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Firm Size and the Business Environment
The development of the small and medium enterprise sector is deemed crucial for economic growth and poverty alleviation. Such firms are often though to be at a disadvantage when compared with larger enterprises, but the reverse can apply, for example in the more flexible approach of the smaller firm. This paper draws on a private sector survey in 80 countries examining whether business obstacles are related to firm size. It finds a bias against small firms, which experience significantly greater problems than large firms with financing, taxes and regulations, inflation, corruption and street crime. These problems should be the prime targets of policies aimed at reducing inequity.
Leapfrogging?
IT and the Internet have been seen as a way to enable developing countries to leapfrog over the development path and increase their rate of growth. This paper reviews the situation in India, where the government has strongly encouraged the development of information technology. Although the software sector has become a large and growing export industry there are still the general problems of poor infrastructure and low public investment alongside regulations and controls that can stifle growth. These factors will limit any leapfrogging as economic growth depends on complementary and complicated interactions.
A Market-oriented Strategy for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises
This paper investigates the economic rationale for intervention in support of small and medium scale enterprises, on both theoretical and empirical grounds. It argues that the justification for SME interventions lies in market and institutional failures that bias the size distribution of firms, rather than on any inherent economic benefits provided by small firms. The role of the state is mainly to provide an enabling business environment that opens access to markets and reduces policy-induced biases against small firms. Governments can accelerate the development of markets for financial and non-financial services suited to SMEs by promoting innovation in products and delivery mechanisms, and by building institutional capacity. Improving the development impact of SME strategies will require much more attention to the monitoring and evaluation of intervention outcomes.
Time to Rethink Privatization in Transition Economies?
IFC Discussion Paper No. 38.QUOTEIt is now universally acknowledged that ownership matters; that private ownership in and of itself is a major determinant of good performance in firms... Decent economic policy and well-functioning legal and administrative institutions... matter greatly as well.QUOTEThis paper looks at what happens when the shift to private ownership gets far out in front of the effort to build the institutional underpinnings of a capitalist economy. The emphasis is on what went wrong and why and what, if anything, can be done to be correct it. Proposals include renationalization and/or postponement of further privatization, both to be accompanied by measures to strengthen th...
The Business of Education
This case study surveys the educational services provided by the private sector in Kenya, identifies the major issues and discusses a possible role for the World Bank Group, especially IFC (International Finance Corporation). The demand for all types of education at all levels has greatly outpaced the capacity of the public school system. This has allowed "edupreneurs" to provide academic and vocational education, catering to many socioeconomic segments of the population. Although enrollment in private schools has been increasing rapidly, the supply-demand gap continues to grow. Many private schools wish to expand, but face prohibitive constraints, primarily related to scarcity of financial resources and inadequate management skills. Development institutions, including IFC, can help alleviate these constraints, provided that they are ready to comprehensively address the particular issues faced by private educational institutions. Appended are five tables presenting the data. (RJM)
Corporations' Use of the Internet in Developing Countries
This study uses a survey technique to explore corporate Internet use in developing countries. The survey includes both manufacturing and financial companies and provides an interesting picture of how firms in the developing world are beginning to utilize this new technology in ways broadly similar to companies in more industrialized countries.
Primary Securities Markets
IFC Discussion Paper No. 39.During the period 1980-95, the level of activity increased dramatically for funds raised domestically via issues of debt and equity securities in public capital markets in 32 countries. There were also substantial differences in the level of activity across markets and countries. This paper examines aggregate domestic primary capital market activity in a cross section of countries, including 24 emerging markets. It defines exactly how important a role financial markets have played in raising capital for investment.In this pioneering work, the authors compile aggregate data on primary market activity for a recent period of time, which allows them to quantify the size of the markets and how they have evolved over time. Through their analysis, the authors document the rapidly increasing importance of primary capital markets in many developing countries, where, relative to GDP, these markets now source as much private capital as their developed country counterpart.
Trends in Venture Capital Finance in Developing Countries
IFC Discussion Paper No. 36. This paper presents an analysis of new data on venture capital in developing countries. The data from the regional venture capital associations detail sources and uses of venture financing flows by region, country, industry, type of investing institution, and stage of venture investment. The survey data detail fund organization, deal screening, capital structure, agency cost characteristics of asset structure, measures of entrepreneur human capital, and investment monitoring and control.
How Businesses See Government
This paper presents the results of a survey of almost 4,000 entrepreneurs in 69 countries who were asked to judge what constituted a major obstacle for business operations. Among the numerous findings in the report, corruption, crime and theft, and tax regulations were found to be important obstacles to doing business. OECD countries, six transition countries, and twelve developing countries were represented in the survey.
The Limits of Stabilization
Over the 1980s and 1990s most Latin American countries witnessed a retrenchment of the public sector from infrastructure provision and an opening up of infrastruture activities to the private sector. This book analyses the consequences of these policy changes.
