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Urban informal sector and poverty

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  • Kar, Saibal
  • Marjit, Sugata

Abstract

Many studies have explored the connection between trade and poverty theoretically and empirically for the developing world. We offer another look at the possible implications of trade liberalization on urban poverty by using the urban informal sector as a catalyst. The theory shows that trade liberalization in the import competing sector raises informal wage across occupational types, and expands production and employment in the informal industrial segment. Further, using Indian provincial data on wage, capital stock and value added in the informal sector we show that real informal wage increased with trade reform and transmitted favorable impact on urban poverty reduction.

Suggested Citation

  • Kar, Saibal & Marjit, Sugata, 2009. "Urban informal sector and poverty," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 631-642, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:18:y:2009:i:4:p:631-642
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mehta, Aashish & Hasan, Rana, 2012. "The effects of trade and services liberalization on wage inequality in India," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 75-90.
    2. Amit Basole & Deepankar Basu & Rajesh Bhattacharya, 2014. "Determinants and Impact of Subcontracting: Evidence from India’s Informal Manufacturing Sector," UMASS Amherst Economics Working Papers 2014-04, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Economics.
    3. Ravi Batra & Hamid Beladi & Reza Oladi, 2013. "Technical Progress and Real Wages Once again," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 506-518, August.
    4. Andrea Fracasso & Giuseppe Vittucci Marzetti & Diego Coletto, 2018. "Informal economy and extractive institutions," Review of Economics and Institutions, Università di Perugia, vol. 9(1).
    5. Sugata Marjit & Saibal Kar & Dibyendu Sundar Maiti, 2009. "Labor Market Reform And Poverty – The Role Of Informal Sector," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Bhaskar Dutta & Tridip Ray & E Somanathan (ed.), New And Enduring Themes In Development Economics, chapter 11, pages 229-240, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    6. Mandal, Biswajit & Chaudhuri, Saswati, 2010. "Informal Wage, Informal Price and Extortion under Migration and Tariff Reform," MPRA Paper 28704, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Mukherjee, Soumyatanu & Zafar, Sameen, 2014. "Technological progress with segmented factor markets and welfare implications for the urban poor," MPRA Paper 55297, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Meheri Tamanna & Md. Kamrul Hasan, 2015. "Life in a Megacity: Livelihood Strategies and Survival Mechanisms of Rickshaw Pullers in Dhaka City," Millennial Asia, , vol. 6(1), pages 44-60, April.
    9. Ghani, Ejaz & Kerr, William R. & O'Connell, Stephen D., 2013. "The exceptional persistence of India's unorganized sector," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6454, The World Bank.
    10. Ghani, Ejaz & Kerr, William R. & O'Connell, Stephen D., 2013. "Female business ownership and informal sector persistence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6612, The World Bank.
    11. Ceyhun Elgin & Ferda Erturk, 2019. "Informal economies around the world: measures, determinants and consequences," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 9(2), pages 221-237, June.
    12. Amit Basole & Deepankar Basu & Rajesh Bhattacharya, 2014. "Determinants and Impact of Subcontracting: Evidence from India’s Informal Manufacturing Sector," Working Papers 2014_08, University of Massachusetts Boston, Economics Department.
    13. Mukherjee, Soumyatanu, 2016. "Technology, trade and ‘urban poor’ in a general equilibrium model with segmented domestic factor markets," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 400-416.
    14. Kanupriya, 2024. "Linkages among trade, gender and environment: A review in the context of India’s textile sector," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 51(3), pages 397-409, September.
    15. Saibal Kar, 2016. "Do economic reforms hurt or help the informal labor market?," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 263-263, June.
    16. Pablo Ponce & Nathalie Aguirre-Padilla & Cristiana Oliveira & José Álvarez-García & María de la Cruz del Río-Rama, 2020. "The Spatial Externalities of Tourism Activities in Poverty Reduction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-17, July.
    17. Marjit, Sugata & Kar, Saibal, 2012. "Informal sector and the developing world: relating theory and evidence to India," MPRA Paper 103445, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Marjit, Sugata & Mandal, Biswajit, 2010. "Extortion and Informal Sector in a Small Open Economy," MPRA Paper 25044, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Marjit, Sugata & Kar, Saibal & Chaudhuri, Sarbajit, 2011. "Recession in the skilled sector and implications for informal wage," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 158-163, September.
    20. Beladi, Hamid & Marjit, Sugata & Weiher, Kenneth, 2011. "An analysis of the demand for skill in a growing economy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 1471-1474, July.
    21. Rajyasri ROY & Amit KUNDU, 2020. "An analysis of poverty among the informal workers of India," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(1(622), S), pages 87-104, Spring.

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