This article develops a micro-level understanding of informal work (IW) by exploring the legitimising factors which business owners exercise to provide the rationale for engaging in IW. Using the lens of nudge theory, originating from behavioural economics, we show how IW becomes legitimised through nudging. Empirically, we explore the lived experience of service sector business owners who engage in IW practices in the East Midlands, UK. The findings uncover how the business owners’ context is shaped through exposure to various IW arrangements early in their working life; we also reveal a range of actors who actively shape these arrangements for embracing IW while delegitimising formal work. We present the factors that condition the beliefs and embed the understanding that IW is legitimate for the individual business owners, thus highlighting an important and emergent context for future studies in the realm of IW.

中文翻译：

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探索非正式工作：通过推动获得合法性


本文通过探讨企业主为提供从事 IW 的基本原理而行使的合法因素，发展了对非正式工作 （IW） 的微观理解。使用源自行为经济学的助推理论的视角，我们展示了 IW 如何通过轻推变得合法化。从实证角度来看，我们探讨了在英国东米德兰兹郡从事 IW 实践的服务行业企业主的生活经验。研究结果揭示了企业主的环境是如何通过在其工作生涯早期接触各种 IW 安排而形成的;我们还揭示了一系列参与者，他们积极塑造这些接受 IW 的安排，同时使正式工作失去合法性。我们提出了制约信念的因素，并嵌入了 IW 对个体企业主来说是合法的理解，从而突出了 IW 领域未来研究的重要和紧急背景。