1,720,981 research outputs found
How Vulnerable are the Self-Employed? Evidence from Ugandan Small-Scale Entrepreneurs
Full text linkDue to small firm sizes and inter-linkages between household and business finances, small-scale entrepreneurs in developing countries are inherently vulnerable to temporary and permanent income shortfalls, and hence household poverty. While the International Labour Organisation (ILO) generally defines self-employment without employees as vulnerable employment, little empirical research has been done on the extent to which the self-employed are indeed vulnerable. This paper makes two main contributions: first, it operationalises the concept of vulnerability in the context of self-employment in developing countries by defining vulnerability as the risk of having business income below a living wage threshold. Secondly, it investigates the extent and correlates of vulnerability. Using a six-year balanced entrepreneur panel dataset from Kampala, Uganda, it is shown that the self-employed are heterogeneous with respect to vulnerability and observed earnings: 58-74% of the samples are classified as vulnerable in a given year and mostly earn incomes below the living wage threshold. Vulnerable entrepreneurs are shown to be significantly different from non-vulnerable entrepreneurs in several dimensions, including those that do not directly predict income
Savings Goal Calendars as Soft Commitment Devices: Evidence from Small Business Owners in Uganda
No full textEmployment Effects of Skills Trainings in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review of Recent Randomized Controlled Trials
Full text linkAbstract This study provides a comprehensive systematic review of recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the employment effects of skills training programs in sub-Saharan Africa. The review focuses on studies conducted between 2019 and 2024, a period marked by a significant increase in the number of RCTs of training interventions in this region, and we thus fill a gap left by earlier reviews that did not reflect this recent surge in experimental studies. We employ the standard SPIDER approach for defining search terms and the PRISMA procedure for search and selection to systematically analyze the impact of these training programs on employment outcomes. The findings reveal a shift towards a more optimistic assessment compared to previous analyses, suggesting that many recent skills training programs do contribute to improving employment-related outcomes.Bundesministerium für Wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100006456RWI – Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung e.V
Smallholder RSPO certification, economic benefits and agrochemical use
Full text linkAbstract Sustainability standards, such as the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), can potentially mitigate the trade-offs between economic benefits and environmental harm of oil palm expansion. Using unique primary household and farm level panel data collected from Jambi Province, Indonesia, we first document the differences in agricultural inputs and outputs between certified and non-certified smallholder farmers. Second, we illustrate the potential implications and mechanisms of certification. In this study, therefore, we aim to first document agricultural input and output differences between certified and non-certified smallholder farmers, second to illustrate potential effects of certification with observational data and third to provide guidance for future rigorous causal analyses. We find generally positive correlations between RSPO certification, land productivity, profits, and fertilizer use, and a negative correlation with toxic herbicide use. However, we do not find price premiums for RSPO-certified farmers. Overall, the results of this study are indicative of potentially modest effects of RSPO-certification that may operate through higher productivity due to improved management practices that remain agrochemical intensive but avoid some particularly harmful chemicals. Our findings are relevant to better understand the strong sustainability claims of RSPO marketing and to provide guidance for rigorous causal experimental and quasi-experimental studies.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/50110000165
Replication files for "How vulnerable are the self-employed? Evidence from Ugandan small-scale entrepreneurs"
No full textThese do-files were used to conduct the analyses in the associated journal article. The dataset is not currently available for public use for confidentiality reasons.These do-files were used to conduct the analyses in the associated journal article. The dataset is not currently available for public use for confidentiality reasons
Replication files for "How vulnerable are the self-employed? Evidence from Ugandan small-scale entrepreneurs"
No full textThese do-files were used to conduct the analyses in the associated journal article. The dataset is not currently available for public use for confidentiality reasons.These do-files were used to conduct the analyses in the associated journal article. The dataset is not currently available for public use for confidentiality reasons
How vulnerable are the self-employed? Evidence from Uganda
No full textDue to small firm sizes and inter-linkages between household and business finances, small-scale entrepreneurs in developing countries are inherently vulnerable to temporary and per-manent income shortfalls, and hence household poverty. While the ILO generally defines self-employment without employees as vulnerable employment, little empirical research has beendone on the extent to which the self-employed are indeed vulnerable. This paper makes twomain contributions: first, it operationalises the concept of vulnerability in the context of self-employment in developing countries by defining vulnerability as the risk of having businessincome below a living wage threshold. Secondly, it investigates the extent and correlates ofvulnerability. Using a balanced entrepreneur panel dataset from Kampala, Uganda, it is shownthat the self-employed are heterogeneous with respect to vulnerability and observed earnings:while close to 70% of the sample are vulnerable and mostly earn incomes below the threshold,about 30% are non-vulnerable and mostly earn incomes above the living wage. Vulnerable en-trepreneurs are shown to be significantly different from non-vulnerable entrepreneurs in severaldimensions, including those that do not directly predict income
Ten Things to Watch in Africa in 2020
Full text linkSocio-economic and political developments in sub-Saharan Africa remain a mixed bag. While crises and structural problems occupy our attention, other developments justify a more optimistic outlook: relations between countries on the continent as well as with Europe and other world regions show signs of hope and improvement. We present a selective list and analysis of "ten things to watch" in Africa in 2020.
Elections and democratisation: The year ahead will be one of high-risk elections in many African countries, of which five arguably stand out: Burkina Faso, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, and Guinea. "Explosive" elections are often connected to contested term limits for presidents.
Peace and security: As in previous years, challenges emerge from ever-present power struggles as well as from contested elections, weak states, conflicts between identity groups, and - particularly in West and East Africa - jihadism. The latter poses the biggest challenge in the Sahel, where international support has simultaneously become both more important and more difficult.
Socio-economic development: While many structural problems persist, there are signs for winds of change. Regional economic integration projects such as the African Continental Free Trade Area and the common currency, eco, in West Africa advance, and legal obstacles to more equal gender relations are increasingly being called into question. In times of global confrontations between the United States, China, and other countries, "trade wars" provide threats but also opportunities for Africa.
As a member of the United Nations Security Council and assuming the EU presidency, Germany's involvement in African affairs will be greater than usual in 2020. African and external actors, such as the European Union, should act early to mitigate conflict risks, especially with regard to high-stakes elections in several countries and to contain the spread of jihadist violence. Reform efforts require strong but prudent international support, so they can survive domestic political pushback
Digital Platforms in Africa: the "Uberisation" of Informal Work
Full text linkThe "Uberisation" of work - the increasing use of digital platforms by self-employed service providers – is often seen as a pathway into precarious employment in rich countries. In Africa, quite the opposite may be true: the rise of digital platforms offers new opportunities for informal entrepreneurs to become more productive, and eventually formalise.
Digitalisation in Africa is happening on a scale and at a pace that many would not have anticipated. Digital platforms - such as Uber, Airbnb, and local varieties - are spreading. At the same time, most African economies are characterised by the pervasive informality of firms and employment.
Informality is high because formalisation does not pay for firms. Digitalisation is likely to affect both the costs and benefits of formalising. Digital platforms can increase firm and worker productivity, for example through better market access, and they also provide an entry point for formalising firms.
The Uberisation - and formalisation - of employment could be beneficial to the many African self-employed. Anecdotal evidence suggests that self-employed drivers registered on a digital platform, for example, have higher earnings than "conventional" taxi ones. Customers can benefit from better services and lower prices, and governments can raise their capacity to generate tax revenue using information from online platforms and digital transactions.
Overall, the positive effects of digital platforms seem to outweigh the negative ones. At the same time, adjustment costs - as evident in the protests by established taxi drivers witnessed in many countries - need to be addressed and mitigated.
There is very limited empirical evidence on the effects of digitalisation in general, and of digital platforms in particular, in Africa. Such research is urgently needed to harness the potential of new technologies for inclusive economic development. Digital platforms can contribute to formalising economies and improving tax collection in Africa. Smart policies and regulation need to achieve these ends without inhibiting innovation and technology adoption
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