Informality

To Formalize or Not to Formalize: Women Entrepreneurs’ Sensemaking of Business Registration in the Context of Nepal

Despite the depiction of decisions to formalize informal firms as rational and ethical, many entrepreneurs in developing countries continue to operate informally regardless of its perceived illicit status.

Journal Article
22 May 2020

E-Bookkeeping: Measuring Small Firm Behaviour

This project assesses whether more accurate record-keeping by small-business owners enables them to improve their business practices and whether providing complementary business advice can aid adoption of record-keeping.

Research Project
1 Nov 2019

Value of Formalization for Women Entrepreneurs in Developing Contexts: A Review and Research Agenda

Formalization is constantly being proposed as being of great benefit to business expansion and success.

Journal Article
1 Jan 2019

Entry Regulation and the Formalization of Microenterprises in Developing Countries

Is there a policy rationale for actively trying to encourage small firms to formalise? In the last two decades, hundreds of regulatory reforms have been implemented in countries across the world with the primary objective of making it easier to formally register a business.

Policy Insight
1 Dec 2018

Socio-spatial Differences and Business Formalization – The Case of Nepalese Women Entrepreneurs

The aim of this paper is to explain women’s transitions to the formal economy by exploring the diverse socio-spatial contexts of their entrepreneurial activities.

Conference Paper
1 Aug 2018

Entrepreneurial Motivations, Aspirations and Formalisation Decisions amongst Informal Women Entrepreneurs in Nepal

It is assumed that entrepreneurs are motivated to engage in the informal economy out of necessity for survival rather than opportunity; therefore, lacking growth aspirations and avoiding formalisation.

Conference Paper
1 Apr 2017

Exit from Informality: The Stick Treatment

Most firms are informal throughout the developing world; and most small and medium enterprises (SMEs) (60-80%) do not register with tax authorities, lowering the tax base. This remains a persistent phenomenon despite the numerous attempts made to encourage registration.

Research Note
7 Feb 2017

Enhancing the Benefits of Formalization: Experimental Evidence from the Introduction of the Entreprenant Status in Benin

Using a randomized experiment, the authors show that enhancing the benefits of formalization through personalized assistance induces more firms to formalize.

Research Note
11 Jan 2017

Transitioning into the Formal - Women Entrepreneurs in the Informal Economy of Nepal

This qualitative study aims to understand how and why different groups of informal women entrepreneurs in Nepal engage with, or make the transition to the formal sector

Research Note
5 May 2016

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