IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/fortra/v55y2020i2p168-188.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Economic Recession, Informal Sector and Skilled–Unskilled Wage Disparity in a Developing Economy: A Trade-Theoretical Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Sushobhan Mahata
  • Rohan Kanti Khan
  • Ranjanendra Narayan Nag

Abstract

The paper analyses some selective aspects of economic crises, namely skilled-sector recession, reversed international migration of labour and decline in foreign capital inflow on the informal sector employment and wage rate in developing economies and seeks to explain the non-monotonic effect on the informal sector both across nations and within nation across sectors. In so doing, we develop three-sector General Equilibrium models under two different scenarios which may apply to a large class of emerging market economies. In the first model, we have a traded informal export sector, and the role of the non-traded informal sector in the presence of credit market imperfection is analysed in the second model. Skilled-sector recession produces a favourable (unfavourable) effect on the workers employed in the traded informal sector (non-traded informal sector) due to an induced complementary relationship between the high-skilled export sector and the informal sector. A fall in emigration level of skilled or unskilled worker and a decline in foreign capital inflow hurt the workers in the informal traded sector, while the workers in the non-traded informal sector gain. The results of the paper reflect contradictions of an emerging economy, which is essentially hybrid economics in which capitalist nucleus has a conditional-conditioning relationship with an archaic structure. JEL Codes: F13, J31

Suggested Citation

  • Sushobhan Mahata & Rohan Kanti Khan & Ranjanendra Narayan Nag, 2020. "Economic Recession, Informal Sector and Skilled–Unskilled Wage Disparity in a Developing Economy: A Trade-Theoretical Analysis," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 55(2), pages 168-188, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:fortra:v:55:y:2020:i:2:p:168-188
    DOI: 10.1177/0015732519894132
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0015732519894132
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0015732519894132?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Keshmeer Makun, 2017. "Trade Openness and Economic Growth in Malaysia," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 52(3), pages 157-170, August.
    2. Huynh, Phu & Kapsos, Steven & Kim, Kee Beom & Sziraczki, Gyorgy, 2010. "Impacts of Current Global Economic Crisis on Asia's Labor Market," ADBI Working Papers 243, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    3. Marjit,Sugata & Kar,Saibal (ed.), 2018. "International Trade, Welfare, and the Theory of General Equilibrium," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781108473873, September.
    4. Sarbajit Chaudhuri & Arnab Ghosh & Sattiki Deb, 2018. "Foreign Direct Investment and Rural Farm and Nonfarm Sectors in a Developing Economy," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 16(3), pages 787-810, September.
    5. Nicoletta Batini & Young-Bae Kim & Paul Levine & Emanuela Lotti, 2009. "Informal Labour and Credit Markets: A Survey," School of Economics Discussion Papers 0609, School of Economics, University of Surrey.
    6. Sarbajit Chaudhuri, 2016. "Trade Unionism and Welfare Consequences of Trade and Investment Reforms in A Developing Economy," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(1), pages 152-171, February.
    7. Basu, Kaushik & Bell, Clive, 1991. "Fragmented duopoly : Theory and applications to backward agriculture," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 145-165, October.
    8. 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.
    9. Chaudhuri, Tamal Datta, 1989. "A theoretical analysis of the informal sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 351-355, March.
    10. Calvo, Guillermo A, 1978. "Urban Employment and Wage Determination in LDC's: Trade Unions in the Harris-Todaro Model," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 19(1), pages 65-81, February.
    11. Chaudhuri, Sarbajit & Gupta, Manash Ranjan, 1996. "Delayed formal credit, bribing and the informal credit market in agriculture: A theoretical analysis," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 433-449, December.
    12. Somasree Poddar & Sarbajit Chaudhuri, 2016. "Economic Reforms and Gender-Based Wage Inequality in the Presence of Factor Market Distortions," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 14(2), pages 301-321, December.
    13. Chau, Nancy H & Khan, M Ali, 2001. "Optimal Urban Employment Policies: Notes on Calvo and Quibria," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 42(2), pages 557-568, May.
    14. repec:bla:econom:v:64:y:1997:i:254:p:331-43 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Phu Huynh & Kee Beom Kim & Gyorgy Sziraczki, 2010. "Impacts of Current Global Economic Crisis on Asia’s Labor Market," Working Papers id:3137, eSocialSciences.
    16. Sarbajit Chaudhuri, 2000. "Rural–Urban Migration, the Informal Sector, Urban Unemployment, and Development Policies: A Theoretical Analysis," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(3), pages 353-364, October.
    17. Sarbajit Chaudhuri, 2003. "How and how far to liberalize a developing economy with informal sector and factor market distortions," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(4), pages 403-428.
    18. Gupta, Manash Ranjan, 1993. "Rural-urban migation, informal sector and development policies A theoretical analysis," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 137-151, June.
    19. Sarbajit Chaudhuri, 2005. "Labour Market Distortion, Technology Transfer And Gainful Effects Of Foreign Capital," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 73(2), pages 214-227, March.
    20. Gangopadhyay, Shubhashis & Sengupta, Kunal, 1987. "Small Farmers, Moneylenders and Trading Activity," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 39(2), pages 333-342, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mahata, Sushobhan & Khan, Rohan Kanti & Chaudhuri, Sarbajit & Nag, Ranjanendra Narayan, 2022. "COVID-19 lockdown, family migration and unemployment in a gendered society," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(3), pages 218-236.
    2. Priya Brata Dutta & Nirjhar Ghosh, 2021. "Wage Inequality and Unemployment in the Presence of Imported Intermediate Goods: A Theoretical Analysis," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 56(4), pages 375-399, November.
    3. Sarbajit Chaudhuri & Sushobhan Mahata & Salonkara Chaudhuri, 2022. "COVID-19 disaster and employment generation program in a developing economy," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 24(1), pages 46-64, June.
    4. Rohan Kanti Khan & Sushobhan Mahata & Ranjanendra Narayan Nag, 2023. "Pandemic Crisis, Contact Intensity and Gender Disparity in a Developing Economy," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 42(1), pages 30-53, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chaudhuri, Sarbajit & Gupta, Manash Ranjan, 2014. "International factor mobility, informal interest rate and capital market imperfection: A general equilibrium analysis," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 184-192.
    2. Kuo†Hsing Kuo & Cheng†Te Lee & Shang†Fen Wu, 2018. "Environmental Policy And Labour Market Imperfection," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 70(2), pages 175-184, April.
    3. Chaudhuri, Sarbajit & Gupta, Manash Ranjan, 2013. "Endogenous Capital Market Imperfection, Informal Interest Rate Determination and International Factor mobility in a General Equilibrium Model," MPRA Paper 51157, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Dibyendu Banerjee & Purbasha Bhattacharyya & Susmita Chatterjee, 2024. "Market Distortions and Welfare in Developing Countries: A Search for Critical Levels of Reforms," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 67(2), pages 501-522, June.
    5. M. Ali Khan, 2007. "The Harris-Todaro Hypothesis," Labor Economics Working Papers 22206, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    6. Chaudhuri, Sarbajit, 2007. "Foreign capital, welfare and urban unemployment in the presence of agricultural dualism," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 149-165, March.
    7. Chaudhuri, Sarbajit, 2010. "Economic recession, demand constraint and labour markets in a developing economy," MPRA Paper 27433, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Somasree Poddar & Sarbajit Chaudhuri, 2016. "Economic Reforms and Gender-Based Wage Inequality in the Presence of Factor Market Distortions," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 14(2), pages 301-321, December.
    9. Chaudhuri, Sarbajit & Mukhopadhyay, Ujjaini, 2009. "Revisiting the Informal Sector: A General Equilibrium Approach," MPRA Paper 52135, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Chaudhuri, Sarbajit & Banerjee, Dibyendu, 2006. "Economic Liberalization and Informal Wage in a Small Open Economy: Does Capital Mobility count?," MPRA Paper 1353, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. 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.
    12. Sarbajit Chaudhuri & Arnab Ghosh & Sattiki Deb, 2018. "Foreign Direct Investment and Rural Farm and Nonfarm Sectors in a Developing Economy," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 16(3), pages 787-810, September.
    13. Sarbajit Chaudhuri, 2016. "Trade Unionism and Welfare Consequences of Trade and Investment Reforms in A Developing Economy," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(1), pages 152-171, February.
    14. 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.
    15. Takao FUKUCHI, 1998. "A Simulation Analysis Of The Urban Informal Sector," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 36(3), pages 225-256, September.
    16. Sarbajit Chaudhuri & Somasree Poddar Roychowdhury & Salonkara Chaudhuri, 2019. "Gender-based wage inequality and economic liberalism in the presence of endogenous supply of female labour," Indian Economic Review, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 239-260, December.
    17. Chaudhuri, Sarbajit, 2014. "How can trade unionism affect welfare consequences of trade and investment reforms in a developing economy?," MPRA Paper 59063, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Dwibedi, Jayanta & Chaudhuri, Sarbajit, 2011. "Poverty alleviation programs, FDI-led growth and child labour under agricultural dualism," MPRA Paper 29997, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Sarbajit Chaudhuri & Sushobhan Mahata & Salonkara Chaudhuri, 2022. "COVID-19 disaster and employment generation program in a developing economy," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 24(1), pages 46-64, June.
    20. Mandal, Biswajit & Chaudhuri, Saswati, 2010. "Informal Wage, Informal Price and Extortion under Migration and Tariff Reform," MPRA Paper 28704, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Credit market imperfection; informal sector; economic recession; wage inequality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:fortra:v:55:y:2020:i:2:p:168-188. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.