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Informality and Regulations: What Drives the Growth of Firms?

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  • Era Dabla-Norris
  • Gabriela Inchauste

Abstract

This paper relies on rich firm-level data on transition economies to examine the role of informality as an important channel through which regulatory and other policy constraints affect firm growth. We find that firms reduce their formal operations with greater tax and regulatory burdens, but increase them with better enforcement quality. In terms of firm growth, we find a differential impact of regulatory burden and enforcement quality on formal and informal firm growth. In particular, we find that growth in formal firms is negatively affected by both tax and financing constraints, whereas these constraints are insignificant for growth in informal firms. Moreover, formal firm growth improves with better enforcement, while informal firm growth is constrained by organized crime, pointing to informal firms' inability to take full advantage of the legal and judicial systems. Finally, we find that an interaction term between a countrywide measure of the rule of law and formality is positive, suggesting that better rule of law improves formal firm growth. IMF Staff Papers (2008) 55, 50–82; doi:10.1057/palgrave.imfsp.9450030; published online 22 January 2008

Suggested Citation

  • Era Dabla-Norris & Gabriela Inchauste, 2008. "Informality and Regulations: What Drives the Growth of Firms?," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 55(1), pages 50-82, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:imfstp:v:55:y:2008:i:1:p:50-82
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. John C. Anyanwu, 2016. "Empirical Analysis of the Main Drivers of Income Inequality in Southern Africa," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 17(2), pages 337-364, November.
    2. Era Dabla-Norris & Mark Gradstein & Fedor Miryugin & Florian Misch, 2019. "Productivity and Tax Evasion," CESifo Working Paper Series 8002, CESifo.
    3. Colin C. Williams, 2023. "A Modern Guide to the Informal Economy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 18668.
    4. Divanbeigi,Raian & Ramalho,Rita, 2015. "Business regulations and growth," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7299, The World Bank.
    5. Ghulam, Yaseen, 2021. "Institutions and firms’ technological changes and productivity growth," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    6. World Bank & International Finance Corporation, 2013. "Doing Business 2014 : Understanding Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 16204.
    7. World Bank & International Finance Corporation, "undated". "Doing Business in the East African Community 2011," World Bank Publications - Reports 27390, The World Bank Group.
    8. Dan Andrews & Aida Caldera Sánchez & Åsa Johansson, 2011. "Towards a Better Understanding of the Informal Economy," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 873, OECD Publishing.
    9. Julia Friesen & Konstantin M. Wacker, 2019. "Who is Afraid of Informal Competition? The Role of Finance for Firms in Developing and Emerging Economies," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 31(4), pages 1126-1146, September.
    10. Gaetano Perone, 2020. "The impact of agribusiness crimes on food prices: evidence from Italy," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 37(3), pages 877-909, October.
    11. Sangheon Lee & Deirdre McCann & Nina Torm, 2008. "The World Bank's “Employing Workers” index: Findings and critiques – A review of recent evidence," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 147(4), pages 416-432, December.
    12. Becker, Dennis, 2014. "Heterogeneous Firms and Informality: The Effects of Trade Liberalization on Labor Markets," Working Papers 180124, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    13. Nam Hoang Vu & Tram-Anh Nguyen & Tram Bao Hoang & Nguyen Viet Cuong, 2024. "Formal Firms with Bribery in a Dynamic Business Environment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 191(3), pages 571-589, May.
    14. Ms. Junko Koeda & Ms. Era Dabla-Norris, 2008. "Informality and Bank Credit: Evidence from Firm-Level Data," IMF Working Papers 2008/094, International Monetary Fund.

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