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Poverty and informal economy participation

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  • Byung‐Yeon Kim

Abstract

This paper uses a household survey of the Romanian informal economy to analyse the effects of poverty on informal economy participation. We begin by developing a simple theoretical model, which shows that the participation is driven by low income and the gap between desired and actual income level. We then estimate the determinants of households’ participation in the informal economy. Empirical findings are consistent with the theoretical prediction. In addition, a positive association between husbands and wives working in the informal economy implies the deep poverty faced by a family whose head participates in the informal economy.

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  • Byung‐Yeon Kim, 2005. "Poverty and informal economy participation," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 13(1), pages 163-185, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:etrans:v:13:y:2005:i:1:p:163-185
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0351.2005.00211.x
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    1. Aziz N. Berdiev & James W. Saunoris, 2019. "On the Relationship Between Income Inequality and the Shadow Economy," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 45(2), pages 224-249, April.
    2. Efendic Nirha & Pasovic Edin & Efendic Adnan S., 2018. "Understanding the Informal Economy in Practice – Evidence from Bosnia and Herzegovina," Financial Internet Quarterly (formerly e-Finanse), Sciendo, vol. 14(4), pages 77-89, December.
    3. Thi Hong Hanh Pham, 2022. "Shadow Economy and Poverty: What Causes What?," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 20(4), pages 861-891, December.
    4. Colin C. Williams & Ioana A. Horodnic, 2015. "Who Participates in the Undeclared Economy in South-Eastern Europe? An Evaluation of the Marginalization Thesis," South-Eastern Europe Journal of Economics, Association of Economic Universities of South and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea Region, vol. 13(2), pages 157-175.
    5. Webb, Justin W. & Bruton, Garry D. & Tihanyi, Laszlo & Ireland, R. Duane, 2013. "Research on entrepreneurship in the informal economy: Framing a research agenda," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 598-614.
    6. Jaanika Merikull & Karsten Staehr, 2008. "Unreported employment and tax evasion in mid-transition : comparing developments and causes in the Baltic States," Bank of Estonia Working Papers 2008-06, Bank of Estonia, revised 28 Nov 2008.
    7. Abbas Khandan & Masoud Nili, 2014. "Government interventions and the size of the informal economy. The case of Iran (1971-2007)," Journal of Economic Policy Reform, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(1), pages 71-90, March.
    8. Spryskov Dmitry, 2003. "Below the Poverty Line: Duration of Poverty in Russia," EERC Working Paper Series 03-04e, EERC Research Network, Russia and CIS.
    9. Henri Njangang & Luc Ndeffo Nembot & Joseph Pasky Ngameni, 2020. "Does financial development reduce the size of the informal economy in sub‐Saharan African countries?," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 32(3), pages 375-391, September.
    10. Mr. Mauricio Vargas, 2015. "Informality in Paraguay: Macro-Micro Evidence and Policy Implications," IMF Working Papers 2015/245, International Monetary Fund.
    11. Byung-Yeon Kim, 2011. "The Unofficial Economy in Russia," KIER Working Papers 797, Kyoto University, Institute of Economic Research.
    12. Oana Apostol & Salme Näsi, 2014. "Firm–Employee Relationships from a Social Responsibility Perspective: Developments from Communist Thinking to Market Ideology in Romania. A Mass Media Story," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 119(3), pages 301-315, February.
    13. Sandra Sookram & Friedrich G. Schneider & Patrick Kent Watson, 2006. "Characteristics of the household sector of the hidden economy in an emerging economy," Economics working papers 2006-05, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
    14. Alessandra Guariglia & Byung‐Yeon Kim, 2006. "The dynamics of moonlighting in Russia," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 14(1), pages 1-45, March.
    15. Bargain, Olivier & Etienne, Audrey & Melly, Blaise, 2021. "Informal pay gaps in good and bad times: Evidence from Russia," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 693-714.
    16. Yuriy Timofeyev, 2013. "The Effects of the Informal Sector on Income of the Poor in Russia," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 111(3), pages 855-866, May.
    17. Colin C. Williams & Abbi Kedir & Meryem Fethi & Sara Nadin, 2012. "Evaluating 'Varieties of Capitalism' by the Extent and Nature of the Informal Economy: The Case of South-Eastern Europe," South-Eastern Europe Journal of Economics, Association of Economic Universities of South and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea Region, vol. 10(2), pages 113-130.
    18. Aziz N. Berdiev & James W. Saunoris & Friedrich Schneider, 2020. "Poverty and the shadow economy: The role of governmental institutions," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(4), pages 921-947, April.
    19. Colin C. Williams & Friedrich Schneider, 2016. "Measuring the Global Shadow Economy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 16551.

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