The main goal of this study is two-fold: (1) to provide a general overview of thecontributions to the literature on the informal sector, with a special focus on the PublicChoice approach; and (2) to compare these contributions across two institutionallydifferent types of countries: developed and...

This study estimates the size of the informal economy, and the relative contribution of each underlying factor, for the Caucasus and Central Asia countries in 2008. Using a Multiple Indicator-Multiple Cause model, we find that a burdensome tax system, rigid labor market, low institutional...

There have been repeated claims that informal institutions play an important or even crucial role in economic development. Yet, measuring informal institutions entails serious challenges. This paper identifies the difficulties in measuring informal institutions, critically discusses some...

In the least developed countries, the informal sector faces great challenges in accessing healthcare services since most people are not mainstreamed. This has prompted the formation of groups as a way of empowerment. The objective of this study was to examine the factors contributing to health...

This paper uses the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (RLMS) from 1998 to 2004 to analyze the effect of previous informal economy activities on the creation of official entrepreneurship. We find that previous participation in the informal economy is positively associated with the...

This paper introduces a comprehensive database of informal economic activity. The database focuses on measures that have strong cross-country and over time coverage: it includes both model-based and survey-based measures of informality and covers more than 160 economies for the period 1990-2018....

We study the degree of synchronization between formal- and informal-economy business cycles. Using a comprehensive database of informal activity that covers a wide range of informality measures from almost 160 countries over the 1990-2018 period, we report two major results. First, fluctuations...

A review of the mode of regulation of the labor market regulation is expected according to the new "labor law" - in circulation for some time. The debate remains open as to the "illegalization" of informal job or the "formalization" of the informal economy. Informal employment (not affiliated...

The main purpose of this paper is to look at the incorporation of gender and the informal sector within a general equilibrium framework for India. Moreover, we clarify some important links between a gender aware informal sector based social accounting matrix (SAM) and general equilibrium models...