Publication:
Who Are the Microenterprise Owners? Evidence from Sri Lanka on Tokman v. de Soto

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dc.contributor.authorde Mel, Suresh
dc.contributor.authorMcKenzie, David
dc.contributor.authorWoodruff, Christopher
dc.date.accessioned2012-05-30T19:34:40Z
dc.date.available2012-05-30T19:34:40Z
dc.date.issued2008-05
dc.description.abstractIs the vast army of the self-employed in low income countries a source of employment generation? This paper uses data from surveys in Sri Lanka to compare the characteristics of own account workers (non-employers) with wage workers and with owners of larger firms. The authors use a rich set of measures of background, ability, and attitudes, including lottery experiments measuring risk attitudes. Consistent with the International Labor Organization's views of the self employed (represented by Tokman), the analysis finds that two-thirds to three-quarters of the own account workers have characteristics which are more like wage workers than larger firm owners. This suggests the majority of the own account workers are unlikely to become employers. Using a two and a half year panel of enterprises, the authors show that the minority of own account workers who are more like larger firm owners are more likely to expand by adding paid employees. The results suggest that finance is not the sole constraint to growth of microenterprises, and provides an explanation for the low rates of growth of enterprises supported by microlending.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2008/05/9474330/microenterprise-owners-evidence-sri-lanka-tokman-v-de-soto
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-4635
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/6696
dc.languageEnglish
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research Working Paper No. 4635
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectACCESS TO CREDIT
dc.subjectATTRITION
dc.subjectBUSINESS SCHOOL
dc.subjectCURRENT JOBS
dc.subjectDEVELOPMENT BANK
dc.subjectEARNINGS
dc.subjectEMPLOYEE
dc.subjectEMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectEMPLOYMENT GENERATION
dc.subjectEMPLOYMENT GROWTH
dc.subjectENTREPRENEUR
dc.subjectENTREPRENEURIAL ABILITY
dc.subjectENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITY
dc.subjectENTREPRENEURS
dc.subjectENTREPRENEURSHIP
dc.subjectENTRY COSTS
dc.subjectEXOGENOUS SHOCKS
dc.subjectFINANCIAL CAPITAL
dc.subjectFINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS
dc.subjectFINANCIAL LITERACY
dc.subjectFINANCIAL LITERACY TESTS
dc.subjectFINANCIAL RISK
dc.subjectFINANCIAL RISKS
dc.subjectFINANCIAL SUPPORT
dc.subjectFIRING COSTS
dc.subjectFIRM SIZE
dc.subjectFIRM SIZE DISTRIBUTION
dc.subjectFIRM SURVEYS
dc.subjectFIRMS
dc.subjectHIGHER INCOMES
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLD WEALTH
dc.subjectHUMAN CAPITAL
dc.subjectINCOME LEVELS
dc.subjectINFORMAL SECTOR
dc.subjectINFORMATION SYSTEMS
dc.subjectJOB CREATION
dc.subjectJOB GENERATION
dc.subjectJOB SEARCH
dc.subjectJOBS
dc.subjectLABOR ECONOMICS
dc.subjectLABOR FORCE
dc.subjectLABOR MARKET
dc.subjectLABOR MARKET DYNAMICS
dc.subjectLABOR MARKETS
dc.subjectLABOR ORGANIZATION
dc.subjectLABOR REGULATIONS
dc.subjectLARGE FIRM
dc.subjectLATIN AMERICAN
dc.subjectLAWYER
dc.subjectLEARNING
dc.subjectLITERACY
dc.subjectLITERATURE
dc.subjectLOW INCOME
dc.subjectLOW-INCOME
dc.subjectMANUFACTURERS
dc.subjectMBA
dc.subjectMICROENTERPRISES
dc.subjectMICROFINANCE
dc.subjectOCCUPATION
dc.subjectOCCUPATIONAL CHOICE
dc.subjectPAID WORKERS
dc.subjectPAPERS
dc.subjectPOVERTY ALLEVIATION
dc.subjectPREVIOUS WAGE
dc.subjectPROBABILITY
dc.subjectPRODUCTIVE EMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectRATES OF GROWTH
dc.subjectRESEARCH ASSISTANCE
dc.subjectRESEARCHERS
dc.subjectRETIREMENT
dc.subjectRISK AVERSION
dc.subjectSAFETY NET
dc.subjectSALES
dc.subjectSAVINGS
dc.subjectSAVINGS BEHAVIOR
dc.subjectSECONDARY SCHOOL
dc.subjectSELF EMPLOYED
dc.subjectSELF EMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectSELF-EMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectSHOP
dc.subjectSHOPS
dc.subjectSMALL BUSINESSES
dc.subjectSME
dc.subjectTEACHERS
dc.subjectUNDERGRADUATES
dc.subjectUNEMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectUNIVERSITIES
dc.subjectURBAN UNEMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectVALUABLE
dc.subjectWAGES
dc.subjectWORK IN PROGRESS
dc.subjectWORKER
dc.subjectWORKERS
dc.subjectWORKING
dc.subjectWORKING LIFE
dc.subjectWORTH
dc.titleWho Are the Microenterprise Owners? Evidence from Sri Lanka on Tokman v. de Sotoen
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.crosscuttingsolutionareaJobs
okr.crossref.titleWho Are The Microenterprise Owners? Evidence From Sri Lanka On Tokman V. De Soto
okr.date.doiregistration2025-04-10T10:02:19.018170Z
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2008/05/9474330/microenterprise-owners-evidence-sri-lanka-tokman-v-de-soto
okr.globalpracticeEducation
okr.globalpracticeSocial Protection and Labor
okr.globalpracticeFinance and Markets
okr.guid814061468302955199
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-4635
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum000158349_20080527134815
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum9474330
okr.identifier.reportWPS4635
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2008/05/27/000158349_20080527134815/Rendered/PDF/wps4635.pdfen
okr.region.administrativeSouth Asia
okr.region.countrySri Lanka
okr.topicTertiary Education
okr.topicFinance and Financial Sector Development::Microfinance
okr.topicSocial Protections and Labor::Labor Markets
okr.topicWork and Working Conditions
okr.topicEducation
okr.unitDevelopment Research Group (DECRG)
okr.volume1 of 1
relation.isAuthorOfPublication148d6d6d-76e5-5d6f-9af9-98313e30551f
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery148d6d6d-76e5-5d6f-9af9-98313e30551f
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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