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Formalization of jobs and firms in emerging market economies through registration reform

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  • Melanie Khamis

    (Wesleyan University, USA, and IZA, Germany)

Abstract

Informal firms make up a major share of the economy in most developing countries. Expanding formalization could increase government tax revenues, boost firm profits and national income, and increase employee well-being by improving access to social security and health and workers’ benefits. Reforms to encourage firms to register include simplifying procedures, reducing the cost and time to register, and making more information available on registration procedures. Reforms might not result in higher registration and formalization.In some cases, better enforcement and wider development policies might be needed as well.

Suggested Citation

  • Melanie Khamis, 2014. "Formalization of jobs and firms in emerging market economies through registration reform," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 1-67, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izawol:journl:y:2014:n:67
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fajnzylber, Pablo & Maloney, William F. & Montes-Rojas, Gabriel V., 2011. "Does formality improve micro-firm performance? Evidence from the Brazilian SIMPLES program," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 262-276, March.
    2. Miriam Bruhn, 2011. "License to Sell: The Effect of Business Registration Reform on Entrepreneurial Activity in Mexico," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 93(1), pages 382-386, February.
    3. Bruhn, Miriam, 2013. "A tale of two species: Revisiting the effect of registration reform on informal business owners in Mexico," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 275-283.
    4. Suresh de Mel & David McKenzie & Christopher Woodruff, 2013. "The Demand for, and Consequences of, Formalization among Informal Firms in Sri Lanka," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(2), pages 122-150, April.
    5. McKenzie, David & Seynabou Sakho, Yaye, 2010. "Does it pay firms to register for taxes? The impact of formality on firm profitability," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(1), pages 15-24, January.
    6. Kaplan, David S. & Piedra, Eduardo & Seira, Enrique, 2011. "Entry regulation and business start-ups: Evidence from Mexico," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(11), pages 1501-1515.
    7. Gustavo Henrique de Andrade & Miriam Bruhn & David McKenzie, 2016. "A Helping Hand or the Long Arm of the Law? Experimental Evidence on What Governments Can Do to Formalize Firms," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 30(1), pages 24-54.
    8. Gustavo Henrique de Andrade & Miriam Bruhn & David McKenzie, 2013. "A Helping Hand or the Long Arm of the Law?," World Bank Publications - Reports 22623, The World Bank Group.
    9. Monteiro, Joana C.M. & Assunção, Juliano J., 2012. "Coming out of the shadows? Estimating the impact of bureaucracy simplification and tax cut on formality in Brazilian microenterprises," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 105-115.
    10. Guillermo E. Perry & William F. Maloney & Omar S. Arias & Pablo Fajnzylber & Andrew D. Mason & Jaime Saavedra-Chanduvi, 2007. "Informality : Exit and Exclusion," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6730.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Colin C. Williams, 2023. "A Modern Guide to the Informal Economy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 18668.
    2. Diaz, Juan Jose & Chacaltana, Juan & Rigolini, Jamele & Ruiz, Claudia, 2018. "Pathways to Formalization: Going beyond the Formality Dichotomy," IZA Discussion Papers 11750, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Jessen, Jonas & Kluve, Jochen, 2021. "The effectiveness of interventions to reduce informality in low- and middle-income countries," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 138.
    4. Balde, Racky, 2021. "Financial development and small firms’ tax compliance in Sub-Saharan Africa," MERIT Working Papers 2021-041, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    5. Dumenu, William Kwadwo & Appiah, Louis Gyekye & Paul, Carola & Darr, Dietrich, 2023. "Should forest enterprises formalize? Insight from a multi-dimensional characterization of informal baobab enterprises," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    informal sector; registration process; information; simplification; cost reduction;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • O20 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - General

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