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Crisis, Informalization and the Urban Informal Sector in Sub‐Saharan Africa

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  • Kate Meagher

Abstract

Neo‐liberal theories of informality have emphasized the potential of the informal sector for independent employment creation and growth. An alternative perspective is provided by the structuralist ‘informalization’ approach which regards the expansion of informal activity as part of the restructuring strategy of the formal sector in the face of economic recession. The informalization perspective challenges the traditional notions of the informal sector by focusing on such issues as differentiation, social networks, subcontracting and supply linkages with the formal sector, and the role of the state in informal sector expansion. Despite its First World and Latin American focus, the informalization approach offers important insights for the study of urban informal sectors in Africa.

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  • Kate Meagher, 1995. "Crisis, Informalization and the Urban Informal Sector in Sub‐Saharan Africa," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 26(2), pages 259-284, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:devchg:v:26:y:1995:i:2:p:259-284
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7660.1995.tb00552.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Sulemana, Iddisah & Kpienbaareh, Daniel, 2018. "An empirical examination of the relationship between income inequality and corruption in Africa," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 27-42.
    2. Gökçer Özgür & Ceyhun Elgin & Adem Y. Elveren, 2021. "Is informality a barrier to sustainable development?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(1), pages 45-65, January.
    3. Mehak Majeed & Zahid Gulzar Rather & Saeed Owais Mushtaq, 2024. "Informal enterprise as harbinger of women empowerment in India," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 26(2), pages 435-456, August.
    4. Diaz Olvera, Lourdes & Plat, Didier & Pochet, Pascal, 2020. "Looking for the obvious: Motorcycle taxi services in Sub-Saharan African cities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    5. Usman Ladan & Colin C. Williams, 2019. "Evaluating Theorizations Of Informal Sector Entrepreneurship: Some Lessons From Zamfara, Nigeria," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 24(04), pages 1-18, December.
    6. Sahoo, A., 2008. "Essays on the Indian economy : Competitive pressure, productivity and performance," Other publications TiSEM 374e9035-815c-43fe-a68e-e, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    7. Pauline Dibben & Colin C. Williams, 2012. "Varieties of Capitalism and Employment Relations: Informally Dominated Market Economies," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51, pages 563-582, April.
    8. Ghani, Ejaz & O'Connell, Stephen D. & Sharma, Gunjan, 2013. "Friend or foe or family ? a tale of formal and informal plants in India," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6588, The World Bank.
    9. Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2020. "Looking for the obvious: motorcycle taxi services in Sub-Saharan African cities," Post-Print halshs-02182855, HAL.
    10. Sara Stevano & Rosimina Ali & Merle Jamieson, 2021. "Essential Work: Using A Social Reproduction Lens to Investigate the Re-Organisation of Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic," Working Papers 241, Department of Economics, SOAS University of London, UK.

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