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Supporting self-employment and small-scale entrepreneurship: potential programs to improve livelihoods for vulnerable workers

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Listed:
  • Yoonyoung Cho

    (World Bank and IZA)

  • David Robalino

    (World Bank and IZA)

  • Samantha Watson

    (World Bank)

Abstract

This paper provides a review of the profiles of the subsistence entrepreneurs and their constraints, and the landscape of current entrepreneurship programs and the evidence on impacts, and discusses the potential role of public policies for the livelihoods of subsistence entrepreneurs. Worldwide over a half of workers are self-employed, but a significant fraction of these self-employed jobs are of low productivity subsistence entrepreneurs. The focus of the entrepreneurship programs to support these self-employed in poverty is to improve their livelihoods rather than promoting cutting-edge innovation and business growth. Evidence of successful programs is limited and program designs often seem ill suited to the needs and characteristics of these subsistence entrepreneurs. Given the market failures faced by subsistence entrepreneurs, interventions that complement safety net programs with well-targeted support to promote productive self-employment may hold some promise. Jel codes: O12, O16, J24

Suggested Citation

  • Yoonyoung Cho & David Robalino & Samantha Watson, 2016. "Supporting self-employment and small-scale entrepreneurship: potential programs to improve livelihoods for vulnerable workers," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-26, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:izalpo:v:5:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1186_s40173-016-0060-2
    DOI: 10.1186/s40173-016-0060-2
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    2. Sasha A. Fleary & Carolina Gonçalves & Patrece L. Joseph & Dwayne M. Baker, 2022. "Census Tract Demographics Associated with Libraries’ Social, Economic, and Health-Related Programming," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-13, May.
    3. Balwant Singh Mehta & Ishwar Chandra Awasthi, 2022. "Dynamics of Urban Labour Market and Informality," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 65(1), pages 19-37, March.
    4. Abede Jawara Mack & Daniel White & Osiris Senghor, 2019. "An insight into entrepreneurship education practices in Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 9(1), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Ten,Gi Khan & Merfeld,Joshua David & Hirfrfot,Kibrom Tafere & Newhouse,David Locke & Pape,Utz Johann, 2022. "How Well Can Real-Time Indicators Track the Economic Impacts of a Crisis Like COVID-19 ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10080, The World Bank.
    6. Mashapure Rahabhi & Madzimure Grace P.K & Msipah Nothando & Dandira Martin & Kandjinga Elias, 2021. "Women Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Rural Livelihoods," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 8(2), pages 64-73, February.
    7. Palacios, Robert & Robalino, David A., 2020. "Integrating Social Insurance and Social Assistance Programs for the Future World of Labor," IZA Discussion Papers 13258, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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