport and logistical costs for accessing financial services. Digital finance and other various financial innovations should be used to achieve financial inclusion in rural areas. Policies that encourage the delivery of formal financial services in rural areas should be developed. Governments should consider granting subsidy to providers of financial services so that they can offer basic financial services at low cost to the excluded population. Thus, governments ought to commit themselves to the delivery of accessible, affordable, appropriate and cost-effective financial services to unserved or underserved households. The study provides managers of financial institutions with various techniques of providing financial services to the informal sector in the post-eras in rural areas. It also provides managers with information pertaining to the risks in providing financial services in post-pandemic era in rural areas. Managers of internet service providers has a role in making sure that the rural folk have access to the facility so that digital banking systems become realizable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effect of the shadow economy, economic freedom and other macroeconomic factors on formal entrepreneurship in Asian countries. The dataset encompasses 28 countries over the period from 1995 to 2018. The Fixed Effect Model (FEM) and Generalized Least Squares (GLS) methodologies are employed for regression analysis. The results indicate a nonlinear relationship between the shadow economy and formal entrepreneurship. Economic freedom, particularly trade freedom, significantly enhances entrepreneurship. Positive macroeconomic influences on formal entrepreneurship include financial development, political stability, GDP per capita growth and foreign direct investment net inflows, while government spending and unemployment negatively affect entrepreneurship. The findings suggest that a substantial shadow economy does not inherently impede formal entrepreneurship. Consequently, governments should prudently consider the role of the shadow economy in fostering entrepreneurial growth. Moreover, policies aimed at improving economic freedom, especially trade freedom, can create a conducive environment for boosting formal entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has adverse impacts on contact-intensive sectors, viz., manufacturing, tourism, and the entertainment sector (ES). In a general equilibrium (GE) model with online, entertainment and informal sectors employing skill, unskilled, and capital, we show that COVID-19 could cause polarization pushing contact-intensive entertainment industry on the brink of collapse while the other two survive. Dual roles of factor intensity and contact intensity (CI) contribute to such finite changes, triggering inter-skill wage inequality. This is the first of its kind to offer a theoretical mechanism capturing the contractionary effects on contact-intensive sectors and wage inequality. These results match with the literature emphasizing the hardships faced by the cultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a method for balancing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) when the measurements of its components are distorted by the existence of the shadow economy. Our proposal to measure GDP is based on a multiple ultrastructural model (MUM), where the explanatory variables are subject to error. We show that the expected value of GDP can be divided into two parts: the first part concerns data related to registered activities and the second part concerns unobserved data which may be partly related to the shadow economy. The empirical analysis is based on the annual data for individual voivodeships in Poland for the years 2000-2019. The data are obtained from the Local Data Bank of Statistics Poland. Two approaches to measuring GDP are considered: from the expenditure side and from the production side. The results show that the unobservable part of the variables necessary to balance GDP on the production side does not exceed 1% of GDP, and on the expenditure side, it mostly reaches about 3% of GDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]