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Government Effectiveness and Regional Variation in Informal Employment

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  • Erik Jonasson

Abstract

This article analyses the role of government effectiveness in the determination of informal employment. A theoretical model is developed, in which local governance and worker skill level are assumed to influence the decision of the worker whether to seek employment in the formal or informal sectors. The model is assessed empirically using data from Brazil, where almost half of the urban labour force is employed informally. The empirical analysis supports the predictions of the model and suggests that the probability of a worker being employed informally is lower in regions with better governance and higher average education.

Suggested Citation

  • Erik Jonasson, 2012. "Government Effectiveness and Regional Variation in Informal Employment," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(4), pages 481-497, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:48:y:2012:i:4:p:481-497
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2011.615922
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bosch, Mariano & Goni, Edwin & Maloney, William, 2007. "The determinants of rising informality in Brazil : Evidence from gross worker flows," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4375, The World Bank.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hermann Ndoya hegueu & Aristophane Djeufack dongmo, 2021. "Urbanization, Governance and Informal Economy: an African Tale," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 41(3), pages 1525-1540.
    2. Mohamed Amara, 2016. "The linkages between formal and informal employment growth in Tunisia: a spatial simultaneous equations approach," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 56(1), pages 203-227, January.
    3. Basu, Arnab K. & Chau, Nancy H. & Siddique, Zahra, 2011. "Tax Evasion, Minimum Wage Non-Compliance and Informality," IZA Discussion Papers 6228, IZA Network @ LISER.
    4. Toan Khanh Tran Pham, 2024. "Does government effectiveness moderate public spending on education–shadow economy nexus in ASEAN countries?," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 95(3), pages 761-781, September.
    5. Gareth Liu-Evans & Shalini Mitra, 2020. "Formal sector enforcement and welfare," Working Papers 202030, University of Liverpool, Department of Economics.
    6. Neslihan Kahyalar & Neelu Seetaram & Sami Fethi, 2024. "Tourism and the shadow economy: Long-run and short-run implications for resource allocation," Tourism Economics, , vol. 30(3), pages 749-766, May.
    7. Hazans, Mihails, 2011. "Informal Workers across Europe: Evidence from 30 Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 5871, IZA Network @ LISER.
    8. Le, Thai-Ha & Bui, Manh-Tien & Uddin, Gazi Salah, 2022. "Economic and social impacts of conflict: A cross-country analysis," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    9. Gengzhi Huang & Desheng Xue & Bo Wang, 2020. "Integrating Theories on Informal Economies: An Examination of Causes of Urban Informal Economies in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-16, March.
    10. Dürdane Şirin Saracoğlu, 2017. "Labour Market Policies and the Informal Sector: A Segmented Labour Markets Analysis," ERC Working Papers 1705, ERC - Economic Research Center, Middle East Technical University, revised May 2017.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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