LEADER 03169nam 22005173 450 001 9910838309103321 005 20231110212632.0 010 $a1-4648-1836-3 024 7 $a10.1596/978-1-4648-1834-9 035 $a(CKB)5670000000610404 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC30368223 035 $a(Au-PeEL)EBL30368223 035 $a(NjHacI)995670000000610404 035 $a(EXLCZ)995670000000610404 100 $a20230210d2023 uy 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aurcnu|||||||| 181 $ctxt$2rdacontent 182 $cc$2rdamedia 183 $acr$2rdacarrier 200 10$aHidden Potential $eRethinking Informality in South Asia 205 $a1st ed. 210 1$aWashington, D. C. :$cWorld Bank Publications,$d2023. 210 4$dİ2022. 215 $a1 online resource (355 pages) 225 1 $aSouth Asia Development Forum 311 $a1-4648-1834-7 330 $aInformality remains widespread in South Asia despite decades of economic growth. The low earnings and high vulnerability in the informal sector make this a major development issue for the region. Yet, there is no consensus on its causes and consequences, with the debate polarized between a view that informality is a problem of regulatory evasion and should be eradicated, and another that equates informality with economic exclusion. Recent advances in analyzing informality as the outcome of firm dynamics in distorted economic environments can help reconcile them. Building on these advances, the approach adopted in this volume clarifies that there are different types of informality, with different drivers and consequences. The report has four main messages that underscore the need for a multipronged strategy. First, informality in South Asia is dominated by firms that happen to be outside the purview of regulations because they are small, as opposed to those that remain small to escape regulations. Second, reforms of business regulations tend to have small direct effects on the informal sector, although they could have sizable indirect impacts on it if they succeed in removing major inefficiencies in the broader economy. Third, e-commerce platforms offer new opportunities to informal firms and workers, but many of them lack complementary skills or credit to benefit from such technologies. Fourth, a combination of contributory and non-contributory programs recognizing the heterogenous saving capacities of informal workers may be necessary to achieve more universal coverage of social insurance. 410 0$aSouth Asia Development Forum 517 $aHidden Potential 606 $aInformal sector (Economics) 606 $aInformal sector (Economics)$xTaxation$zSouth Asia 606 $aInformal sector (Economics)$zSouth Asia 615 0$aInformal sector (Economics) 615 0$aInformal sector (Economics)$xTaxation 615 0$aInformal sector (Economics) 676 $a330 700 $aBussolo$b Maurizio$0123803 701 $aSharma$b Siddharth$01728956 801 0$bMiAaPQ 801 1$bMiAaPQ 801 2$bMiAaPQ 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910838309103321 996 $aHidden Potential$94138439 997 $aUNINA