Latin American Microentrepreneurs: Trajectories and Meanings about Informal Work

Marcela Benites, Romel Ramón González-Díaz, Ángel Acevedo-Duque, Luis Armando Becerra-Pérez and Graciela Tristancho Cediel
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Marcela Benites: Faculty of Social Sciences, Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal, San Miguel 15088, Peru
Romel Ramón González-Díaz: Centro Internacional de Investigación y Desarrollo—CIID, Monteria 230001, Colombia
Ángel Acevedo-Duque: Faculty of Business and Administration, Public Policy Observatory, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago 7500912, Chile
Luis Armando Becerra-Pérez: Faculty of Economics and Social Science, Autonomous University of Sinaloa, Sinaloa 80020, Mexico
Graciela Tristancho Cediel: Centro Internacional de Investigación y Desarrollo—CIID, Monteria 230001, Colombia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-16

Abstract: Latin America has suffered for many years deep economic, political, and social problems that have led to high levels of unemployment. Therefore, microentrepreneurship has been a way out of these precarious economic systems. This research presents an interpretative hermeneutic analysis of the meaning of work for microentrepreneurs in the metropolitan region of Lima, Peru. The qualitative naturalistic methodology was used and data were obtained through 24 interviews with microentrepreneurs according to inclusion criteria such as: located in the metropolitan region of Lima (divided into 4 regions: A, B, C, and D), more than 5 years of experience, more than 25 years of age, university level of study and having had a formal job. The data were processed through ATLAS.ti9, which allowed us to analyze the discourses of the microentrepreneurs. The main findings show the following emerging categories: Motivation for entrepreneurship, Advantages of self-employment, relationship with stakeholders or interest groups, and family involvement in the business. It is concluded that Latin American microentrepreneurs associate entrepreneurship as an opportunity to improve their quality of life and establish relationships with stakeholders, with the family playing a key role in the success or failure of the business.

Keywords: microentrepreneurs; informal work; decent work; well-being at work; ODS8; sustainability, qualitative research; business reality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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