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Revisiting Informality: Evidence from Employment Characteristics and Job Satisfaction in Chile

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  • Lea Cassar

Abstract

We use data from a unique, nationally representative survey to investigate the relationship between job satisfaction and employment characteristics in Chile. Consistent with the dualistic models, job protection appears to be a positive determinant of job satisfaction rather than a cost to be avoided by engaging in informal activities. Further, we find self-employed workers to be penalized by the lack of valuable workplace facilities, such as decent toilets and clean water. However, being self-employed does not necessarily mean taking the 'bad' jobs. We show that self-employed workers in Chile, like their counterparts in industrialized countries, derive procedural utility from being independent. Number 41

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  • Lea Cassar, 2010. "Revisiting Informality: Evidence from Employment Characteristics and Job Satisfaction in Chile," OPHI Working Papers ophiwp041, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
  • Handle: RePEc:qeh:ophiwp:ophiwp041
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    Cited by:

    1. Rodrigo Montero & Diego Vásquez, 2015. "Job Satisfaction and Reference Wages: Evidence for a Developing Country," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(6), pages 1493-1507, December.
    2. Federico Huneeus & Oscar Landerretche & Esteban Puentes, 2012. "Multidimensional Measure of Job Quality: Persistence and Heterogeneity in a Developing Country," Working Papers wp357, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    3. Mireille Razafindrakoto & François Roubaud & Jean-Michel Wachsberger, 2012. "Nature et fonction du secteur informel : une analyse de la satisfaction dans l'emploi au Vietnam," Working Papers DT/2012/10, DIAL (Développement, Institutions et Mondialisation).
    4. Rodrigo Montero & Tom�s Rau, 2015. "Part-time Work, Job Satisfaction and Well-being: Evidence from a Developing OECD Country," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(4), pages 370-385, April.
    5. Anna Zudina, 2013. "Do informal workers make an underclass? An analysis of subjective social status," HSE Working papers WP BRP 24/SOC/2013, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    6. Kalayanee Senasu & Anusorn Singhapakdi, 2018. "Quality-of-Life Determinants of Happiness in Thailand: the Moderating Roles of Mental and Moral Capacities," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(1), pages 59-87, March.
    7. Paula Carrasco, 2012. "El efecto de las condiciones de ingreso al mercado de trabajo en los jóvenes uruguayos. Un análisis basado en la protección de la seguridad social," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 12-13, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    8. Alejandra Villacis & Marcos Reis, 2015. "Analisis de la vulnerabilidad laboral y los determinantes del trabajo decente. El caso de Ecuador 2008-2011," Revista de Economía del Rosario, Universidad del Rosario, vol. 18(2), pages 157-185, December.

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