Imbricated dynamics in times of fragile growth : individuals, families and household businesses in Madagascar, 1995-2005

In developing countries, the complex interdependence of households, individuals and businesses makes the measurement of welfare dynamics challenging, especially over a long period, because economic activities are predominantly embedded in households. The context we have chosen, Madagascar between 1995 and 2005, is particularly interesting because it corresponds to an unprecedented period of growth interrupted only by a recession in 2002 due to a political crisis. Using urban, rural, cross-sectional and panel data, the three essays presented attempt to shed light on various aspects of welfare dynamics over a long period in Madagascar, with a special focus on the imbrication of productive activities, households and individuals. The first essay studies informal sector dynamics in Antananarivo with a special attention on its heterogeneous nature. The second measures the extent of the gender performance gap among informal entrepreneurs and explores the existence of gender-differentiated effects of sharing norms and the allocation of tasks within the household on the technical efficiency of enterprises. Finally, the third essay is a methodological contribution on the relevance of tracking movers in panel data collection in rural areas. Studying microenterprises within their family and social environment is necessary to fully grasp the constraints on productive activities. More research is necessary on the behavior and economic rationality of urban households. The lack of panel data on informal businesses limits what can be said on their demography, especially over a long period. There is a pressing need for innovative data collection devices which follow these production units over time