UFORMELT SIKKERHETSNETT? En kvantitativ studie om baltiske medborgeres aksept for uformelt arbeid

Informal work is a global phenomena with extensive economical, social and political implications, affecting a large number of individuals worldwide. Unregistered economic activities are especially prominent in post-soviet baltic countries. Previous studies have highlighted macro-level structural determinants to explain the extent of informal work, with insufficient emphasize on the importance of researching attitudinal aspects of the informal economy. The aim of this study is to contribute to the research field by examining the effects of institutional trust on baltic citizens acceptability of informal work. The objective is to provide a deeper understanding of what influences baltic citizens to choose to work informally. The empirical data used in this study was collected from a sample of citizens from the baltic countries Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Russia in a 2008 survey. The widespread acceptability of informal work in these five countries is proposed to result from the distance, asymmetry or clash between formal and informal institutions. Using a multiple regression analysis, and controlling for the variables age, gender and democratic satisfaction, the results reveal that perceived institutional trust has a significant effect on baltic citizens acceptability of informal work. This shows that citizens attitudes towards institutions affect their attitudes towards the informal economy