Book
The Job Ladder

Transforming Informal Work and Livelihoods in Developing Countries

Using a range of countries from the Global South, this book examines heterogeneity within informal work by applying a common conceptual framework and empirical methodology. The country studies use panel data to study the dynamics of worker transitions between formal and heterogeneous informal work.

The range of country studies (covering Asia, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa) in the book allow us to present a comparative perspective across developing countries. Each country study provides a nuanced view of informality, dividing workers into six work statuses: formal wage-employees, upper-tier informal wage-employees, lower-tier informal wage employees, formal self-employed, upper-tier informal self-employed.

Based on this common conceptual framework, the country studies examine the distribution of workers between each of these work statuses. Using panel data, the country studies document transition patterns across different formality and work statuses. The panel data analysed in each country study gives a basis for making statements about labour market transitions that are not warranted when using comparable cross sections.

In addition to measuring the distribution of workers and transitions between work statuses, each country study also examines individual- and household-level characteristics associated with workers in each work status. Using these characteristics each country study constructs a ‘job ladder’ that ranks each work status. The country studies then examine the characteristics of workers that are associated with transitions up (and down) the job ladder.    

Table of contents
  1. I. Introduction
    1. The job ladder
    Gary S. Fields, T.H. Gindling, Kunal Sen, Michael Danquah, Simone Schotte
  2. 2. Informality and work status
    Gary S. Fields
    More Working Paper | Informality and work status
  3. II. Asia
    3. Transforming informal work and livelihoods in China
    Carl Lin, Linxiang Ye, Wei Zhang
    More Working Paper | Transforming informal work and livelihoods in China
  4. 4. Moving up or down the job ladder in India: Examining informality-formality transitions
    Rajesh Raj Natarajan, Simone Schotte, Kunal Sen
    More Working Paper | Transitions between informal and formal jobs in India
  5. 5. Progress and stagnation in the livelihood of informal workers in an emerging economy
    Mayang Rizky, Daniel Suryadarma, Asep Suryahadi
    More Working Paper | Progress and stagnation in the livelihood of informal workers in an emerging economy
  6. III. Latin America
    6. Transforming informal work and livelihoods in Costa Rica and Nicaragua
    Enrique Alaniz, T.H. Gindling, Catherine Mata, Diego Rojas
    More Working Paper | Transforming informal work and livelihoods in Costa Rica and Nicaragua
  7. 7. Informality, labour transitions and the livelihoods of workers in Latin America
    Roxana Maurizio, Ana Paula Monsalvo
    More Working Paper | Informality, labour transitions, and the livelihoods of workers in Latin America
  8. 8. Self-employment and labour market dynamics of men and women in El Salvador and Nicaragua
    Enrique Alaniz, Alma Espino, T.H. Gindling
    More Working Paper | Self-employment and labour market dynamics of men and women in El Salvador and Nicaragua
  9. 9. Informal work in urban Mexico: Characteristics, dynamics, and workers’ preferences
    Robert Duval-Hernández
    More Working Paper | By choice or by force?
  10. IV. Sub-Saharan Africa
    10. The dynamics of off-farm self-employment in the West African Sahel
    Sènakpon Fidèle A. Dedehouanou, Didier Yelognisse Alia
    More Working Paper | Dynamics of off-farm self-employment in West African Sahel
  11. V. North Africa and the Middle East
    11. The evolution of vulnerable employment in Egypt, Jordan, and Tunisia
    Shireen Al Azzawi, Vladimir Hlasny
    More Working Paper | Vulnerable employment of Egyptian, Jordanian, and Tunisian youth
  12. VI. Lessons Learnt
    12. How to transform informal work and livelihoods?: Lessons learnt and policy options
    Gary S. Fields, T.H. Gindling, Kunal Sen, Michael Danquah, Simone Schotte
  13. 13. Informal–formal transitions in work status in sub-Saharan Africa: A comparative perspective
    Michael Danquah, Simone Schotte, Kunal Sen
    More Working Paper | Informal work in sub-Saharan Africa
  14. 14. Informal–formal workers’ transition in Nigeria: A livelihood analysis
    Abiodun O. Folawewo, Olusegun A. Orija
    More Working Paper | Informal–formal workers' transition in Nigeria
Show all