The Impact of Regulation on Growth and Informality : Cross-Country Evidence

The authors study the effects of regulation on economic growth and the relative size of the informal sector in a large sample of industrial and developing countries. Along with firm dynamics, informality is an important channel through which regulation affects macroeconomic performance and economic...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Loayza, Norman V., Ovíedo, Ana Maria, Servén, Luis
Format: Policy Research Working Paper
Language:English
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2005/05/5843511/impact-regulation-growth-informality-cross-country-evidence
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/8222
Description
Summary:The authors study the effects of regulation on economic growth and the relative size of the informal sector in a large sample of industrial and developing countries. Along with firm dynamics, informality is an important channel through which regulation affects macroeconomic performance and economic growth in particular. The authors conclude that a heavier regulatory burden-particularly in product and labor markets-reduces growth and induces informality. These effects are, however, mitigated as the overall institutional framework improves.