PUBLIC SERVICE: Portuguese informal economy. The cost of desenrascanço.

According to the study «The Hidden Dangers of the Informal Economy» by McKinsey Global Institute, informal economy weights 30 pct of non-agricultural workforce, reduces 0.8 pct Portugal's productiviy growth and accounts for around half of the productivity gap with the US.

Surprised? Well, this is the cost of the bad side of desenrascanço.

Has desenrascanço a good side? Yes. But hard to find. It's inventing and using new tools to handle new situations.