The Hidden Enterprise Culture: Entrepreneurship in the Underground EconomyEdward Elgar, 2006 - 263 pages Portraying how entrepreneurs often start out conducting some or all of their trade on an 'off-the-books' basis and how many continue to do so once they become established, this book provides the first detailed account of the vast and ubiquitous hidden enterprise culture existing in the interstices of western economies. Until now, the role of the underground economy in enterprise creation, entrepreneurship and small business development has been largely ignored despite its widespread prevalence and importance. In contrast to much of the previous literature that views the underground economy as low-paid, exploitative sweatshop work that should be deterred, this book takes a fresh, more positive perspective that considers the underground economy as a hidden enterprise culture. Colin C. Williams prescribes the means by which western governments can best harness this hidden culture of enterprise. He outlines detailed policy initiatives that seek to assist business ventures in setting up on a formal footing, and aim to encourage underground enterprises and entrepreneurs to make the transition into the realm of legitimacy. This book provides a lucid guide as to how the hidden culture of enterprise can be brought into the open. As such, it will prove invaluable to a wide-ranging audience including scholars and students of business studies, entrepreneurship, management, economics and regional science. |
From inside the book
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... find that reputation effects would keep entrepreneurs honest where morality failed , these authors find the opposite . They also conclude that most dishonesty by entrepreneurs is not found out . Two contemporary volumes that further ...
... find more autonomy , flexibility and freedom in this sector than in the formal one , In other words , participants have the freedom of operating their own business ; they have flexibility in determining hours or days of operation ; they ...
... find a concentration in the latter group . Those with poor welfare entitlements and underdeveloped family - friendly working policies , however , might find the former group predominating . This requires further research . Until now ...