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Informal Sector. Ray Way Alberto Navarro. What is the Informal Sector?. The economic activity that is not taxed, monitored, or regulated by the government. Informal sector jobs are generally low-wage and low-productivity work. These jobs include: Food Vendors Street Show Entertainers
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Informal Sector Ray Way Alberto Navarro
What is the Informal Sector? • The economic activity that is not taxed, monitored, or regulated by the government. • Informal sector jobs are generally low-wage and low-productivity work. • These jobs include: • Food Vendors Street Show Entertainers • Garbage Collectors Psychics • Taxi Drivers Fruit and Vegetable • Barbers Vendors • Recycling
Causes of Informal Sector • Urbanization: Large numbers of rural residents moving to the cities in search of work. • The urban population of Peru in 1960 was 46.8%, by 2005 the figure had reached 74.6%. • The formal sector does not provide enough jobs to absorb the inflow of rural-urban migration. • The cost of doing business legally is too high
Causes of Informal Sector (Cont.) • The time it takes for registering and engaging in production is too long. • In “The Other Path,” by Economist Hernando de Soto, he documented that it took 100 administrative steps and a full year to register a small garment company in Peru. • The lack of judicial and legal efficiency increases the size of the informal sector.
Red Tape • Excessive Regulations • Filling Excessive Unnecessary Paperwork • Obtaining Unnecessary Licenses • Having multiple people or committees approve a decision • Makes a process longer and tedious
Hernando de Soto’s Study • Fictitious Clothing Co. • 10x’s bribes were solicited • 289 days • $1,231 expenses • 32 Min. monthly wages • Difficult for people with modest means to open a small buss.
Disadvantages of Informal Sector for the Government • They don’t pay taxes. • They don’t follow legal, health, and safety procedures. • Although it provides primary or secondary income, Informal work does not contribute to human capital; which is necessary for better wages and a modern economy.
Disadvantages of Informal Sector for the People • 75%-80% of those employed in the informal sector earn less than the poverty level. • Can’t request: • Municipal Services • Utilities • Obtain Titles to Property • Apply for Credit • No Legal Recourse to Agreed Contracts
Disadvantages (Cont.) • When subcontracted they have no rights to: • Job Security • Vacation Days • Minimum Wage • Sick Days • Personal Days • Benefits
Advantages of Informal Sector for the People • Provides many services cheaply and efficiently. • Many low-income housing is produced in the informal sector. • Save money and time • Can be sub-contracted by companies to work for them. • Women are disproportionately represented in the informal sector.
Advantages for Women • Food Services • Domestic Washing and Cleaning • Tourism • Petty Trading • Dressmaking • Companionship • Lower Entry Barriers • Flexible Hours for Childcare • Family Survival • 67% of Informal Sector are Women • Lack of formal Education • Credit • Technical training
Video Clips • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McSdLTno7tw • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWf4SvO_5Ww
Conclusion • The informal sector, while not legal and unaccountable to tax collection and government health, safety, social security, and laws, it provides a secondary economy in developing countries in Latin America that helps to reduce unemployment, increase income, and provide goods & services that other wise would cost more legally.