In concluding this study, it is important to remark that the findings of the study may not be significantly different from those by other researchers, especially when it cornes to the typical constraints that face informai sector enterprises. The study has disclosed among other things, that informai enterprises have features that distinguish it from the formai sector. The establishments are indeed small, and handle very small transactions, in the face of which they are less likely to exp and on their own, and remain marginal if they were le ft to operate unassisted. The reader will notice that both supply-side, constraints, notably credit and capital constraints, and demand-side factors are at play, and impose sorne restrictions for enterprise growth in the informai sector. Demand is generally
98
low largely because the lack of appropriate machinery and technology could not allow for products of the enterprises to reach unexploited markets bath from.
The study argues that there is a need for sorne forms of intervention, which especially seek to address these constraints on the basis also of the specifie features of the sector, which must be understood. It is hoped that the recommendations of the study will go a long way to integrate the sector in the country's national planning efforts. The sector is certainly a positive factor in poverty reduction, incarne distribution, and indigenous enterprise growth. However, the reader's attention is brought to the fact that the recommendations presume that that the role of the state, which is implicitly very critical to the success of the informai sector, must not be to eliminate the sector through cumbersome procedures and enforcement of regulations. As already argued, informai sector operators mainly avoid the arms of government for fear ofbeing too regulated.
Finally, it is worth painting out sorne limitations to this study. Although the use of a survey technique is an interactive process, a complimentary analysis using regression techniques to capture relationships between variables and to make projections would have enriched the study. However, problems of data on the informai sector at the nationallevel, could not allow for this. Secondly, the dynamics of the sector could not be examined to show growth of incarne levels, investment and output changing in between different periods. And finally, it would have been interesting to derive another sample of enterprises in similar activities in the formai sector. This would have shawn sorne interesting comparisons of the 'stories' -and experiences of the two sectors and their combined perception on issues related to informa! enterprise growth.
99
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aboagye, A (1985) "An Analysis of Dar-es-Salaam's Informai Sector", in lLO Africa Employment Report, 1988 [ibid.]
Abumere, S.I etal (1998) "The Informai Sector in Nigeria's Development Process", Development Policy Center Research Report No.1
Aubell, J [1994] "Guidelines for Studies, Using Group Interview Techniques", ILO/WEP, 1994 Charmes, J (1988) "A Critical Review of Concepts, Definitions and Studies in the Informai Sector",
Turnham et al ( eds.) [ 1990, Ibid.]
Dewar, D (1987) "Sorne Proposais for Small Business Simulation: A Case Study of the Durb and the Metropolitan Region" in Hirschowitz [1993, ibid.]
Esim, S [1994] The Informai Sector and Microfinance Institutions in West Africa, in World Bank Regional and Sectoral Studies; Fidler. et al eds. [ibid.]
Feige, E. L [1990] "Defining and Estimating Underground and Informai Economies: The New Institutional Economies Approach" World Development, Vol. 18, pp. 989-1000
Fidler etal (eds.) (1992) "The World Bank Regional and Sectoral Studies", World Bank 1992
Fields, G (1975) "Rural-Urban Migration, Urban Employment &Underemployment, and Job Search Activities in LDCs," Journal of Economie Development 165-187
Giri, J (1987) "Formai and Informai Enterprises in the Long-tenn Future of Sub-Saharan Africa", Economie Development Institute, W orld Bank, 1992
Grey-Johnson, N (1992) "The African Informai Sector at the Crossroads; Developing merging Policy Options", Africa Development, 1994
Hirschowitz, R (1993) Training for the Development of the Informai Sector", Issues in Development, No. 3
Horton et. al (1992) "Research on Informai Sector in East Africa, A summary of Findings", The World Bank Economie Development Institute
100
Hyden, G (1990a) "The Changing Context of Institutional Development in Africa", World Bank Long-Term Perspective Study of Sub-Saharan Africa, Vol. III
ILO (1972) "Employment, Incomes and Equality: a Strategy for Increasing Productive Empioyment in Kenya", lLO; Geneva
ILO (1995) "The Urban Informai Sector in Asia; Policies and Strategies", RAS/90/M11/FRG ILO (1988) "Africa Employment Report", Addis-Ababa
ILO (1985) "Informai Sector in Africa: A Synthesis; Part One"
ILO/JASPA/WEP (1991), "The Urban In:formal Sector in Africa in Retrospect and Prospect", An Annotated Bibliography, No.lO, 1991
King, K (1987) "The Popular Economy in Anglophone Africa", Seminar on the Informai Sector as an Integral Part of the National Economy
Lubell, H (1991) The Informai Sector in the 1980s and 1990s, OECD Center Studies, Paris
Marsden, K (1991) "African Entrepreneurs: Pioneers of Development", International Finance Corporation, Discussion Paper, No.9
Mazumdar, D (1976) "The Urban Informai Sector" in Lubell, H (ed.) [1991,ibid]
McCormick, D (1988) "Small Manufacturing Enterprises in Nairobi: Golden Opportunity or Dead End?" in Horton et. al [1992, ibid.]
Morawetz, D (1974) " Employment Imp_lications of Industrialization in Developing Countries: A Survey in Steel, W [1992, ibid.]
Natrass, N. J (1967) "A Struggle Against Poverty, Persecution and Prosecution" World Development, Vol. 15; No. 7
Ndua and Ng'ethe (1984) "The role of the Informai Sector in the Development of Small and Intermediate-Size Cities", in Horton et. al [ .1992, ibid.]
Nihan, G (1979) "The Modem Informai Sector in Lome", International Labour Review, Vol. 118, No.5; Sept-Oct;
Onyeiwu, S. [1991] "Graduation Problem amongst Medium and Small-scale Enterprises (MSEs), Eastern Nigeria", Small Enterprise Development. An International Journal, Vol. 3, No. 4, 1992;
Owoye, A (1990?) An article on the Informai Sector and Development found in the ACP-EU Courier No. 137, Jan-Feb, 1993
Parker, J &Dondo, C (1991) " Kenya: Kibera's Small Enterprise Sector baseline Survey Report" in Horton et. al [1992, ibid.]
101
Sethuraman, S.V (1981) "The Urban Informai Sector in Developing Countries, Employment, Poverty and Environment, ( ed.) lLO Geneva 1981 c
Simel E (1992) "The Informai Sector and Microfinance Institutions in W/Africa", Fidler etal (eds.) [ 1992 ibid.]
Steel W (1992) "How Small Enterprises Have Responded to Adjustment", World Bank Economie Development, Vo1.6, No.3 423-438
Strassman, P.W (1987) "Home-Based Enterprises in Cities in Developing Countries", Economie Development and Cultural Change, Vol.36, No.1
Takundwa, M (1996) "The informai Sector in Zimbabwe, Features, Impediments and Potentials"
IDEP MA Series
The Economie Intelligence Unit (ElU). Country Profile on the Gambia
Turnham etal (eds.), The Informa! Sector Revisited OECD Center Studies, Paris, 1990
Vision 2020; the Gambia Inc. and other national documents including the National Industrial Policy (NIP), Policy Framework Paper (PFP), National Poverty Alleviation Strategy
World Bank: Sub-Saharan Africa From Crisis to Sustainable Growth: Long Term Perspective Studies, 1989
102