SpringerLink
Log in

The landscape of informal economy research: a systematic review of transient trends, pivot, and emerging pattern: is there a spatial turn?

  • Published:
GeoJournal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Informal economy (IE) activities contribute significantly to the contemporary urban dynamic. Multifaceted and prolific studies of IE are nearing 50 years. The concept of IE exists in diverse forms with discussion from different perspectives from a vast intellectual landscape. However, there is a lack of systematic review of IE literature knowledge domain evolution in relation to the broad spatial turn that has taken place in social sciences. The objective of this study is to investigate the landscape of IE research to explore and identify transient trend, pivot and emerging pattern of research front as markers of the evolution of knowledge of IE literature from a spatial turn perspective. A preliminary review establishes the platform for a systematic review. A scientometric semantic map** of IE research extracted from 1157 IE related articles retrieved from the Scopus database provided a panoramic view identifying intellectually significant articles/concepts to understand the intellectual base and its dynamic. The top 12 ranked articles were examined in-depth to further explore the IE spatial turn. Trends analysis confirmed that the IE schools of thought overlap and identified research fronts specialities. The study showed that “spatial turn” is yet to become a focus of IE studies in terms of research strategies and analytical methods. The findings suggest that the unexplored IE spatially integrated development strategies could be adopted for future research direction, with deployment of spatial analysis techniques. The recommendations are relevant to academics, professionals, and government agencies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Germany)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbott, J. (2002). A method-based planning framework for informal settlement upgrading. Habitat International, 26(3), 317–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abelson, B., Varshney, K. R., & Sun, J. (2014). Targeting direct cash transfers to the extremely poor. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the 20th ACM SIGKDD international conference on Knowledge discovery and data mining.

  • Acuto, M., Dinardi, C., & Marx, C. (2019). Transcending (in) formal urbanism. Urban Studies, 56(3), 475–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ali, M. H., & Sulaiman, M. S. (2006). ̒Sha** the change—The causes and consequences of the informal settlements in Zanzibar̕. Paper presented at the Conference on ‘Sha** the Change’, Munich, Germany.

  • Alter Chen, M. (2005). Rethinking the informal economy: linkages with the formal economy and the formal regulatory environment (9291906891). Oxford Scholarship Online.

  • Amankwah-Amoah, J. (2019). Technological revolution, sustainability, and development in Africa: Overview, emerging issues, and challenges. Sustainable Development, 27(5), 910–922.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Average, C. (2020). Contestations for urban space: Informality and institutions of disenfranchisement in Zimbabwe—The case of Masvingo City. GeoJournal, 85(5), 1277–1289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, M. L., Layard, A., & Hatcher, C. (2015). Illegal geographies of the state: the legalisation of a “squatter” settlement in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. International Journal of Law in the Built Environment.

  • Blank, Y., & Rosen-Zvi, I. (2010). Introduction: The spatial turn in social theory. Hagar, 10(1), 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bromley, R., & Wilson, T. D. (2018). Introduction: The urban informal economy revisited. SAGE Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Callon, M., Courtial, J.-P., & Laville, F. (1991). Co-word analysis as a tool for describing the network of interactions between basic and technological research: The case of polymer chemsitry. Scientometrics, 22(1), 155–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C. (2004). Searching for intellectual turning points: Progressive knowledge domain visualisation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101(suppl 1), 5303–5310.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C. (2005). CiteSpace Quick Guide 1.2.

  • Chen, C. (2006). CiteSpace II: Detecting and visualising emerging trends and transient patterns in scientific literature. Journal of the American Society for Information Science Technology, 57(3), 359–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C. (2016). CiteSpace: A practical guide for map** scientific literature. Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C. (2017). Science map**: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of Data and Information Science, 2(2), 1–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C., Ibekwe-SanJuan, F., & Hou, J. (2010). The structure and dynamics of cocitation clusters: A multiple-perspective cocitation analysis. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 61(7), 1386–1409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C., & Paul, R. J. (2001). Visualising a knowledge domain’s intellectual structure. Computer, 34(3), 65–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C., & Song, M. (2019). Visualising a field of research: A methodology of systematic scientometric reviews. PLoS ONE, 14(10), e0223994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, H., Zhao, G., & Xu, N. (2012). The Analysis of research hotspots and fronts of knowledge visualisation based on CiteSpace II. Paper presented at the International Conference on Hybrid Learning.

  • Chen, X., & Liu, Y. (2020). Visualisation analysis of high-speed railway research based on CiteSpace. Transport Policy, 85, 1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chiodelli, F., et al. (2020). The production of informal space: A critical atlas of housing informalities in Italy between public institutions and political strategies. Progress in Planning, 100495.

  • Cirolia, L. R., & Scheba, S. (2019). Towards a multi-scalar reading of informality in Delft, South Africa: Weaving the ‘everyday’ with wider structural tracings. Urban Studies, 56(3), 594–611. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098017753326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cobo, M. J., López-Herrera, A. G., Herrera-Viedma, E., & Herrera, F. (2011). Science map** software tools: Review, analysis, and cooperative study among tools. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 62(7), 1382–1402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coletto, D. (2019). Informal economy. In The Wiley Blackwell encyclopedia of urban and regional studies (pp. 1–8).

  • Darko, A., Chan, A. P., Adabre, M. A., Edwards, D. J., Hosseini, M. R., & Ameyaw, E. E. (2020). Artificial intelligence in the AEC industry: Scientometric analysis and visualisation of research activities. Automation in Construction, 112, 103081.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Desai, R., McFarlane, C., & Graham, S. (2015). The politics of open defecation: Informality, body, and infrastructure in Mumbai. Antipode, 47(1), 98–120. https://doi.org/10.1111/anti.12117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeVries, D. N. (2018). Exploring the dangerous disconnect between perspectives, planning, policy, and practice towards informal traders in Durban, South Africa. Berkeley Planning Journal, 30(1), 8. https://doi.org/10.5070/bp330137614

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di Raimo, A., Lehmann, S., & Melis, A. (2021). Informality through sustainability: Urban informality now. Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Etim, E., & Daramola, O. (2020). The informal sector and economic growth of South Africa and Nigeria: A comparative systematic review. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 6(4), 134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodchild, M. F., & Janelle, D. G. (2010). Toward critical spatial thinking in the social sciences and humanities. GeoJournal, 75(1), 3–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gould, R., Missimer, M., & Mesquita, P. L. (2017). Using social sustainability principles to analyse activities of the extraction lifecycle phase: Learnings from designing support for concept selection. Journal of Cleaner Production, 140, 267–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gumbo, T., & Moyo, I. (2021). On the temporal, spatial and structural linkages between informal and formal economic enterprises in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. GeoJournal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-021-10409-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, R. (2019). Neighbourhood upgrading: A fragmented global history. Progress in Planning, 100432.

  • Harriss, J. C. (1990). Linkages between the formal and the informal sectors in develo** countries: A review of literature.

  • Hart, K. (1970). 8.Small-scale entrepreneurs in Ghana and development planning. The Journal of Development Studies, 6(4), 104–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, K. (1973). Informal income opportunities and urban employment in Ghana. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 11(1), 61–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hartnett, A., & Dawdy, S. L. (2013). The archaeology of illegal and illicit economies. In Annual review of anthropology (Vol. 42, pp. 37–51).

  • He, Q. (1999). Knowledge discovery through co-word analysis. Library Trends, 48(1), 133–159. Retrieved from https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/8267/librarytrendsv48i1i_opt.pdf

  • Hegazy, I. R. (2016). Informal settlement upgrading policies in Egypt: Towards improvement in the upgrading process. Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, 9(3), 254–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hilbert, M. (2016). Big data for development: A review of promises and challenges. Development Policy Review, 34(1), 135–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ILO. (1972). Employment, incomes and equality: a strategy for increasing productive employment in Kenya. International Labour Office Geneva 1972. https://www.ilo.org/public/libdoc/ilo/1972/72B09_608_engl.pdf

  • ILO. (2002). Decent work and the informal economy: Abstract of working papers.

  • ILO. (2018). ILO global estimate on international migrant workers—Result and methodology (2nd ed.). ILO Labour Migration & ILO Department of Statistics

  • Jagtap, S. (2019). Key guidelines for designing integrated solutions to support development of marginalised societies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 219, 148–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • **, Y., Ji, S., Li, X., & Yu, J. (2017). A scientometric review of hotspots and emerging trends in additive manufacturing. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 28(1), 18–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, S. A., Michelfelder, D., & Nair, I. (2017). Engineering managers and sustainable systems: The need for and challenges of using an ethical framework for transformative leadership. Journal of Cleaner Production, 140, 205–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kennett, P., & Mizuuchi, T. (2010). Homelessness, housing insecurity and social exclusion in China, Hong Kong, and Japan. City, Culture and Society, 1(3), 111–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawanson, T. (2014). Illegal urban entrepreneurship? The case of street vendors in Lagos, Nigeria. Journal of Architecture & Environment, 13(1), 45–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang, D., De Jong, M., Schraven, D., & Wang, L. (2021). Map** key features and dimensions of the inclusive city: A systematic bibliometric analysis and literature study. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 1–20.

  • Lindell, I. (2019). Introduction: Re-spatialising urban informality: Reconsidering the spatial politics of street work in the global South. International Development Planning Review, 41(1), 3–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, H., Zhao, S., & **n, O. (2019). Analysis on the evolution path and hotspot of knowledge innovation study based on knowledge map. Sustainability, 11(19), 5528.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Logan, J. R. (2012). Making a place for space: Spatial thinking in social science. Annual Review of Sociology, 38, 507–524.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Losby, J. L., Else, J. F., Kingslow, M. E., Edgcomb, E. L., Malm, E. T., & Kao, V. (2002). Informal economy literature review. ISED Consulting and Research.

  • Marx, C., & Kelling, E. (2019). Knowing urban informalities. Urban Studies, 56(3), 494–509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McFarlane, C. (2019). Thinking with and beyond the informal–formal relation in urban thought. Urban Studies, 56(3), 620–623. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098018810603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meagher, K. (2013). Unlocking the informal economy: A literature review on linkages between formal and informal economies in develo** countries. Work. ePap, 27.

  • Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzla, J., Altman, D.G., Group, T.P. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLOS Medicine, 6, e1000097.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nataraj, S., Perez-Arce, F., Kumar, K. B., & Srinivasan, S. V. (2014). The impact of labor market regulation on employment in low-income countries: A meta-analysis. Journal of Economic Surveys, 28(3), 551–572.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nederhood, C., Soman, S. & Marchio, N. (2020). Million neighborhoods. Retrieved January 20, 2022, from https://millionneighborhoods.org/#2/8.84/17.54

  • Olawumi, T. O., & Chan, D. W. (2018). A scientometric review of global research on sustainability and sustainable development. Journal of Cleaner Production, 183, 231–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pratt, A. (2019). Formality as exception. Urban Studies, 56(3), 612–615.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rekhviashvili, L., & Sgibnev, W. (2020). Theorising informality and social embeddedness for the study of informal transport. Lessons from the marshrutka mobility phenomenon. Journal of Transport Geography, 88, 102386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma, P. B., & Adhikari, D. B. (2020). Informal economy and poverty dynamics: A review. Quest Journal of Management and Social Sciences, 2(1), 168–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheller, M. (2017). From spatial turn to mobilities turn. Current Sociology, 65(4), 623–639.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smit, S., & Musango, J. K. (2015). Towards connecting green economy with informal economy in South Africa: A review and way forward. Ecological Economics, 116, 154–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soja, E. W. (1993). History, geography, modernity.

  • Soyinka, O. (2018). Urban informality and infrastructure planning: the study of Hong Kong SAR and lagos metropolis for sustainable urban design strategies. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,

  • Soyinka, O., & Siu, K. W. M. (2017). Urban Informality and Infrastructure Planning in Hong Kong and Lagos Metropolis: Professionals Perspectives. Paper presented at the International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics.

  • Soyinka, O., & Siu, K. W. M. (2018). Urban informality, housing insecurity, and social exclusion; concept and case study assessment for sustainable urban development. City, Culture and Society, 15, 23–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Storper, M., & Scott, A. J. (2016). Current debates in urban theory: A critical assessment. Urban Studies, 53, 1114–1136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tanasescu, A., Wing-tak, E. C., & Smart, A. (2010). Tops and bottoms: State tolerance of illegal housing in Hong Kong and Calgary. Habitat International, 34(4), 478–484.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tchamyou, V. S., Asongu, S. A., & Odhiambo, N. M. (2019). The role of ICT in modulating the effect of education and lifelong learning on income inequality and economic growth in Africa. African Development Review, 31(3), 261–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UN-Habitat. (2015a). Habitat III Issue Papers, 18- Urban Infrastructure and Basic Services, Including Energy. New York

  • UN-Habitat. (2015b). Habitat III Issue Papers, 22- Informal Settlements. Retrieved from Published in New York:

  • UN Habitat. (2013). State of the World's Cities 2012/2013 prosperity of cities. Routledge, 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017: Routledge for United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

  • Walther, O. J., Howard, A. M., & Retaillé, D. (2015). West African spatial patterns of economic activities: Combining the ‘spatial factor’and ‘mobile space’approaches. African Studies, 74(3), 346–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warf, B., & Arias, S. (2008). The spatial turn: Interdisciplinary perspectives. Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Webster, C. J., & Lai, L.W.-C. (2003). Property rights, planning and markets: managing spontaneous cities. Edward Elgar Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, C. C., Shahid, M. S., & Martínez, A. (2016). Determinants of the level of informality of informal micro-enterprises: Some evidence from the City of Lahore, Pakistan. World Development, 84, 312–325. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.09.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Withers, C. W. (2009). Place and the" spatial turn" in geography and in history. Journal of the History of Ideas, 70(4), 637–658.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Bank. (2016). World development report 2016: Digital dividends. The World Bank.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, F., Zhang, F., & Webster, C. (2013). Informality and the development and demolition of urban villages in the Chinese Peri-urban area. Urban Studies, 50(10), 1919–1934. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098012466600

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, L. (2009). China’s informal urbanisation: Conceptualisation, dimensions and implications. Post-Communist Economies, 21(2), 203–225. https://doi.org/10.1080/14631370902778583

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, L., Tang, Z., & Zou, X. (2019). Map** the knowledge domain of smart-city research: A bibliometric and scientometric analysis. Sustainability, 11(23), 6648.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhongming, Z., Linong, L., Wangqiang, Z., & Wei, L. (2020). World Cities Report 2020: The value of sustainable urbanization. UN Habitat.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support of The University of Hong Kong, Department of Urban Planning and Design and the constructive feedback of the editors and reviewers of this journal.

Funding

“This research was funded by The University of Hong Kong, ‘Walking With Wheels’ Project Grant Number 104004677.095740.01300.301.01 for initiatives on innovative research under the auspice of the Department of Urban Planning and Design.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Room KB808, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Oluwole Soyinka & Alain J. F. Chiaradia

Authors
  1. Oluwole Soyinka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alain J. F. Chiaradia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

OS and AC conceptualised the manuscript idea and designed the study. OS conducted the original draft writing. AC provided supervision and manuscript revisions. Finally both authors read, revised and agreed the published version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alain J. F. Chiaradia.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This article complied with all professional ethics of academic publication.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 1524 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Soyinka, O., Chiaradia, A.J.F. The landscape of informal economy research: a systematic review of transient trends, pivot, and emerging pattern: is there a spatial turn?. GeoJournal 88, 1059–1079 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-022-10611-w

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-022-10611-w

Keywords

Search

Navigation