A Typological Proposal of Self-Employment: Comparative Analysis between Chile and Spain.
It seeks to conceptually, theoretically and methodologically delimit self-employment in its various forms by analysing the data from the active population survey for the years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Therefore, it is intended to provide elements of analysis based on the construction of the typology of these workers for the understanding of this phenomenon. In summary, provide theoretical and empirical elements for a sociological analysis that sheds light on the social reality of the group studied.
The study design was sequential, composed of a factorial analysis of multiple correspondences together with a cluster analysis with the factors obtained. In both countries, as a result of this first stage, we found three strata: high, medium and low. Subsequently, the sequential design included a second qualitative phase. To obtain the sample for this phase, we applied a typological paragon based on the average profiles of those obtained in the quantitative phase. From these profiles we applied biographical interviews and build a typology of work trajectories. Finally, we report on a typology of work trajectories in both countries composed of four types: linear, moonlighting, discontinuous and informal. This last sector is more evident in Chile with a very high rate of 70% within the group, but it is also present in Spain with a much lower incidence.
Last but not least, it is noted that the phenomenon of self-employment responds to a social structure of occupation clearly detected between independent occupations of high quality and professionalisation, passing through middle sectors dedicated mainly to commerce and services, reaching a low-skilled sector of the primary sector.