L’Emploi Informel Dans Les Économies Développées Et En Développement: Quelles Perspectives, Quelles Interventions?, Colin C. Williams
Nov 2013
L’Emploi Informel Dans Les Économies Développées Et En Développement: Quelles Perspectives, Quelles Interventions?, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
L’objet de cet article introductif est de proposer un panorama des définitions
et modes de quantification de l’activité informelle, de présenter quelques
résultats sur son étendue et ses caractéristiques, ainsi que d’exposer les thèses en
présence sur son rôle dans les économies contemporaines et la façon de l’aborder.
Cela donne une série de cadres conceptuels permettant de mieux appréhender la
littérature foisonnante sur l’emploi informel, et aussi de mieux comprendre l’apport
de chacune des contributions de ce numéro spécial au progrès des connaissances
sur ce phénomène.
Rémunération «De La Main À La Main» Dans L’Union Européenne, Colin C. Williams
Nov 2013
Rémunération «De La Main À La Main» Dans L’Union Européenne, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
Les auteurs révèlent le nombre de salariés qui, dans l’Union européenne,
perçoivent de leur employeur non seulement un salaire déclaré, mais aussi une rémunération
non déclarée. Exploitant les résultats d’une enquête de 2007 fondés
sur 26 659 entretiens, les auteurs montrent que 1 salarié déclaré sur 18 est rémunéré
de la main à la main par son employeur à hauteur de 25 pour cent de son salaire
brut, en moyenne. Ces arrangements salariaux hybrides sont très répandus, mais
touchent plus certains pays, catégories de salariés et types d’entreprises. Les auteurs
concluent par les implications théoriques et politiques de ces résultats.
The Shadow Economy, Colin C. Williams, Friedrich Schneider
May 2013
The Shadow Economy, Colin C. Williams, Friedrich Schneider
Colin C Williams
No abstract provided.
Tackling Undeclared Work In Montenegro, Colin C. Williams, Marijana Baric, Piet Renooy
May 2013
Tackling Undeclared Work In Montenegro, Colin C. Williams, Marijana Baric, Piet Renooy
Colin C Williams
No abstract provided.
Tackling Undeclared Work In Fyr Macedonia, Colin C. Williams, Marijana Baric, Piet Renooy
May 2013
Tackling Undeclared Work In Fyr Macedonia, Colin C. Williams, Marijana Baric, Piet Renooy
Colin C Williams
No abstract provided.
Tackling Undeclared Work In Croatia And Four Eu Candidate Countries, Colin C. Williams, Marijana Baric, Piet Renooy
May 2013
Tackling Undeclared Work In Croatia And Four Eu Candidate Countries, Colin C. Williams, Marijana Baric, Piet Renooy
Colin C Williams
No abstract provided.
Paying For Favours: Evaluating The Role Of Blat In Post-Soviet Ukraine, Colin C. Williams
Dec 2012
Paying For Favours: Evaluating The Role Of Blat In Post-Soviet Ukraine, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
To evaluate whether the illicit practice of using personal connections to
acquire goods and services, or to circumvent formal procedures, known as
blat in the Soviet era, persists in the post-Soviet world, 200 face-to-face
interviews conducted in the city of Mykolayiv in Ukraine are reported. The
finding is that personal networks are still commonly and widely used.
However, unlike Soviet era blat which was non-monetized friendly help,
control over access to assets and possessing personal connections to those
controlling access to assets, has become a commodity bought and sold for
illicit monetary payments. The paper concludes by discussing how this …
Beyond The Formal Economy: Evaluating The Level Of Employment In Informal Sector Enterprises In Global Perspective, Colin C. Williams
Dec 2012
Beyond The Formal Economy: Evaluating The Level Of Employment In Informal Sector Enterprises In Global Perspective, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
The aim of this paper is to evaluate the varying level of employment in informal sector enterprises
across the globe and to undertake an exploratory analysis of the wider economic and social conditions
associated with greater levels of informalization. Examining International Labor Organization surveys
conducted in 43 countries, the finding is that the main job of just under one in three (31.5 percent) nonagricultural
workers is in an informal sector enterprise. Conducting an exploratory analysis of the
correlation between countries with higher levels of employment in informal sector enterprises and
economic under-development (‘modernization’ thesis), higher taxes, corruption and state interference …
Envelope Wages In The European Union, Colin C. Williams
Dec 2012
Envelope Wages In The European Union, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
This article reveals how many formal employees in the European Union
receive from their formal employer not only a declared wage but also an undeclared
“envelope wage”. Reporting the results of a 2007 survey involving
26,659 face-to-face interviews, the authors find that one in 18 formal employees
receives an envelope wage from their formal employer, amounting to 25 per cent
of their gross pay on average. Such hybrid wage arrangements are ubiquitous,
but are more common in some countries, employee categories and types of firm
than others. The authors conclude by discussing the theoretical and policy implications
of these findings.
Informal Employment In Developed And Developing Economies: Perspectives And Policy Responses, Colin C. Williams
Dec 2012
Informal Employment In Developed And Developing Economies: Perspectives And Policy Responses, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
The aim of this introductory article is to provide a critical overview of
how informality has been defined and measured, together with selected findings
on its extent and character, and a summary of competing views regarding its role
in contemporary economies and how it can be tackled. The outcome is a set of
conceptual frameworks for understanding both the burgeoning literature on informal
employment and how each of the perspectives presented in this Special Issue
contributes to the advancement of knowledge on this subject so as to set the scene
for the articles that follow.
Evaluating The Prevalence And Nature Of Self-Employment In The Informal Economy: Evidence From A 27-Nation European Survey, Colin C. Williams, Jan Windebank, Sara Nadin
Jan 2012
Evaluating The Prevalence And Nature Of Self-Employment In The Informal Economy: Evidence From A 27-Nation European Survey, Colin C. Williams, Jan Windebank, Sara Nadin
Colin C Williams
Despite the emergent recognition that many in the informal economy work on a self-employed basis, few have evaluated the extent and character of such endeavour. To start to fill this gap, a 2007 Eurobarometer survey composed of 26,659 face-to-face interviews in 27 European countries is reported. This reveals that 1 in 28 of the surveyed population participated in self-employment in the informal economy over the previous year, albeit with some significant socio-economic and spatial variations in the commonality and character of participation, and their reasons for doing so. The paper concludes by reviewing the implications for future research and policy.
Evaluating The Variations In Undeclared Work In The Eu28, Colin C. Williams
Dec 2011
Evaluating The Variations In Undeclared Work In The Eu28, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
Drawing upon the results of 26,659 face-to-face interviews in the 27 member states of the
European Union (EU-27), the aim of this paper is to evaluate its varying magnitude and
whether such work is mostly wage-based (of an envelope wage or undeclared variety) or
own-account work (of a market-oriented or solidarity-oriented variety). The finding is
that in ‘welfare capitalist’ work and welfare regimes, which are more equal (measured by
the gini coefficient) pursue more extensive labour market interventions, have higher
levels of social protection and greater state redistribution, undeclared economies are
smaller and are composed mostly of solidarity-oriented own-account work. …
Theorizing The Self-Service Economy: A Case Study Of Do-It-Yourself (Diy) Activity, Colin C. Williams
Dec 2011
Theorizing The Self-Service Economy: A Case Study Of Do-It-Yourself (Diy) Activity, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
Recently, it has become increasingly recognised that self-servicing is a growing rather than declining phenomenon. To explain this, a range of competing theories have emerged which variously portray those engaged in self-servicing either as rational economic actors, dupes, seekers of self-identity, or simply doing so out of necessity or choice. This paper evaluates critically the validity of these rival explanations. To do this, the extent of, and reasons for, self-servicing in the domestic realm is empirically evaluated through an internet survey of 5,500 people living in the city of Sheffield in England. This resulted in 418 valid responses (a 7.6 …
Blurring The Formal/Informal Economy Divide: Beyond A Dual Economies Approach, Colin C. Williams, Sara Nadin
Dec 2011
Blurring The Formal/Informal Economy Divide: Beyond A Dual Economies Approach, Colin C. Williams, Sara Nadin
Colin C Williams
The need to integrate work beyond employment into discussions of labor practices is widely recognized. This has been so far largely achieved by adopting a dual economies perspective, which is criticized for depicting the formal and informal sectors as separate hostile worlds. To resolve this, an alternative “total social organization of labor” approach is here proposed that maintains the terms formal and informal as useful broad descriptors of different work relations, but recognizes a spectrum from purely formal to purely informal labor practices cross-cut by another spectrum from wholly monetized to wholly non-monetized labor practices. Reporting evidence from 861 face-to-face …
Enabling Enterprise: Tackling The Barriers To Formalisation, Colin C. Williams
Dec 2011
Enabling Enterprise: Tackling The Barriers To Formalisation, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
No abstract provided.
Evaluating The Persistence Of Subsistence Work In Contemporary Economies: Some Lessons From Moscow, Colin C. Williams, Peter Rodgers
Dec 2011
Evaluating The Persistence Of Subsistence Work In Contemporary Economies: Some Lessons From Moscow, Colin C. Williams, Peter Rodgers
Colin C Williams
Purpose – Contrary to the view that the subsistence economy is some minor residue persisting in
only a few peripheral enclaves of modern economies, the purpose of this paper is to begin to chart the
importance and prevalence of subsistence work across the contemporary economic landscape and the
reasons underpinning engagement in this form of non-commodified labour.
Design/methodology/approach – To do so, the extent of, and reasons for, subsistence production
amongst those living in contemporary Moscow is evaluated using face-to-face interviews with
313 households in affluent, mixed and deprived districts.
Findings – It was found that subsistence work is a …
From Market Hegemony To Diverse Economies: Evaluating The Plurality Of Labour Practices In Ukraine, Colin C. Williams, Peter Rodgers
Dec 2011
From Market Hegemony To Diverse Economies: Evaluating The Plurality Of Labour Practices In Ukraine, Colin C. Williams, Peter Rodgers
Colin C Williams
Drawing inspiration from a burgeoning corpus of scholars who have begun to question
the narrative of impending market hegemony, this paper seeks to further advance this
emergent ‘diverse economies’ literature by constructing a conceptual framework for
representing the multiple labour practices in economies. Transcending the simplistic
market/non-market dichotomy, this conceptualises multiple kinds of labour existing along
a spectrum from market-oriented to non-market oriented practices, which is cross-cut by
another spectrum ranging from wholly monetised to wholly non-monetised practices. The
resultant portrayal of a plurality of labour practices that seamlessly merge into each other
is then applied to understanding the types …
Jde 2012 Ghana Motives.Pdf, Colin C. Williams
Dec 2011
Jde 2012 Ghana Motives.Pdf, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
In recent years, there has been growing recognition in the entrepreneurship literature that many
entrepreneurs operate in the informal economy and that not all these informal entrepreneurs are doing
so out of economic necessity and because of a lack of choice. Instead, it has been asserted that some of
these informal entrepreneurs choose to exit the formal economy and trade on an off-the-books basis
more as a matter of choice. However, until now most research displaying this has been conducted in
advanced western and post-socialist economies. Little has been written on whether this is also the case
in third (majority) …
Rethinking The Nature Of Community Economies: Some Lessons From Post-Soviet Ukraine, Colin C. Williams, Sara Nadin, Peter Rodgers
Dec 2011
Rethinking The Nature Of Community Economies: Some Lessons From Post-Soviet Ukraine, Colin C. Williams, Sara Nadin, Peter Rodgers
Colin C Williams
This paper contributes to a small but growing body of thought that
has questioned the hegemony of capitalism by revealing the
persistence of multifarious economic practices in everyday community
economies. To further advance this school of thought, first, a
conceptual framework is developed to map the diverse economic
practices used by communities and second, this is applied through a
survey of 600 households in Ukraine. The outcome is to reveal that
just as multifarious economic practices prevailed under state
socialism, the same applies in societies in transition to capitalism,
suggesting that there are alternative futures for community economies
beyond market …
From Market Hegemony To Diverse Economies: Evaluating The Plurality Of Labour Practices In Ukraine, Colin C. Williams
Dec 2011
From Market Hegemony To Diverse Economies: Evaluating The Plurality Of Labour Practices In Ukraine, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
Drawing inspiration from a burgeoning corpus of scholars who have begun to question the narrative of impending market hegemony, this paper seeks to further advance this emergent ‘diverse economies’ literature by constructing a conceptual framework for representing the multiple labour practices in economies. Transcending the simplistic market/non-market dichotomy, this conceptualises multiple kinds of labour existing along a spectrum from market-oriented to non-market oriented practices, which is cross-cut by another spectrum ranging from wholly monetised to wholly non-monetised practices. The resultant portrayal of a plurality of labour practices that seamlessly merge into each other is then applied to understanding the types …
Work Beyond Employment: Representations Of Informal Economic Activities, Colin C. Williams, Sara Nadin
Dec 2011
Work Beyond Employment: Representations Of Informal Economic Activities, Colin C. Williams, Sara Nadin
Colin C Williams
For much of the previous century, the informal sector was largely represented as a residue of a
previous mode of production confined to marginal populations and gradually disappearing due to
the inevitable and natural shift towards the formal economy across the globe. Over the past quarter
of a century, however, articles published in Work, Employment and Society have been at the forefront
of re-reading the informal sector. This article reveals how this body of literature has shown informal
economic activities to be a persistent and ubiquitous feature of the economic landscape, mapped
the complex and variable dynamics of formal and …
Entrepreneurship In The Informal Economy: Commercial Or Social Entrepreneurs?, Colin C. Williams, Sara Nadin
Dec 2011
Entrepreneurship In The Informal Economy: Commercial Or Social Entrepreneurs?, Colin C. Williams, Sara Nadin
Colin C Williams
Recent research has revealed that a large proportion of entrepreneurs startup
their ventures operating on a wholly or partially off-the-books basis. Until now, it
has been commonly assumed that those who operate in the informal economy are
exclusively commercial entrepreneurs. They are assumed to be rational economic
actors who weigh up the benefits of operating off-the-books against the costs of
being caught and decide to operate in this manner. The aim of this paper is to
evaluate critically this a priori assumption. Reporting evidence from a 2005/6 survey
involving face-to-face interviews with 102 informal entrepreneurs in Moscow in
Russia, the …
Re-Thinking Informal Entrepreneurship: Commercial Or Social Entrepreneurs?, Colin C. Williams, Sara Nadin
Dec 2011
Re-Thinking Informal Entrepreneurship: Commercial Or Social Entrepreneurs?, Colin C. Williams, Sara Nadin
Colin C Williams
This paper evaluates critically the assumption that entrepreneurs
who start-up their business ventures operating wholly or partially
off-the-books are engaged in commercial entrepreneurship. Reporting evidence
from a 2005–2006 survey involving face-to-face interviews with
298 informal entrepreneurs in Ukraine, the finding is that they are not all
commercially-driven. Instead, these informal entrepreneurs range from purely
rational economic actors who pursue for-profit logics through to purely social
entrepreneurs who pursue solely social logics, with the majority somewhere
in the middle of this spectrum combining both for-profit and social rationales.
The result is a call for a more nuanced understanding of the heterogeneous …
Evaluating The Persistence Of Selfprovisioning In Central And Eastern Europe: Some Evidence From Post-Soviet Ukraine, Colin C. Williams, Sara Nadin
Dec 2011
Evaluating The Persistence Of Selfprovisioning In Central And Eastern Europe: Some Evidence From Post-Soviet Ukraine, Colin C. Williams, Sara Nadin
Colin C Williams
Recently, it has become increasingly recognized that the reach of the market
economy is shallower than previously assumed and that other livelihood
practices persist, such as self-provisioning. However, neither the prevalence of
nor the rationales underpinning engagement in these non-market work
practices have been widely evaluated. To start to bridge this gap, this article
evaluates the extent of self-provisioning in post-Soviet Ukraine and the reasons
for engaging in such subsistence production. Until now, participants in selfprovisioning
have been portrayed either as rational economic actors, dupes,
seekers of self-identity, or simply doing so out of necessity or choice. Analyzing
face-to-face interviews …
Re-Theorizing The Informal Economy In Western Nations: Some Lessons From Rural England, Colin C. Williams
Jan 2010
Re-Theorizing The Informal Economy In Western Nations: Some Lessons From Rural England, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
No abstract provided.
Small Businesses In The Informal Economy: The Evidence Base, Colin C. Williams
Dec 2003
Small Businesses In The Informal Economy: The Evidence Base, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
No abstract provided.
An Appraisal Of Local Exchange And Trading Systems In The United Kingdom, Colin C. Williams
May 1996
An Appraisal Of Local Exchange And Trading Systems In The United Kingdom, Colin C. Williams
Colin C Williams
During the past few years, Local Exchange and Trading Systems (LETS) have emerged through the
United Kingdom and are being widely heralded as a new tool for promoting community development.
Indeed, 64 per cent of local authorities have expressed an intention to develop a LETS in their area (Gibbs et al, 1995). However, there has been little, if any, appraisal of LETS which can inform such policy initiatives. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to report the results of a national survey of the origins, objectives, growth, magnitude, character and impacts of LETS. Arising out of this, several alterations …
