Development of Self-Employment in the Context of Digital Economy

Over the recent years one can see the growth of self-employed people. This process is caused by the development of information infrastructure. The further growth of self-employed people can be expected because countries have entered a new type of digital economy which is based on Internet technologies and high levels of people's skills and competences. At the same time, the Russian economy is characterized by a rather large informal sector, that demands to take measures to legalize the activity of self-employed people and to bring them out of the shade. The authors' research is aimed at studying the notion of self-employment and the criteria defining self-employed people. The authors reveal the forms, causes and factors for development of self-employment in the context of digital economy. Distinctive features that make it possible to separate the traditional forms of self-employment from new ones are determined. This study will help to establish measures to legalize self-employment in Russia that would in turn strengthen entrepreneurship in future.