This paper presents an exploratory analysis of the potential impacts of the Lei do Empreendedor Individual (Individual Entrepreneur Law). We intend to present evidence that helps clarify, albeit only partially, whether the policy was successful in promoting: i) micro-entrepreneurship in Brazil;...

This paper provides a preliminary analysis of the potential impacts from a formalization policy introduced in Brazil targeted at micro entrepreneurs with at most one employee. Our goal is to provide evidence to shed light on the following points: i) Did the program fostered micro...

A common explanation for the poor performance of entrepreneurs in developing economies is their inability to obtain credit to expand their scale of operation. This paper assesses the aggregate impacts of the Cartão BNDES, a credit line targeted at small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Brazil,...

This paper develops a framework for performing ex ante evaluations of the micro (at the firm level) and macro impacts of formalization policies. I estimate the model and use it analyze the two main policy approaches towards informality: increasing the costs of informality (the stick), and...

This paper develops and estimates an equilibrium model where heterogeneous firms can exploit two margins of informality: (i) not register their business, the extensive margin; and (ii) hire workers "off the books", the intensive margin. The model encompasses the main competing frameworks for...