Who are the Microenterprise Owners? Evidence from Sri Lanka on Tokman V. de Soto

Who are the Microenterprise Owners? Evidence from Sri Lanka on Tokman V. de Soto PDF Author: Christopher Woodruff, David McKenzie, Suresh de Mel
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 35

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Book Description
Abstract: Is the vast army of the self-employed in low income countries a source of employment generation? This paper uses data from surveys in Sri Lanka to compare the characteristics of own account workers (non-employers) with wage workers and with owners of larger firms. The authors use a rich set of measures of background, ability, and attitudes, including lottery experiments measuring risk attitudes. Consistent with the International Labor Organization's views of the self employed (represented by Tokman), the analysis finds that two-thirds to three-quarters of the own account workers have characteristics which are more like wage workers than larger firm owners. This suggests the majority of the own account workers are unlikely to become employers. Using a two and a half year panel of enterprises, the authors show that the minority of own account workers who are more like larger firm owners are more likely to expand by adding paid employees. The results suggest that finance is not the sole constraint to growth of microenterprises, and provides an explanation for the low rates of growth of enterprises supported by microlending.

Who are the Microenterprise Owners? Evidence from Sri Lanka on Tokman V. de Soto

Who are the Microenterprise Owners? Evidence from Sri Lanka on Tokman V. de Soto PDF Author: Christopher Woodruff, David McKenzie, Suresh de Mel
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 35

Get Book

Book Description
Abstract: Is the vast army of the self-employed in low income countries a source of employment generation? This paper uses data from surveys in Sri Lanka to compare the characteristics of own account workers (non-employers) with wage workers and with owners of larger firms. The authors use a rich set of measures of background, ability, and attitudes, including lottery experiments measuring risk attitudes. Consistent with the International Labor Organization's views of the self employed (represented by Tokman), the analysis finds that two-thirds to three-quarters of the own account workers have characteristics which are more like wage workers than larger firm owners. This suggests the majority of the own account workers are unlikely to become employers. Using a two and a half year panel of enterprises, the authors show that the minority of own account workers who are more like larger firm owners are more likely to expand by adding paid employees. The results suggest that finance is not the sole constraint to growth of microenterprises, and provides an explanation for the low rates of growth of enterprises supported by microlending.

World Development Report 2013

World Development Report 2013 PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 0821395769
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 420

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Book Description
Jobs provide higher earnings and better benefits as countries grow, but they are also a driver of development. Poverty falls as people work their way out of hardship and as jobs empowering women lead to greater investments in children. Efficiency increases as workers get better at what they do, as more productive jobs appear, and less productive ones disappear. Societies flourish as jobs bring together people from different ethnic and social backgrounds and provide alternatives to conflict. Jobs are thus more than a byproduct of economic growth. They are transformational —they are what we earn, what we do, and even who we are. High unemployment and unmet job expectations among youth are the most immediate concerns. But in many developing countries, where farming and self-employment are prevalent and safety nets are modest are best, unemployment rates can be low. In these countries, growth is seldom jobless. Most of their poor work long hours but simply cannot make ends meet. And the violation of basic rights is not uncommon. Therefore, the number of jobs is not all that matters: jobs with high development payoffs are needed. Confronted with these challenges, policy makers ask difficult questions. Should countries build their development strategies around growth, or should they focus on jobs? Can entrepreneurship be fostered, especially among the many microenterprises in developing countries, or are entrepreneurs born? Are greater investments in education and training a prerequisite for employability, or can skills be built through jobs? In times of major crises and structural shifts, should jobs, not just workers, be protected? And is there a risk that policies supporting job creation in one country will come at the expense of jobs in other countries? The World Development Report 2013: Jobs offers answers to these and other difficult questions by looking at jobs as drivers of development—not as derived labor demand—and by considering all types of jobs—not just formal wage employment. The Report provides a framework that cuts across sectors and shows that the best policy responses vary across countries, depending on their levels of development, endowments, demography, and institutions. Policy fundamentals matter in all cases, as they enable a vibrant private sector, the source of most jobs in the world. Labor policies can help as well, even if they are less critical than is often assumed. Development policies, from making smallholder farming viable to fostering functional cities to engaging in global markets, hold the key to success.

Asian Agribusiness Management

Asian Agribusiness Management PDF Author: Christy Ralph D
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 981323315X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 260

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Book Description
This book of case studies is designed to provide useful information for instructional purposes and for those interested in the management of Asian agribusiness. This collected volume of case studies is organized around three major themes-growth, marketing, and upgrading strategies. Many of the cases herein were used in Advanced Agribusiness Workshops jointly organized by the Asian Productivity Organization and Cornell University held in Bangkok, Manila, and Bali. Through a case study-driven approach, this book offers an opportunity for students, policymakers, and business owners to consider the impact of key trends like value-addition, urbanization, the environment, regional integration, climate change, and technology on Asian agribusinesses.

The Informal Economy in Developing Countries

The Informal Economy in Developing Countries PDF Author: Jean-Pierre Cling
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317912233
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 367

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Book Description
Informality is ubiquitous in most developing countries. Understanding the informal economy is therefore of utmost importance from a political, economic and social point of view. Paradoxically, despite its economic importance, knowledge is extremely limited regarding the informal economy. It remains largely unrecognized by researchers, is neglected by politicians, and is even negatively perceived as it is meant to disappear with development. This book aims to amend this situation by presenting recent high level research which studies the informal sector and informal employment. Fresh research into this subject is presented through empirical analysis which covers Asia, Africa and Latin America. Each chapter relies on data and a detailed knowledge of the context of the countries studied in order to question the dominant schools of thought on the origins and causes of informality. The results provide interesting insights into the constraints faced by informal workers, the dynamics of the informal economy and its link with poverty issues. On the basis of the evidences provided by results adequate policies could be defined to address informality issues. The principal characteristics of the informal sector testify to some profound similarities between developing countries: low qualifications and the precariousness of jobs, mediocre incomes and working conditions, atomization of production units and lack of articulation with the formal economy, etc. This general statement does not contradict the observation that there is a high level of heterogeneity in the sector and in informal employment within each country, confirmed by several chapters in this work. In the absence of a sufficient number of job creations, the informal sector essentially constitutes a refuge for workers seeking and is here to stay in the short and medium term, even in emerging countries.

Tilting at the Windmills of Transition

Tilting at the Windmills of Transition PDF Author: Michael Schlattau
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030549097
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 287

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Book Description
This book investigates spatial institutional variation and its influence on entrepreneurial activity in the Russian Federation, building on an innovative geometric clustering approach. The book looks into how entrepreneurial entry can be explained by institutional factors at the regional level. Furthermore, it examines the relevance of understanding entrepreneurial ecosystems as systems of interrelated elements whose overall function may be impeded by individual components. Most importantly, substantial evidence is presented that higher levels of regional democratization and the liberties that come with them are essential prerequisites for higher rates of entrepreneurial entry and innovation in Russia. The author draws on a comprehensive panel dataset and an unconventional prediction model approach to account for the interrelatedness of institutions with regard to their effects on entrepreneurship. The heterogeneous transition context of the Russian Federation, which continues to have one of the lowest shares of innovative founders, provides an ideal setting for investigating the tedious efforts to tilt at the windmills of transition. Accordingly, the book is a must-read for researchers, scholars, practitioners and policymakers seeking a better understanding of spatial economics, entrepreneurship, economic development, transition economics, public administration and political studies.

Contemporary Microenterprise

Contemporary Microenterprise PDF Author: Joseph Mark S. Munoz
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
ISBN: 184980804X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 337

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Book Description
While there have been numerous books and articles written on the popular topic of microfinance , few books have been written on the business model behind it: the microenterprise . Due to its diversity of thought and high quality of chapter contributions, this book is poised to be the book on microenterprises . Contemporary Microenterprise is a collage of the latest research and viewpoints on the subject by recognized academics and experts from around the globe. Through the confluence of diverse and profound voices from around the world, very small (micro) businesses have proven to be the most prevalent and fastest-growing business form, and a suitable model for enterprise survival and success in a challenging global economy. Joseph Mark Munoz has brought together an international cast of contributors, and draws insights from concepts and cases from locations such as Vietnam, the United States, Latin America and Africa. The chapters include conceptual frameworks and research that yield valuable lessons and practical business solutions. The broad scope of this compendium, coupled with its careful attention to detail, will be of critical value to business students and their professors, industry executives, government officials, policymakers, consultants and entrepreneurs.

Beyond Ending Poverty

Beyond Ending Poverty PDF Author: Shahidur R. Khandker
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464808953
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 280

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Book Description
The recent past has witnessed phenomenal growth in MFIs around the world. Today as many as 200 million people are beneficiaries of microfinance. Given its worldwide attention, microfinance has received serious criticism, including the argument that it is a fad with less-than-expected benefits for the poor. Surely, microfinance is not without any pitfalls. Yet the premise of improving access to financial services for consumption smoothing by the poor has never been a subject of controversy. What has been controversial is whether microfinance can alleviate poverty. That the poor lack an effective and affordable alternative financing mechanism to support income generation does not necessarily mean microfinance is a panacea since it involves entrepreneurial skills, which many poor lack. It is little wonder that studies evaluating the benefits of microfinance have produced conflicting results. Of course, study findings are contextual: They are positive in conducive environments and less so in unfavorable ones. Microfinance must be distinguished from anti-poverty schemes (e.g., conditional cash transfers) because benefits from microfinance-supported activities, which involve participants’ entrepreneurial skills and ability, take time to realize. This book using household long panel survey of 1991/92-2010/11 from Bangladesh addresses some of criticisms—including whether pushing microfinance has made it redundant as a tool for poverty reduction—while investigating whether it still matters for the poor after two decades of extensive growth. The book’s findings confirm the positive effects of continued borrowing from a microfinance program. Despite a manifold increase in microfinance borrowing, loan recovery has not declined and long-term borrowers are not trapped in poverty or debt. Interest rates charged by MFIs are not too high for realizing returns on investment, although the MFIs have scope for lowering them. The book is expected to contribute to the ongoing debate on the cost-effectiveness of microfinance as a tool for inclusive growth and development. It is expected to fill knowledge gaps in understanding the various virtues of microfinance against its portrayal as having drifted from its original poverty-reduction mission.

Anti-Poverty Psychology

Anti-Poverty Psychology PDF Author: Stuart C. Carr
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1461463033
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 218

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Book Description
Psychology has focused more on personalities in poverty -- pathologizing -- than on contexts for poverty reduction (Pick & Sirkin, 2010). As a result, the discipline has inadvertently sequestered and isolated itself, and its potential contribution, from poverty reduction initiatives - globally and locally. In recent years, there have been major developments in both the scope and depth of psychological research on global development issues. Some of the key developments include significant advances in understanding of what motivates teachers in schools, on designing community interventions to promote health, and on managing the development of human “capacity” in aid and development projects. The Psychology of Poverty Reduction is poised to capture such advances in the understanding of ‘what works’ - and what does not.

High-Growth Firms

High-Growth Firms PDF Author: Arti Grover Goswami
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464813701
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 222

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Book Description
Remarkably, a small fraction of firms account for most of the job and output creation in high-income and developing countries alike. Does this imply that the path to enabling more economic dynamism lies in selectively targeting high-potential firms? Or would pursuing broad-based reforms that minimize distortions be more effective? Inspired by these questions, this book presents new evidence on the incidence, characteristics, and drivers of high-growth firms based on in-depth studies of firm dynamics in Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, and Turkey. Its findings reveal that high-growth firms are not only powerful engines of job and output growth but also create positive spillovers for other businesses along the value chain. At the same time, the book debunks several myths about policies to support firm dynamism that focus on outward characteristics, such as firm size, sector, location, or past performance. Its findings show that most firms struggle to sustain rapid rates of expansion and that the relationship between high growth and productivity is often weak. Consequently, the book calls for a shift toward policies that improve the quality of firm growth by supporting innovation, managerial skills, and firms’ ability to leverage global linkages and agglomeration. To help policy makers structure policies that support firm growth, the book proposes a new ABC framework of growth entrepreneurship: improving Allocative efficiency, encouraging Business-to-business spillovers, and strengthening firm Capabilities. This book is the third volume of the World Bank Productivity Project, which seeks to bring frontier thinking on the measurement and determinants of productivity to global policy makers. 'Policy makers often get carried away by the disproportionate contributions of high-growth firms to job and output growth and commit to pursuing policies targeting the potential ‘stars.’ This book separates fact from fiction underpinning such interventions through a comprehensive analysis of high-growth firms across a range of developing countries, making a compelling argument that public policy to pick prospective winners is neither possible nor desirable. Policy makers would be wise to consult its arguments and policy advice when designing the next generation of policies to support the growth of firms.' William R. Kerr Professor of Business Administration, Harvard University; author of The Gift of Global Talent: How Migration Shapes Business, Economy and Society 'How to ignite and sustain high firm growth has eluded both economic analysis and thought leaders in policy and business. Through its meticulous and thoughtful analysis, this important new book provides a tractable framework to guide policy to harness the growth and productivity potential of firms in the developing-country context.' David Audretsch Distinguished Professor and Director of the Institute for Development Strategies, Indiana University .

Reforms and Economic Transformation in India

Reforms and Economic Transformation in India PDF Author: Jagdish Bhagwati
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199915202
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 309

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Book Description
Reforms and Economic Transformation in India is the second volume in the series Studies in Indian Economic Policies. In this book, nine original essays pursue three interrelated themes: Why the movement of workers out of agriculture, into industry and services, and from informal to formal employments has been slow, explaining the impact the reforms have had on profitability and competition among enterprises,and analyzing the impact on the socially disadvantaged in terms of wage and education outcomes and entrepreneurship.