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Two faces of the same coin: Exploring the multilateral perspective of informality in relation to Sustainable Development Goals based on bibliometric analysis

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  • Davidescu, Adriana AnaMaria
  • Petcu, Monica Aureliana
  • Curea, Stefania Cristina
  • Manta, Eduard Mihai

Abstract

The study aims to investigate the research field of informality from a dual perspective—unilateral versus multilateral—in relation to Sustainable Development Goals. It highlights the dynamics of the literature and potential future research directions through mapping that enables the investigation of scientific knowledge. To elaborate the temporal development of the informality research field in terms of publications, we extract articles from Web of Science published between 1978–2021. We investigate more than 5000 documents, focusing on author, keyword, paper, journal, and topic analysis. The empirical findings emphasise the conceptual structure from the unilateral perspective, with clusters focusing on informality, urban informality, and sustainable development. Moreover, the informal economy, informality and entrepreneurship, tax evasion, tax morale and tax compliance, the shadow economy, the informal sector, and corruption are clusters from the multilateral perspective. According to the intellectual structure of the field, A. Roy is the most representative author for the subarea of informality and Sustainable Development Goals, with articles mostly related to urban informality and cities. F. Schneider, K. Gerxhani, R. LaPorta, B. Torgler, J. Alm, A. Sandmo, C. Williams, H. De Soto, and R. Dell’Anno are the most representative reference authors for the entire spectrum of informality. Finally, World Development, Geoforum, Environment and Urbanisation , Urban Studies, Habitat International, American Economic Review, Journal of Economic Literature, and Journal of Public Economy are the most prolific journals in the field of informality.

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  • Davidescu, Adriana AnaMaria & Petcu, Monica Aureliana & Curea, Stefania Cristina & Manta, Eduard Mihai, 2022. "Two faces of the same coin: Exploring the multilateral perspective of informality in relation to Sustainable Development Goals based on bibliometric analysis," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 683-705.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:73:y:2022:i:c:p:683-705
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2021.12.016
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    2. Hakan Kum, 2024. "The Relationship Between Informal Economy and Income Inequality: An Econometric Analysis for BRICS Countries," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 14(1), pages 117-125, January.
    3. Raghu Raman & Hiran Lathabhai & Santanu Mandal & Chandan Kumar & Prema Nedungadi, 2023. "Contribution of Business Research to Sustainable Development Goals: Bibliometrics and Science Mapping Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-37, August.
    4. Daniel Fonseca Costa & Brenda Melissa Fonseca & Lélis Pedro Andrade & Bruno César Melo Moreira, 2023. "Bibliometric and scientometric analysis of the scientific field in taxation," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 1-28, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bibliometrics; Cluster analysis; Informality; Network analysis; SDGs; Web of Science;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E26 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Informal Economy; Underground Economy
    • J46 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Informal Labor Market
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • C45 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Neural Networks and Related Topics

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