Township economy
Creating jobs, reducing poverty III: Barriers to entry and growth in the informal sector – and business cycle vulnerabilities
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In this extract from a new REDI3x3 book, the focus is on the constraints faced by informal enterprises in trying to enter, survive, grow, or increase employment. A lower tier of ‘survivalist’ enterprises and an upper tier of ‘growth-oriented’ enterprises is apparent, with barriers limiting entry into the upper tier. Selling into higher-value or formal-sector markets and value chains encounter significant structural barriers. And the sector is particularly vulnerable to severe cyclical downturns.