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Informality in a micro economy: Measurement, composition and consequences

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  • Mustafa BESIM
  • Tufan EKICI
  • Glenn P. JENKINS

Abstract

This article measures the extent of – and unrecorded income generated by – informal employment in a micro economy characterized by poor governance. Household survey and census data are used to estimate the number of informal workers in Northern Cyprus and analyse the characteristics of informal employment, for the period 2004–11. Informal workers are mostly comprised of citizens with no social security registration, illegally employed immigrants or second-job holders who have not registered their second jobs. In terms of value added, the estimated size of the informal economy is 9.1 per cent and 12.2 per cent of GNP in 2006 and 2011, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Mustafa BESIM & Tufan EKICI & Glenn P. JENKINS, 2015. "Informality in a micro economy: Measurement, composition and consequences," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 154(3), pages 353-371, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:intlab:v:154:y:2015:i:3:p:353-371
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/j.1564-913X.2015.00246.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Colin C. WILLIAMS & Mark A. LANSKY, 2013. "Informal employment in developed and developing economies: Perspectives and policy responses," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 152(3-4), pages 355-380, December.
    2. Simon COMMANDER & Natalia ISACHENKOVA & Yulia RODIONOVA, 2013. "Informal employment dynamics in Ukraine: An analytical model of informality in transition economies," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 152(3-4), pages 445-467, December.
    3. Dominik H. Enste & Friedrich Schneider, 2000. "Shadow Economies: Size, Causes, and Consequences," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 38(1), pages 77-114, March.
    4. Friedrich Schneider & Dominik Enste, 1999. "Shadow Economies Around the World - Size, Causes, and Consequences," CESifo Working Paper Series 196, CESifo.
    5. Colin C. Williams, 2006. "The Hidden Enterprise Culture," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 3948.
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    Cited by:

    1. Van Ha, Le, 2024. "Unveiling a novel approach to corruption measurement: Leveraging household survey data on income and expenditure through forensic analysis," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    2. Amin Sokhanvar & Glenn P. Jenkins & Hasan Ulas Altiok, 2019. "The Political Economy of the Taxation of Individuals in North Cyprus," Development Discussion Papers 2019-01, JDI Executive Programs.
    3. Maciej Berk{e}sewicz & Dagmara Nikulin, 2019. "Estimation of the size of informal employment based on administrative records with non-ignorable selection mechanism," Papers 1906.10957, arXiv.org.
    4. Maciej Berȩsewicz & Dagmara Nikulin, 2021. "Estimation of the size of informal employment based on administrative records with non‐ignorable selection mechanism," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 70(3), pages 667-690, June.

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