Analysis of the socioeconomic variables that affect informal workers in the Canton of Huaquillas

Abstract

The objective of this study is to analyze the socioeconomic variables that affect informal workers in the canton of Huaquillas, Ecuador. To this end, mixed methodological strategies were implemented that combine quantitative and qualitative methods. In the quantitative approach, direct surveys were carried out on a sample of 271 informal workers, analyzing the data using Probit regression and marginal effects tests using statistical instruments such as: Excel, SPSS and STATA. In the qualitative approach, an interview was carried out from which the answer was that the main cause of informal work is due to the lack of economic resources, which forces the acceptance of informal work. The main results indicate that the most influential variables in the quality of life and economic stability of informal workers are insufficient wages, lack of intellectual skills and lack of formal sources of employment. The econometric analysis revealed that the lack of formal sources of employment has a significant probability of 22.67% of increasing the acceptance of jobs below the skills of the workers, it was found that women and young people are the most vulnerable groups to labor informality in Huaquillas. This study contributes to the debate on labor informality and offers a solid theoretical basis for future research that seeks to mitigate the precarious conditions of informal workers.