Skill Formation, Employment and Earnings in the Urban Informal Sector

1987 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 711-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahnaz Kazi

The origins of the informal sector are traced to the twin problems of rapid urbanization, as a result of rural to urban migration, and low rates of employment expansion in the "modem" sector. The inability of the "modern" sector to provide jobs for the fast growing urban labour force, however, is not' reflected in widespread unemployment. Instead, the surplus labour is absorbed in other sections of the urban economy which has been termed in the development literature as the informal sector. The informal sector not only serves the important function of absorbing surplus labour unable to find jobs in the modern organized sector but it is also the training ground for workers in the economy. According to the Sixth Plan document, of the estimated 50,000 skilled workers produced annually only ten percent go through formal training institutions (Government of Pakistan 1983).

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helena Cermeño

In Lahore, Pakistan’s second largest city, high population growth rates, decades of rural-urban migration, and rampant land and real-estate speculation have contributed to the rapid urbanization of peri-urban land and the engulfing of pre-existing rural settlements. Lahore’s spatial transformation goes hand in hand with an increasingly complex urban governance framework. Historically shaped by colonial planning institutions and decades of political instability as power alternated between military and civilian regimes, Pakistan’s governance practices have contributed to increasing levels of urban segregation and inequality. This raises questions around the in- and exclusionary role of planning in fostering or constraining residents’ access to housing and services. Comparing three vignettes and drawing upon insights gained from extensive fieldwork, this article employs the concept of ‘access-assemblages’ to analyze how access to urban resources—i.e., land, housing, and services—is experienced, disputed, and negotiated in the rapidly urbanizing peri-urban fringe of Lahore. The cases represent different spatial and socio-political configurations brought about by a variety of actors involved in the planning and development of the city’s periphery as well as in contesting development: private developers, the army, the city development authorities, and the residents of affected villages. The analysis unpacks the planning rationalities and mechanisms that reinforce inequalities of access and exclusions. Unfolding practices that enable or hinder actors’ ability to access resources sheds light on the complex layers assembled in urban planning in Lahore and serves as a basis to rethink planning towards a more inclusive approach.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 146
Author(s):  
Mohd. Suhaimi Mohamad

<div class="WordSection1"><p><em>In many traditional societies, women play an important role  as informal caregiver. They take care of small children, family members who are disabled, old and frail.  They perform their role within the private family sphere without much complaints. However when many women enter labour force outside their family many of them can no longer become family care giver. The  seperation between nuclear familes and extended families due to rural urban migration makes older women like mothers and mothers in-law can no longer available to provide help. As an alternative, many urban families opt for domestic help to look after their young children, disabled family members and the elderly.  Domestic helpers continue their domestic chores as instructed by the lady of the house an at the same time perform caregiving role. The important issue  related to having domestic maid to perform care giving role especially in Muslim family is regarding physical contact.  Most of the activities in caregiving roles involves physical contact especially during cleaning patients body, changing their clothes, prepare their bed, feeding them, holding their hands and body for therapy. However Islamic paractice do not allow physical contact like touching between two people who are not close family relations or mahram.  Since most of domestic maid who also perform the role as caregiver are women, therefore the issue of empowering men to become caregiver is very important  because the needs of male caregivers to care for male patients is increasing. Based onwhat is stated in the Quran and hadith and related documents, this paper will outline the need for informal care in families and communities that need to be addressed, particularly those who are Syariah-compliant. Cases from research in the relevant field will be presented to highlight the issues why men should be encourage to consider role as informal caregivers.</em><em></em></p><p>Dalam banyak masyarakat tradisional, perempuan memainkan peran penting sebagai pengasuh informal. Mereka merawat anak-anak kecil, anggota keluarga yang cacat, tua dan lemah. Mereka melakukan peran mereka dalam ruang keluarga pribadi tanpa banyak keluhan. Namun ketika banyak perempuan memasuki angkatan kerja di luar keluarga mereka, banyak dari mereka tidak bisa lagi menjadi pemberi perawatan keluarga. Pemisahan antara keluarga inti nuklir dan keluarga besar karena migrasi perkotaan pedesaan membuat perempuan yang lebih tua seperti ibu dan ibu mertua tidak lagi dapat menyediakan bantuan. Sebagai alternatif, banyak keluarga perkotaan memilih bantuan rumah tangga untuk menjaga anak-anak mereka, anggota keluarga yang cacat dan orang tua. Pembantu rumah tangga melanjutkan pekerjaan rumah tangga mereka seperti yang diperintahkan oleh nyonya rumah dan pada saat yang sama melakukan peran pengasuhan. Masalah penting terkait dengan memiliki pembantu rumah tangga untuk melakukan peran memberi perawatan terutama dalam keluarga Muslim adalah tentang kontak fisik. Sebagian besar kegiatan dalam peran pengasuhan melibatkan kontak fisik terutama selama membersihkan tubuh pasien, mengganti pakaian, menyiapkan tempat tidur, memberi makan, memegang tangan dan tubuh untuk terapi. Namun paraktek Islam tidak mengizinkan kontak fisik seperti menyentuh antara dua orang yang tidak memiliki hubungan keluarga atau mahram. Karena sebagian besar pembantu rumah tangga yang juga berperan sebagai pengasuh adalah perempuan, maka masalah pemberdayaan laki-laki untuk menjadi pengasuh sangat penting karena kebutuhan pengasuh laki-laki untuk merawat pasien laki-laki semakin meningkat. Berdasarkan apa yang dinyatakan dalam Al-Quran dan hadits dan dokumen terkait, makalah ini akan menguraikan kebutuhan untuk perawatan informal dalam keluarga dan masyarakat yang perlu ditangani, terutama mereka yang mematuhi Syariah. Kasus-kasus dari penelitian di bidang yang relevan akan disajikan untuk menyoroti masalah mengapa laki-laki harus didorong untuk mempertimbangkan peran sebagai pengasuh informal.</p></div><p align="left"> <strong><em>Keywords:</em></strong><em> gender, informal care giver, care giving, family.</em></p>


Author(s):  
Ahmadou Aly Mbaye ◽  
Nancy Benjamin

This chapter begins with an overview of the major approaches and potential limitations of defining the informal sector, followed by an analysis of its size, structure, and institutional context. It then considers the taxation of informal firms and notes the pervasiveness of tax evasion in the informal sector, along with state failures and informal employment, earnings differentials between formal and informal actors, and the role of rural–urban migration in the rise of informal labor force in developing countries. The chapter explores why informality is so pervasive in Africa; why informal firms are less productive than their formal counterparts; whether it is best for development to proceed in order to get informal firms to register and pay formal taxes; and how to help informal firms and those employed in the informal sector. Finally, it discusses a good approach to development that takes into account the existence of the informal sector.


2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (11) ◽  
pp. 1489-1505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abena Yeboah Abraham ◽  
Fidelia Nana Akom Ohemeng ◽  
Williams Ohemeng

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine female labour force participation (FLFP) and their employment choice between the formal and informal sectors after several institutional and social reforms such as Millennium Development Goal 3 aimed at promoting gender equality and empowerment of women by 2015, using data from Ghana’s 2010 Population and Housing Census. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, logit regression and multinomial logit techniques were employed. Findings The results show that FLFP has declined marginally from the 2005 figures; education remains the important factor in determining women’s participation in the formal sector. Strikingly 91 per cent of the FLFP is engaged in the informal sector of the Ghanaian economy, a sector with a very low contribution per head. Practical implications Interventions such as encouraging female education and retraining of self-employed females to improve upon their efficiency ought to be pursued vigorously; whiles developing rural areas for females to get equal labour opportunities and many others aimed at enhancing the efficiency and by inference earning per head of the informal sector is highly recommended. Originality/value The literature on the FLFP is thin in Ghana. The current study uses a census data unlike the previous studies and as such employed a huge sample size that reflects the reality in Ghana. The study contributed immensely to policy having established that 91 per cent of the female labour force is engaged in the informal sectors of the economy, and therefore any intervention targeting at reducing poverty and meeting the MDG 3 should be targeted at the informal sector of the Ghanaian economy.


1974 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Collette ◽  
Pat O'Malley

The New Zealand Maori represent an important case study in the processes of urbanization and acculturation of an indigenous people. Whereas prior to World War II very few Maoris lived in cities, despite the existence of urban areas since the mid-nineteenth century, the postwar period has witnessed the most rapid urbanization of an indigenous people. By 1966, over one-half of the Maori population resided in cities and urban boroughs. The reasons for the occurrence of this phenomenon are discussed in terms of four factors: (1) changes in the attitudes of the European population; (2) changes in governmental policies concerning the social and economic development of the Maori population; (3) differences between the economic positions of rural and urban Maoris; and (4) the social changes effected by the military and logistic necessities of World War II. One of the most important features of Maori urbanization is that it is occurring without involving extensive loss or destruction of traditional Maori culture. It seems that the rapidity with which urbanization is occurring is at least partly responsible for the maintenance of traditional culture in the urban setting.


Author(s):  
Nikolai Stähler

SummaryEmployment protection affects labour market outcomes and hence the incentive to acquire skills. Using a matching model with two education levels in which workers decide ex-ante on their skill formation, it is shown that employment protection can raise the fraction of skilled workers. This will be the case if workers obtain a sufficiently large fraction of the rent created by skill formation. Furthermore, it will be shown that high-skilled workers face shorter unemployment duration and lower dismissal probabilities.


2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Hung-Anh Le ◽  
Jo-Chun Kim ◽  
Yuan-Shing Perng ◽  
In-Won Kim

Asia is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Many Asian countries experienced strong economic growth and rapid urbanization in the last decade. However, Asia is also faced with the challenge of environmental protection, energy security and CO2 emissions. The purpose of establishment of the Asian Network for Environment and Energy (ANEE) is to connect the research and training institutions, facilitate the exchange of experience and know-how, and initiating joint projects on environmental protection and renewable energy. The network organizes annual scientific conferences, develops projects addressing environmental problems of the region, and builds personnel training programs for renewable energy and environment. The first ANEE workshop held in Ho Chi Minh City is the launching event the network addressing air pollution, water management, solid waste and energy. Châu Á là một trong những khu vực đông dân nhất trên thế giới. Nhiều quốc gia tại châu Á đã có sự phát triển kinh tế mạnh mẽ và đô thị hóa rất nhanh trong thập kỷ vừa qua. Tuy nhiên, khu vực châu Á cũng đối mặt với các thách thức về bảo vệ môi trường, phát thải CO2 và an ninh năng lượng. Mục đích thành lập Mạng lưới châu Á về Môi trường và Năng lượng (ANEE) nhằm kết nối các tổ chức nghiên cứu và đào tạo, tạo điều kiện cho trao đổi kinh nghiệm và know-how, xây dựng các dự án tổng thể về bảo vệ môi trường và năng lượng tái tạo. Mạng lưới tổ chức các Hội thảo khoa học hàng năm, phát triển các dự án giải quyết các vấn đề môi trường thời sự của khu vực, xây dựng các chương trình đào tạo nhân lực ngành môi trường và năng lượng tái tạo. Hội thảo lần thứ nhất của ANEE được tổ chức tại Tp.Hồ Chí Minh là sự kiện khởi động Mạng lưới với các chuyên đề về Ô nhiễm không khí, Quản lý nguồn nước, chất thải rắn và năng lượng.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 35-42
Author(s):  
M. Toksanbayeva

The Object of the Study. Employed populationThe Subject of the Study. Mobility and stability in the labour marketThe Purpose of the Study. Analysing the processes of mobility and stability in the labour market in the aspect of effective regrouping of labour resourcesThe Main Provisions of the Article. In the conditions of structural transformations of the economy, the role of interfirm mobility of workers should increase. It is important that this process contributes to the improvement of the quality characteristics of the labour force. In many ways, this is achieved by increasing the reserves of human capital, but a change of work can counter this. It is known that stable employment with long-term labour relations are preferable for the growth of workers' qualifications. Moreover, interfirm mobility sometimes leads to a decrease in the quality of human potential. The analysis of these processes, their dominant trends, factors and motives was based on our theoretical and applied studies of the segmented (dual) labour market. In accordance with them, the labour market is divided into segments with high-quality and mass labour resources. The information base was provided by official statistics and an expert survey of workers, conducted at the Institute for Socioeconomic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences using the qualitative interview method. As a result of the analysis, it was revealed that mass resources are more mobile in the labour market, which is rarely accompanied by an improvement in their quality. This mainly applies to workers with low qualifications. They quit due to unattractive work and poor work-related security. For skilled workers, preference is more preferable than stable employment, but with good earnings and working conditions, for the sake of improvement of which they are ready to change jobs, but without changing their profession. At the same time, the processes of high mobility of specialists, whose professions allow working in various fields of activity (information technologies etc), have also been opened. It has been established that so far the increase in the level of employment of high-quality labour resources is limited by low rates of structural transformations of the economy.


2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 255-272
Author(s):  
Akim M. Rahman

Recent years’ rapid urbanization and then rural to urban migration have created increasing demands of bricks usages in Bangladesh. However, brick industry has been largely using inefficient, dirty technology and burns woods-coal. It injects huge volume of CO2 in atmosphere. For policy guidance on the issue, this study analyzes the basic issues of CO2 emission from brickfields in terms of marginal damage (MD) analysis. Findings show that the marginal social costs are higher than marginal private (producer of bricks) costs where brickfields are benefiting with the expense of Bangladeshi society as a whole. As time passes by, rises of brick-prices have been causing upward trends of welfare losses where producers’ surpluses are dominating in the total surplus. This economic situation has been causing higher deadweight loss year after year. Addressing the issues, national strategies and policy actions are needed. Reforestation efforts can be achieved in multi-faucets: brick-fields’ charity, government policies on planting trees & policies on motivational efforts inspiring citizens of Bangladesh. Motivational policy can be: i) inspiring celebration individual’s “Birthday, Having 1st child in family and Event of marriage” by planting trees, ii) forcing to utilize green tech in brick kilns and iii) conducting academic research where financial supports are in need. Keywords: brickfields, effluent gases emission, causes social costs & deadweight loss, reforestation, motivational efforts of government policies


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