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The chapter explores the implications of digitalization on the informal economy of Ghana, focusing on the agricultural, microcredit, transportation, and retail sectors. The study was designed as a qualitative study with data collected from books, articles, government reports, business reports, and newspapers. The data collected were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The study argues that in the agricultural sector, e-agriculture initiatives and digital tools have improved farming practices, providing timely scientific knowledge to farmers and increasing yields. The microcredit sector has been transformed through digital financial services, which have expanded financial inclusion, lowered costs, and simplified regulatory compliance. In the transportation sector, digital platforms like Uber and local startups have streamlined operations, improved safety, and created economic opportunities for drivers. Additionally, e-commerce platforms have facilitated stock ordering and delivery for retailers, reducing downtime and formalizing their transactions. These digital innovations are crucial in enhancing the formalization of the informal economy in Ghana, providing numerous benefits for businesses and individuals in these sectors.

The present chapter attempts to highlight the vulnerabilities of female migrants as compared to non-migrants in the unorganized urban labor market. Informal female migrants working in construction, as domestic workers, tailors/boutiques, and garment workers in the urban unorganized sector of Uttar Pradesh’s selected urban locations, are covered in this chapter. Though the fact prevails that workers in the unorganized labor markets are confronted with various livelihood crunches, still those who are migrants and swelling the urban labor markets are more prone to different vulnerabilities. There is scanty literature on the situation and condition of migrants particularly female migrant workers in India, whereas we know more about the condition of international migrants, mainly migrant workers in the Gulf and other regions. The study is based on interviews with 174 female informal workers who have migrated and 222 non-migrants from various regions of the state to the urban locations of selected cities. Our study also attempts to do an in-depth, qualitative exploration of these vulnerable women’s lives and perceptions and tries to capture layered vulnerabilities, risks, and rewards confronted due to both migration and work in the informal sector. Specifically, the findings reflect upon the fact that how strong societal norms may actually prevent women from acknowledging or articulating the true reasons for their migrations.

Over decades, tourism has been over-valorized as a mechanism that leaves developing economies from poverty and pauperism. In fact, development theory has enthusiastically emphasized the nature of tourism as a sustainable activity that boosts local economies. Quite aside from this, some critical voices not only have questioned to what extent tourism alleviates local poverty but also the connection between tourism and poverty. An emerging field within tourism studies has plausibly discussed the conditions laying for poverty to become a commodity or a tourist attraction. In this context, the classic paradigm of tourism development has been radically shifted. There is a type of emerging morbid consumption (morbid taste) that makes the Other's pain a question of attraction. This chapter not only ignites a hot debate revolving around the nature of poverty tourism but also its main contradictions. These contradictions can be very well begged in a question: if we start from the premise poverty seems to be the main commodity to exchange for local culture, how can the industry of tourism eradicate poverty?

There does not exist any precise definition of ‘development’. In view of the indispensability of an interpretation of this concept a degree of speculation seems to exist in a development process. This is the reason this chapter has been included in this work. No scholar has precisely defined ‘development’ and ‘developing’ countries. It is believed that indigenous people know best what would be most suitable for them for development of their country. However, any discussion of these topics becomes incomplete, controversial, etc. in the absence of any precise definition. This chapter is no exception to this although an attempt has been made to outline development.

The informal sector has become the most dominant sector in the Global South and can be seen in all sectors of the economy. The waste management sector is one of the major areas with many informal actors. This chapter examined how the collaboration of city authorities with informal waste actors (IWAs) can help improve the management of waste and address climate change issues. The study employed a qualitative case study where IWAs and leadership of the waste management department of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) engaged in a workshop to gather information data. The findings showed that informal waste actors’ valuable contributions have changed city authorities’ perception of them from being a nuisance to key stakeholders in waste management. This recognition and collaboration go beyond seeing IWAs as partners in waste management but also as climate change mitigation agents.

This chapter explores an analytical method to understand the decades-long literature on informal lending in the informal sector. Assessing the predominance and interrelationships of numerous issues in informal loans in the informal economy helps in identifying emerging research trends. The analysis employs a method of investigation by thematically analyzing research publications indexed by Scopus from the first publication to 2023 using bibliometrix and PRISMA model in R Studio. Research ideas may be visualized using thematic slices and other visual representations that show their evolution and interconnectedness. Key concepts like “rural credit” and “informal sector” become apparent, shedding light on the evolution of these concepts through time with the help of thematic analysis. Findings on trending themes and tree maps improve thematic comprehension. The study majority restricted to thematic analysis in depth confined to available information. The results may be used as a road map for further study and policy choices in the field of informal lending. Informal lending research promotes financial inclusion and sustainable informal sector economic growth. This bibliometric analysis illuminates informal lending research themes and their consequences for informal economy issues. The results enhance informal lending research and policy development.

Higher education institutions and their lecturers are strategic agents and main drivers that contribute to circular economy transition. This requires them to understand the key circular economy competencies and how to integrate circular economy holistically into their curricula with the suitable teaching and learning approaches. This study aims to support them by providing an overview on the characteristics of education for the circular economy (ECE) and suggestions to lecturers to further develop their curricula.

The data consisted of scientific articles (n = 22) describing circular economy courses in higher education. Qualitative content analysis with quantitative features was performed on the selected articles to answer the research question.

The findings confirm that the system’s focus is the key issue in ECE. However, to integrate circular economy holistically into the curricula, ECE should be implemented more widely in the context of different industries and market contexts to find innovative teaching and learning approaches. The demand side needs to be incorporated in the courses, as systemic transformation is also about transforming consumption. All levels of implementation and circular economy objectives should be included in courses to promote systems thinking. In addition, innovative forms of real workplace interaction should be increased.

As ECE has started to emerge as a new field of study, this article provides the first integrated overview of the topic.

In line with global initiatives, the state of Kerala in southern India is actively working towards formalizing its informal solid waste management (SWM) sector. Despite this, there is a dearth of studies on formalization processes, particularly focusing on the conditions of workers within this sector. This study addresses the gap by examining the challenges faced by women workers operating within the formalized framework of Kerala’s SWM sector. It aimed to investigate challenges faced by grassroots women workers in Kerala’s SWM sector during its transition from informal to formal, identifying gaps in the process through their experiences. Using a qualitative methodology, the research gathered data from 10 women workers in the SWM sector in Kozhikode, Kerala, who were part of the Haritha Karma Sena (green task force). Thematic analysis of in-depth interviews revealed two major challenges faced by these women. Firstly, there was a negative societal perception towards them, and secondly, there was a lack of appropriate state response to their needs and requirements. These challenges were attributed to gaps and pitfalls in the formalization process, leading to a lowered socio-economic status for the women, increased vulnerability to health hazards, and societal stigma. The findings underscore the need for significant improvements in the formalization process of Kerala’s waste management sector. The study advocates for targeted policy interventions to enhance the working conditions of SWM workers, emphasizing the importance of expediting and streamlining the formalization process. This, in turn, would contribute to the overall effectiveness of the SWM system in the state.

This study takes an “entrepreneurship as emancipation” perspective to study entrepreneurs defined as “others” on multiple categories: women entrepreneurs whose ventures are necessity-based, bootstrapped and located in economically impoverished areas (neighborhoods) in two Latin-American countries: Chile and Peru.

The study takes an interpretivist research approach and analyses inductively interviews with women entrepreneurs.

The findings reveal how everyday practices in pursuit of emancipation – while conducted within the existing patriarchal social structure – push the boundaries and contribute to changes in the social system via a variety of outcomes such as intergenerational social mobility, personal fulfilment and strengthening the communities in which the women entrepreneurs operate. Furthermore, while the authors find that in the particular Latin-American context under study, entrepreneuring activities become an emancipatory possibility for the everyday women entrepreneurs, they also highlight a “dark side” of their emancipatory projects.

The study contributes to recent critical studies in entrepreneurship by demonstrating the diversity and importance of the “mundane” activities undertaken by “necessity-based” entrepreneurs, and the significant – yet underappreciated – reach of their ventures’ impact on issues well beyond economic considerations.