Delve into the intricate world of post-socialist transition economies, where the lines between formal and informal practices blur, and discover the hidden socio-economic forces that shape everyday life. This compelling study sheds light on the pervasive phenomenon of informal payments and gifts within the public service sector, dissecting their multifaceted roles beyond simple corruption. Journey through the theoretical landscape, exploring how regionality, economic history, and societal structures influence the prevalence and nature of these practices. Uncover the potential of informal exchanges as mechanisms for economic redistribution and survival, challenging conventional understandings of corruption. Through rigorous quantitative analysis, drawing upon data from the EBRD and World Bank's Life in Transition Survey, this book unveils the nuanced impact of these practices on diverse socioeconomic groups. Explore the statistical model employed, offering a detailed interpretation of the regression analysis and robustness checks. Gain insights into how informal payments function, distinguishing between demanded payments indicative of corruption and other forms of informal exchange driven by "gratitude" or the desire to "grease the wheels". Navigate the complexities of the state's role and civil society's influence in shaping the dynamics of informality. Unearth the answers to crucial questions surrounding the effects on budget users and the overall socio-economic fabric of these nations. This book provides a comprehensive examination of informal practices, revealing their hidden functionalities and challenging existing paradigms, perfect for those interested in transition economics, corruption studies, and socio-economic development, offering a fresh perspective on the informal economy and its impact on post-socialist societies, using keywords such as informal practices, informal payments, gifts, corruption, transition economies, post-socialism, socio-economic impact, redistribution, economic survival, public services, quantitative analysis, regression analysis, and Life in Transition Survey to guide your search. Discover the untold story of informal exchanges and their profound implications for the future of these dynamic regions.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 1.1. Background and Objective
- 1.2. Structure
- 1.3 Conceptualisation of Informality
- 2. Theoretical Analysis
- 2.1. Informal Practices & Regionality
- 2.1.1. The Role of Economic History
- 2.1.2. The Role of Regionality
- 2.2. Informal Practices and Economics
- 2.2.1. Economic Redistribution
- 2.2.2. Economic Survival
- 2.3. Informal Practices & Society
- 2.3.1. The Role of the State
- 2.3.2. The Role of Society
- 2.1. Informal Practices & Regionality
- 3. Empirical Analysis
- 3.1. Methodology and Data
- 3.1.1. Data
- 3.1.2. Model
- 3.2. Descriptive Analysis
- 3.2.1. Dependent Variables
- 3.2.2. Independent Variables
- 3.3. Regression Analysis
- 3.3.1. Interpretation and Discussion
- 3.3.2. Limitations and Robustness Checks
- 3.1. Methodology and Data
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This thesis quantitatively investigates the socio-economic impact of informal practices, specifically informal payments and gifts, within the public service sector of 29 post-Socialist transition economies. The primary objective is to analyze the differing functionalities of these practices, distinguishing between corruption (demanded payments) and other forms of informal exchanges. The study utilizes data from the EBRD and World Bank's Life in Transition Survey III and employs a robust statistical model.
- The socio-economic functionalities of informal payments and gifts in public services.
- The distinction between corrupt practices (demanded payments) and other informal exchanges ("gratitude" or "greasing the wheels").
- The potential role of informal payments as a redistribution mechanism.
- The impact of informal practices on different socioeconomic groups.
- The influence of formal and informal aspects of practices on budget users.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the dissertation, outlining the background and objectives of the research. It introduces the concept of informality within the context of post-Socialist transition economies and provides a framework for understanding the complexities of informal practices. The chapter establishes the importance of studying informal payments and gifts as crucial components of the socio-economic landscape in these nations, emphasizing the need to differentiate between various types of informal transactions. The structure of the dissertation is also presented, guiding the reader through the theoretical and empirical analyses to follow. The conceptualization of informality forms a crucial part of the introduction, clarifying the scope and boundaries of the study.
2. Theoretical Analysis: This chapter delves into the theoretical underpinnings of informal practices in post-Socialist transition economies. It explores the regional and economic factors influencing the prevalence and nature of these practices. A significant portion is dedicated to examining the economic roles of informal payments, specifically their potential functions as redistribution mechanisms and their contribution to economic survival strategies. The chapter also considers the societal factors at play, analyzing the roles of the state and civil society in shaping the landscape of informality. The interrelation between economic history, regional context, economic redistribution and survival, and the role of state and society are discussed extensively. The chapter lays the groundwork for the empirical analysis by proposing hypotheses based on the theoretical framework developed.
3. Empirical Analysis: This chapter presents the empirical investigation of the research questions. It details the methodology employed, including data sources (EBRD's and World Bank's Life in Transition Survey III) and the statistical model used (a country fixed-effects logit model). A descriptive analysis of the data is provided, followed by a comprehensive regression analysis. The chapter interprets the results of the regression analysis, discussing the findings regarding the different functionalities of informal practices and their impact on various socioeconomic groups. The limitations of the study and robustness checks performed are also presented, ensuring a critical evaluation of the findings. This section forms the core of the research, offering detailed quantitative evidence to support the theoretical arguments.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Informal practices, informal payments, gifts, corruption, transition economies, post-Socialism, socio-economic impact, redistribution, economic survival, public services, quantitative analysis, regression analysis, Life in Transition Survey.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Was ist das Thema dieses Dokuments?
Dieses Dokument ist eine Sprachvorschau, die einen Titel, ein Inhaltsverzeichnis, Zielsetzungen und Themenschwerpunkte, Kapitelzusammenfassungen und Schlüsselwörter enthält. Es handelt sich um eine akademische Analyse informeller Praktiken in postsowjetischen Transformationsökonomien.
Was ist das Hauptziel der Studie, die in dieser Vorschau beschrieben wird?
Die These untersucht quantitativ die sozioökonomischen Auswirkungen informeller Praktiken, insbesondere informeller Zahlungen und Geschenke, im öffentlichen Dienstleistungssektor von 29 postsowjetischen Transformationsökonomien. Das Hauptziel ist die Analyse der unterschiedlichen Funktionalitäten dieser Praktiken, wobei zwischen Korruption (geforderte Zahlungen) und anderen Formen des informellen Austauschs unterschieden wird.
Welche Datenquellen werden für die empirische Analyse verwendet?
Die Studie verwendet Daten aus der Life in Transition Survey III der EBWE und der Weltbank.
Welche theoretischen Aspekte werden in Kapitel 2 behandelt?
Kapitel 2 befasst sich mit den theoretischen Grundlagen informeller Praktiken in postsowjetischen Transformationsökonomien. Es werden die regionalen und wirtschaftlichen Faktoren untersucht, die die Verbreitung und Art dieser Praktiken beeinflussen. Es widmet sich auch der Untersuchung der wirtschaftlichen Rolle informeller Zahlungen, insbesondere ihrer potenziellen Funktion als Umverteilungsmechanismus und ihres Beitrags zu wirtschaftlichen Überlebensstrategien. Des Weiteren werden die Rollen des Staates und der Zivilgesellschaft bei der Gestaltung informeller Praktiken analysiert.
Was beinhaltet Kapitel 3, die empirische Analyse?
Kapitel 3 stellt die empirische Untersuchung der Forschungsfragen vor. Es werden die verwendete Methodik, einschließlich der Datenquellen und des verwendeten statistischen Modells, sowie eine deskriptive Analyse der Daten und eine umfassende Regressionsanalyse vorgestellt. Die Ergebnisse der Regressionsanalyse werden interpretiert und die Einschränkungen der Studie und die durchgeführten Robustheitsprüfungen erläutert.
Welche Schlüsselwörter sind mit dieser Forschung verbunden?
Die Schlüsselwörter sind: Informelle Praktiken, informelle Zahlungen, Geschenke, Korruption, Transformationsökonomien, Postsozialismus, sozioökonomische Auswirkungen, Umverteilung, wirtschaftliches Überleben, öffentliche Dienstleistungen, quantitative Analyse, Regressionsanalyse, Life in Transition Survey.
Was wird in der Einleitung behandelt?
Die Einleitung bietet einen Überblick über den Kontext und die Ziele der Forschung, erläutert das Konzept der Informalität und stellt die Struktur der Dissertation vor.
Was sind Beispiele für Themenschwerpunkte?
Die Themenschwerpunkte sind die sozioökonomischen Funktionalitäten informeller Zahlungen und Geschenke im öffentlichen Dienst, die Unterscheidung zwischen korrupten Praktiken und anderen informellen Austauschformen, die potentielle Rolle informeller Zahlungen als Umverteilungsmechanismus, die Auswirkungen informeller Praktiken auf verschiedene sozioökonomische Gruppen und der Einfluss formaler und informeller Aspekte von Praktiken auf Budgetnutzer.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Christina Zimmermann (Autor:in), 2021, The Functionality of Informal Practices as Survival and Re-Distribution Mechanisms, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1280719
