POLICY SUPPORT FOR INFORMAL SECTOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP: MICRO-ENTERPRISES IN INDIA

This paper highlights the presence of a hidden enterprise culture in the Indian informal economy (versus a necessity driven view) and draws a developmental framework to harness micro-enterprise owners. Policy research has typically taken a welfare approach toward studying the informal sector in the developing countries. Therefore, the agenda has been to create a favorable environment for survival instead of cultivating entrepreneurship and facilitating their growth. Conversely, this paper explores a strategic orientation for the informal sector. The proposed framework balances entrepreneurial spirit of the individuals, market dynamics of the economy, and socio-economic imperatives of a developing nation. Implications for research and policy are also drawn.