Publication:
Comparing Apples with....Apples : How to Make (More) Sense of Subjective Rankings of Constraints to Business

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorAterido, Reyes
dc.contributor.authorHallward-Driemeier, Mary
dc.date.accessioned2012-03-19T19:12:32Z
dc.date.available2012-03-19T19:12:32Z
dc.date.issued2009-09-01
dc.description.abstractThe use of expert or qualitative surveys to rank countries business investment conditions is widespread. However, within the economic literature there are concerns about measurement error and endogeneity based on characteristics of the respondents, raising questions about how well the data reflect the underlying reality they are trying to measure. This paper examines these concerns using data from 79,000 firms in 105 countries. The findings show that first, qualitative rankings correlate well with quantitative measures of the business environment, using both quantitative measures from within the survey and from external sources. Second, there are systematic variations in perceptions based on firm characteristics - focusing in particular on size and growth performance. However, it is not that an optimistic view of the business environment is simply the expression of a firm s own performance. Rather, firm size and performance affect the relative importance of certain constraints, particularly in areas such as finance, time with officials/inspectors, corruption, and access to reliable electricity. The results also show that much of the variation in subjective responses by firm types is largely due to differences in the objective conditions across firm types. There is little evidence that size and performance have non-linear effects in how constraining a given objective condition is reported to be. Overall, concerns about endogeneity remain in using business environment indicators to explain firm performance, but this stems primarily from the fact that who you are and how well you are doing can affect the conditions you face rather than whether the indicator used is qualitative or quantitative.en
dc.identifierhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20090914154906
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-5054
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/4246
dc.languageEnglish
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research working paper ; no. WPS 5054
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectACCESS TO BANK
dc.subjectACCESS TO BANK LOANS
dc.subjectACCESS TO FINANCE
dc.subjectBANK LOANS
dc.subjectBANKS
dc.subjectBIASES
dc.subjectBOTTLENECKS
dc.subjectBRIBE
dc.subjectBRIBES
dc.subjectBRIBING
dc.subjectBUSINESS CLIMATE
dc.subjectBUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
dc.subjectBUSINESS INDICATORS
dc.subjectBUSINESS OPERATIONS
dc.subjectBUSINESS PERFORMANCE
dc.subjectCORPORATE TAX RATE
dc.subjectCORRUPTION
dc.subjectCOUNTRY RISK
dc.subjectCREDIBILITY
dc.subjectCUSTOMS
dc.subjectDEVELOPING COUNTRIES
dc.subjectDUMMY VARIABLES
dc.subjectECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectECONOMIC GROWTH
dc.subjectECONOMIC POLICY
dc.subjectELECTRICITY
dc.subjectEMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectEMPLOYMENT GROWTH
dc.subjectEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
dc.subjectENDOWMENTS
dc.subjectENTERPRISE SURVEY
dc.subjectENTERPRISE SURVEYS
dc.subjectEXPERT OPINION
dc.subjectEXPORTER
dc.subjectEXPORTERS
dc.subjectEXTERNAL FINANCE
dc.subjectEXTERNAL FINANCING
dc.subjectFINANCE ACCESS
dc.subjectFINANCIAL SERVICES
dc.subjectFIRM PERFORMANCE
dc.subjectFIRM SIZE
dc.subjectFIRMS
dc.subjectFOREIGN FIRMS
dc.subjectFORMAL BANK
dc.subjectGLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS
dc.subjectINEQUALITY
dc.subjectINSPECTIONS
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL BANK
dc.subjectINVESTING
dc.subjectINVESTMENT CLIMATE
dc.subjectLACK OF ACCESS
dc.subjectLEGAL CONSTRAINTS
dc.subjectLICENSE
dc.subjectLICENSES
dc.subjectLIMITED ACCESS
dc.subjectLIMITED ACCESS TO FINANCE
dc.subjectLOAN
dc.subjectMACROECONOMIC INSTABILITY
dc.subjectMACROECONOMIC STABILITY
dc.subjectMANUFACTURING
dc.subjectMARKETING
dc.subjectPHONE LINE
dc.subjectPRIVATE SECTOR
dc.subjectPRODUCTIVITY
dc.subjectPROPERTY RIGHTS
dc.subjectREGULATORY BURDEN
dc.subjectREGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
dc.subjectRELIABILITY
dc.subjectRESULTS
dc.subjectRETURNS
dc.subjectROADS
dc.subjectRULE OF LAW
dc.subjectSALES GROWTH
dc.subjectSEES
dc.subjectSHARE OF INVESTMENTS
dc.subjectSHOP
dc.subjectSMALL FIRM
dc.subjectSMALL FIRMS
dc.subjectSOURCES OF FINANCE
dc.subjectSOURCES OF FUNDS
dc.subjectTARGETS
dc.subjectTAX
dc.subjectTAX RATES
dc.subjectTELECOM
dc.subjectTELECOMMUNICATION
dc.subjectTELECOMMUNICATIONS
dc.subjectTELEPHONE
dc.subjectTELEPHONE LINES
dc.subjectTRANSACTION
dc.subjectTRANSPORT
dc.subjectTRANSPORTATION
dc.subjectTRUE
dc.subjectUSES
dc.subjectWEB
dc.subjectWORKING CAPITAL
dc.titleComparing Apples with....Apples : How to Make (More) Sense of Subjective Rankings of Constraints to Businessen
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.crossref.titleComparing Apples with….Apples: How to Make (More) Sense of Subjective Rankings of Constraints to Business
okr.date.doiregistration2025-04-10T12:05:13.593553Z
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.docurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20090914154906
okr.globalpracticeTransport and ICT
okr.guid801211468150574250
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-5054
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum000158349_20090914154906
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum11075855
okr.identifier.reportWPS5054
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2009/09/14/000158349_20090914154906/Rendered/PDF/WPS5054.pdfen
okr.region.administrativeWorld
okr.region.administrativeWorld
okr.sectorIndustry and trade :: General industry and trade sector
okr.themeEconomic management :: Analysis of economic growth
okr.topicTransport
okr.unitDevelopment Research Group (DECRG)
okr.volume1 of 1
relation.isAuthorOfPublication67f85769-f3f3-56bb-8609-d63125a35e32
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery67f85769-f3f3-56bb-8609-d63125a35e32
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Thumbnail Image
Name:
WPS5054.pdf
Size:
638.69 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
WPS5054.txt
Size:
82.1 KB
Format:
Plain Text
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Plain Text
Description:
Download
Collections
Policy Research Working Papers