Informality Traps
Yusufcan Masatlioglu and Jamele Rigolini
,
1
(
8
)
B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy
December
2008
Abstract
Despite large deregulation efforts, informal economic activity still represents a large share of GDP in many developing countries. In this paper we look at incentives to reduce informal activity when capitalists in the formal sector regulate entry. We consider a dual economy with a formal sector employing educated workers and an informal sector with unskilled workers. We show that high costs of education make labor migration and profits in the formal sector an increasing function of its size.