scholarly journals Evaluating the Impact of the Informal Economy on Businesses in South East Europe: Some Lessons from the 2009 World Bank Enterprise Survey

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Hudson ◽  
Colin Williams ◽  
Marta Orviska ◽  
Sara Nadin
Keyword(s):  
World Bank ◽  
Informal Economy ◽  
Employment Relations ◽  
East Europe ◽  
South East Europe ◽  
Adverse Impacts ◽  
World Bank Enterprise Survey ◽  
Enterprise Survey ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Targeted Approach

Evaluating the Impact of the Informal Economy on Businesses in South East Europe: Some Lessons from the 2009 World Bank Enterprise SurveyThe aim of this paper is to evaluate the variable impacts of the informal economy on businesses and employment relations in South East Europe. Evidence is reported from the 2009 World Bank Enterprise Survey which interviewed 4,720 businesses located in South East Europe. The finding is not only that a large informal sector reduces wage levels but also that there are significant spatial variations in the adverse impacts of the informal economy across this European region. Small, rural and domestic businesses producing for the home market and the transport, construction, garment and wholesale sectors are most likely to be adversely affected by the informal economy. The paper concludes by calling for similar research in other global regions and for a more targeted approach towards tackling the informal economy.

EVALUATING THE IMPACTS OF STARTING UP UNREGISTERED ON FIRM PERFORMANCE IN AFRICA

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (03) ◽  
pp. 1750017 ◽  
Author(s):  
COLIN C. WILLIAMS ◽  
ABBI M. KEDIR
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
World Bank ◽  
Productivity Growth ◽  
Informal Economy ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Formal Economy ◽  
World Bank Enterprise Survey ◽  
Enterprise Survey

The aim of this paper is to contribute to an understanding of the entrepreneurship process in Africa by evaluating the link between starting up unregistered and future firm performance. The widespread assumption has been that firms starting up unregistered in the informal economy suffer from poor performance compared to those starting up registered and in the formal economy. To test this poorer performance thesis, World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) data is evaluated from across 41 African countries covering the period from 2006 to 2013. Controlling for a comprehensive set of other determinants of firm performance, the finding is that formal enterprises with five or more employees that started up unregistered have significantly higher annual sales, employment and productivity growth rates compared with those firms that registered their operations at startup. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical and policy implications of this finding.

Determinants of Islamic banking growth: an empirical analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamsir Cham
Keyword(s):  
World Bank ◽  
Time Series Data ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
World Bank Enterprise Survey ◽  
Enterprise Survey ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to examine the determinants of growth rate in Islamic banking using annual time series data. Design/methodology/approach The author applied several econometrics methods including generalized linear model and survey-based indicators. The author uses the World Bank Enterprise Survey data to supplement the answers. Findings The results support the view that high oil prices, stable domestic prices, higher educated populace and greater presence of capital resources have positive effects on growth in Islamic banking. The findings, however, revealed that instability adversely affects Islamic banking growth. The author found no clear conclusion on the impact of economic growth, greater presence of Muslim population and presence of sharia in the legal system of the country on growth in Islamic banking. The major constraints impeding Islamic banking growth include regulations, tax rates and skilled labor force. Originality/value There is no empirical work that has been done on the determinants of Islamic banking growth by taking into account the following factors: oil price dynamics, sharia compliant, macroeconomic variables, instability and World Bank Enterprise survey. This paper attempts to search for the push and pull factors of Islamic banking growth to fill the gap in determining the Islamic banking growth.

scholarly journals EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF INFORMAL SECTOR COMPETITORS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF FORMAL ENTERPRISES: EVIDENCE FROM BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (02) ◽  
pp. 2050014
Author(s):  
COLIN C. WILLIAMS ◽  
BRUNILDA KOSTA
Keyword(s):  
World Bank ◽  
Bosnia And Herzegovina ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Employment Growth ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Sales Growth ◽  
World Bank Enterprise Survey ◽  
Enterprise Survey ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Do So

It is widely assumed that informal sector enterprises have a harmful impact on the performance of formal enterprises. This paper aims to provide an evidence-based evaluation of whether this is the case. To do so, it reports World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) data collected from 360 formal enterprises in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2019. The finding is that formal enterprises viewing informal competition as a severe obstacle do not witness significantly lower sales growth, employment growth or productivity growth. Indeed, such enterprises witness significantly higher sales growth than those who do not view informal sector competitors as a severe obstacle. The theoretical and policy implications are discussed.

scholarly journals EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF INFORMAL SECTOR COMPETITION ON FIRM PERFORMANCE: SOME LESSONS FROM SOUTH-EAST EUROPE

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (04) ◽  
pp. 1850025 ◽  
Author(s):  
COLIN C. WILLIAMS ◽  
SLAVKO BEZEREDI
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Informal Economy ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
East Europe ◽  
South East Europe ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Do So

A widespread assumption is that competition from the informal sector has a negative impact on the firm performance of legitimate enterprises. This is because of the unfair competition they face from such enterprises in the informal sector. The aim of this paper is to provide an evidence-based evaluation of whether this is the case based on an analysis of the relationship between the firm performance of enterprises and their perception of the prevalence of informal sector competition. To do so, data is reported from a representative sample of 1,430 enterprises in Bulgaria, Croatia and FYR Macedonia. The finding is that enterprises asserting that their competitors participate in the informal economy have significantly lower real annual sales growth rates compared with those who assert that their competitors do not participate in the informal economy. The theoretical and policy implications are then discussed.

Major obstacles facing business enterprises in an emerging economy: the case of Ghana using the World Bank Enterprise Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 475-487
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Mohammed ◽  
Alhassan Bunyaminu
Keyword(s):  
World Bank ◽  
Emerging Economy ◽  
Probit Regression ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World Bank ◽  
The World ◽  
Business Enterprises ◽  
World Bank Enterprise Survey ◽  
Enterprise Survey

PurposeThis paper aims at identifying the major obstacles to business enterprise in an emerging economy and how these obstacles are associated with different characteristics of the enterprises.Design/methodology/approachThe study relied on the World Bank Enterprise Survey data on Ghana and applied binary and ordinal probit regression techniques to estimate the associations between the characteristics of the enterprises and the identified obstacles. Significance testing of the associations is also conducted.FindingsThe five main obstacles perceived by most of the enterprises in the study are access to finance, electricity, access to land, customs and trade regulations and tax rates. These obstacles are associated in different ways to growth rate (high vs low growth), scale (small and medium vs large), age, size of employees, the experience of the top manager and ownership (wholly domestic vs foreign ownership).Research limitations/implicationsAs a cross-sectional study focusing on Ghana, the findings are informative about the major obstacles facing business enterprises in an emerging economy; however, the ecological validity of these findings may be limited to factors specific to Ghana.Originality/valueGiven the representativeness of the Enterprise Survey, policymakers can rely on these findings to formulate useful policies to promote the operations of business enterprises.

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