Arbeitspapier

Formality, informality, and social welfare

An industry is modeled in which entrepreneurs, who are heterogeneous in ability, may produce formally or informally. It is shown how the formal-informal mix depends on the distribution of ability, product demand and various parameter values. The industry equilibrium is compared to one in which informality is prohibited. With relatively high product demand, the effect of entrepreneurs being free to choose informality is that consumer surplus and total employment are reduced, but profit is redistributed towards more able entrepreneurs. With relatively low product demand the opposite effects obtain. We also show that informality may be a built-in stabilizer or destabilizer.

Sprache
Englisch

Erschienen in
Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 3550

Klassifikation
Wirtschaft
Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
Thema
Formality
informality
social welfare
Unternehmer
Dualökonomie
Informeller Sektor
Industrieökonomik
Gesamtwirtschaftliche Nachfrage
Wohlfahrtseffekt
Theorie

Ereignis
Geistige Schöpfung
(wer)
Bennett, John
Ereignis
Veröffentlichung
(wer)
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
(wo)
Bonn
(wann)
2008

Handle
URN
urn:nbn:de:101:1-20080619276
Letzte Aktualisierung
10.03.2025, 11:44 MEZ

Datenpartner

Dieses Objekt wird bereitgestellt von:
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Objekttyp

  • Arbeitspapier

Beteiligte

  • Bennett, John
  • Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Entstanden

  • 2008

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