Informality as a multifactor approach: evidence from mototaxi drivers in Colombia

Abstract

This study explores the diverse range of activities undertaken by informal workers and the ways in which these activities can differ in terms of their degree of informality. The methodology is qualitative, based on a case study of mototaxi drivers in Cartagena, Colombia, in order to achieve a more complete description and a holistic analysis of the phenomenon. The paper offers a novel multilevel perspective of informality that encompasses not only legal status but also social and economic aspects, and proposes an integrated approach to understanding informality that accounts for the range of activities undertaken by informal actors.