Heterogeneous Self-employment and Subjective Well-Being. Evidence from Latin America

Alexandra Cortés Aguilar, Teresa M. García-Muñoz () and Ana I. Moro Egido ()
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Ana I. Moro Egido: Department of Economic Theory and Economic History, University of Granada.
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Ana Isabel Moro-Egido

No 13/05, ThE Papers from Department of Economic Theory and Economic History of the University of Granada.

Abstract: This paper analyzes the relationship between labor status and individual satisfaction in Latin America. Existing evidence for developed countries shows that the self-employed report higher job satisfaction than the employed. The evidence, however, is less conclusive in terms of lifesatisfaction. Moreover, for Latin American countries, the evidence shows that self-employed individuals report lower life-satisfaction than employed individuals do. To clarify the effect of selfemployment on satisfaction, we use the Latinobarómetro survey 2007 for eighteen Latin American and Caribbean countries, considering the category self-employment as a heterogeneous category. Additionally, we control for the distinction between necessity and opportunity self-employed. Contrary to existing evidence, we find that not all self-employed individuals are more satisfied than employed individuals. Specifically, we find evidence revealing that, compared to workers in paid employment (i) precarious self-employed workers are as satisfied as the employed with their life but less with job and household income; (ii) self-employed professionals are more satisfied than the employed only with their incomes; (iii) business owners are more satisfied with their lives, income and job; and (iv) self-employed famers and fisherman are less satisfied with their jobs and income.

Keywords: Labor informality; voluntary vs. involuntary self-employment; life and job satisfaction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C25 I31 J24 J28 O17 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 40 pages
Date: 2013-06-25
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ent, nep-iue, nep-lab, nep-lam and nep-ltv
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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