The aim of this paper is to evaluate critically four competing theories that variously explain informal sector entrepreneurship as a traditional activity that has not yet been incorporated into the modern system (modernization theory), a form of production integral to contemporary capitalism conducted by marginalized population groups as a survival strategy (structuralist theory), a voluntarily chosen endeavor and popular reaction to excessive regulation by the state (neo[Formula: see text]liberal theory) or a voluntarily chosen practice conducted for social, redistributive, political resistance or identity reasons (post-structuralist theory). Reporting the results of face[Formula: see text]to[Formula: see text]face interviews with 215 informal entrepreneurs in Zamfara, a tropical region in Nigeria, the finding is that no one theory is universally valid. Instead, each theory is valid in relation to different groups of entrepreneur and only by combining all of them can a finer-grained and more nuanced explanation of the complex and heterogeneous character of informal sector entrepreneurship be achieved.

中文翻译：

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评估非正规部门创业的理论：来自尼日利亚赞法拉的一些经验教训

本文的目的是批判性地评估四种相互竞争的理论，这些理论以不同的方式将非正规部门的企业家精神解释为一种尚未融入现代体系的传统活动（现代化理论），这是一种由边缘化人口群体进行的当代资本主义不可或缺的生产形式作为一种生存策略（结构主义理论），自愿选择的努力和对国家过度监管的大众反应（新[公式：见文本]自由主义理论）或出于社会、再分配、政治抵抗或身份原因而自愿选择的实践（后结构主义理论）。在尼日利亚热带地区 Zamfara 对 215 位非正规企业家进行面对面采访，报告 face[公式：见正文]到 [公式：见正文]的结果，结果表明，没有一种理论是普遍有效的。相反，每种理论对于不同的企业家群体都是有效的，只有将所有这些理论结合起来，才能对非正规部门企业家精神的复杂性和异质性进行更细粒度和更细致的解释。