The shadow (underground) economy plays a major role in many countries. People evade taxes and regulations by working in the shadow economy or by employing people illegally. On the one hand, this unregulated economic activity can result in reduced tax revenue and public goods and services, lower...

In developing and transition economies as much as half the labor force works in the informal sector (or "shadow economy"). Informal firms congest infrastructure and other public services but do not contribute the taxes needed to finance them. Informal workers are unprotected against such...

This Brief examines the dynamics between the informal economy and unemployment rates, the causes of informality, its consequences and potential reduction measures at both the theoretical and empirical level. Using Lithuania as a case study, this book tests the assumption that participation in...