This article examines the dynamics of the informal sector in Madagascar during the 1995–2004 period, which was characterized by sustained growth that ended due to a major political crisis. As conventionally assumed by simple dualistic models, the informal sector indeed fulfils a...

Over half of all workers in the developing world are self-employed. Although some self-employment is chosen by entrepreneurs with well-defined projects and ambitions, roughly two-thirds results from individuals having no better alternatives. The importance of self-employment in the overall...

The basic neo-classical model implies that agricultural employment responds positively to increases in farm income. This argument is assumed by proponents and critics of agricultural subsidy programs in their discourse in favor of or against government support for farmers. However, empirical...

Employing a unique data set that covers almost 6000 informal enterprises from six West African urban centres, this article examines the backward and forward linkages of these enterprises to the formal sector. Our descriptive analysis shows that formal backward linkages are much more prevalent...

Over the last decade, alongside high unemployment rates, the number of discouraged workers remained high in Turkey despite high growth rates. Moreover, the ratio of men among discouraged workers is relatively high compared with other OECD countries, where discouragement is thought to be related...

The size distribution of firms in Uganda is highly skewed to the right both in 1997 and 2005. In this article I examine a potential explanation behind the shape of the size distribution in Uganda and identify, using data from 1997, a distortion from the tax environment that seems to bring...

Women who want to work often face many more hurdles than men. This is true in Tajikistan, where there is a large gender gap in labour force participation (LFP). We highlight the effects of two factors – international migration and education – on the LFP decision and its gender gap. Using...

The World Development Report of 2013 places labour in the spotlight of development research and policymaking today. Yet, there are few systematic analyses of the multifaceted nature of the link between labour and economic development. This Special Issue identifies some analytical and data-driven...