Publication: Zanzibar - The Effect of the Investment Climate on Performance of Micro and Small Enterprise in Zanzibar : A Comparison with Mainland Tanzania and Other Countries
Loading...
Published
2007-10
ISSN
Date
2012-06-11
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
This study looks at firm performance and the investment climate in Zanzibar. The main source of information is a 2003-2004 survey of manufacturing enterprises. The report is complementary to an earlier report looking at the investment climate in the whole of the United Republic of Tanzania, including Zanzibar (Regional Program on Enterprise Development, 2004). To avoid redundancy with the earlier report, this report focuses on areas where the investment climate is different in Zanzibar from mainland Tanzania. Zanzibar is a small island economy found close to the Tanzanian mainland. Like other small island economies, limited diversification and a small domestic market make Zanzibar vulnerable to terms of trade and other shocks. Diversifying into manufacturing a goal that is consistent with Zanzibar's Growth Strategy (2006-2015) would reduce this vulnerability. This report looks at existing manufacturing firms in Zanzibar to see how their performance compares with similar firms in other parts of Tanzania, other countries in Africa, and other small island economies. It also compares the investment climate in Zanzibar with the investment climate on the mainland and in other nearby countries. Although the investment climate in Zanzibar is more favorable in many areas than it is on the mainland, firms remained more concerned about several areas. Consistent with the evidence on worker skills and capital intensity, firms were more likely to say that access to finance and workers skills and education were serious problems than firms on the mainland were. Objective data are consistent with this-fewer firms had loans, firms reported having less capital and workers and managers were less likely to be university educated in Zanzibar. Improving education and taking steps to attract skilled workers from the mainland and elsewhere -- and improving access to finance, therefore, should be a priority.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2007. Zanzibar - The Effect of the Investment Climate on Performance of Micro and Small Enterprise in Zanzibar : A Comparison with Mainland Tanzania and Other Countries. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/7708 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Digital Object Identifier
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication An Assessment of the Investment Climate in Botswana : Volume I, Main Report(Washington, DC, 2007-06)The objective of the Botswana Investment Climate Assessment (ICA) is to evaluate the investment climate in Botswana in all its operational dimensions and promote policies to strengthen the private sector. The investment climate is made up of the many location specific factors that shape the opportunities and incentives for firms to invest productively, create jobs, and expand. These factors include macroeconomic and regulatory policies; the security of property rights and the rule of law; and the quality of supporting institutions such as physical and financial infrastructure. The main sources of information for the ICA are two firm-level surveys. The first survey covered Small, Medium, and Large Enterprises (SMLEs) with five or more employees in retail trade, manufacturing, and other services. The second covered micro enterprise with fewer than five employees in the same sectors. Information from the survey is supplemented with information from other sources, including the doing business report; analytical reports by the World Bank, the international monetary fund, other international organizations and the Government of Botswana; and academic papers and reports. Although the analysis in this report suggests that there are some areas where the investment climate might be improved, it is important to note none of these problems with the possible exception of worker skills appear to be particularly debilitating. This suggests that other factors are probably also playing a role. One such factor is likely to be the small size (in terms of population) and remoteness of the economy. Another factor is the effect that is the macroeconomic effects of the large mining economy has on the competitiveness of the rest of the economy. Improving living standards and cutting poverty depends on broad-based economic growth, which will only take place when firms improve worker productivity by investing in human and physical capital and technological capacity. But firms will only invest when the investment climate is favorable.Publication External Finance and Firm Survival in the Aftermath of the Crisis : Evidence from Eastern Europe and Central Asia(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-04)Two data sets are used to study how country and firm characteristics affected firms' financial constraints and their likelihood of survival during the early phase of the recent global financial crisis in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, a region that was especially hard hit. The first data source provides information on the reported severity of financial constraints for 360 firms from 23 countries in 2002, 2005, and 2008. By following the same firms over time, the study summarizes both the gradual easing of financial constraints from 2002 to 2005 and their tightening during the crisis. Key findings are that financial constraints during the crisis were less severe in countries with well-established foreign banks (entered prior to year 2000), and that changes in the severity of financial constraints were more pronounced for large firms than others during the crisis (although large firms continued to have less severe constraints on average). The second data source provides information on whether firms remained in operation in 2009 in six countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Controlling for other relevant characteristics, firms were more likely to survive the crisis if they had access to external credit.Publication Angola : Investment Climate Assessment(Washington, DC, 2007-10)Successive armed conflicts, which lasted almost three decades after independence, have devastated Angola and its economy. However, since the peace accord of April 2002, Angolans have begun a transition toward national reconciliation and lasting peace. For the Government of Angola (GoA), one of the main challenges ahead is to reconstruct the economy and reunite society after a war that has left its most visible marks on the millions of displaced that are returning to their areas of origin and demobilized former combatants that will need to be reintegrated into society. Peace in Angola has come hand in hand with a surge in Gross National Income (GNI) per capita over the past years: per capita GNI rose from USD 470 in 2001 to about USD 1,980 in 2006, primarily as a result of increased oil production and revenue. Even though the national income is currently above the average level in Sub-Saharan Africa, Angola was nonetheless ranked 161st out of 177 countries in the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) of 2006. This underscores the magnitude of Angola's challenges in the social sphere. The World Bank's Interim Strategy Note (ISN) of February 2005 was set to support the government's program for 2005-2006 and emphasized the need to encourage the private sector's role through a stronger public/private dialogue frame work and a more propitious operating environment for the private sector. The World Bank's ISN of May 2007 reinforced this need, whilst at the same time recognizing that there has been progress: 'the GoA has adopted legislation to streamline the regulatory framework and clarify land rights and has improved customs procedures. It has also taken steps to improve access to financial services, including microfinance, by allowing new entrants into the market. Investments in infrastructure, including roads, railways, and electricity generation and transmission will also improve the investment climate'.Publication Zambia Economic Brief, October 2013 : Zambia's Jobs Challenge--Realities on the Ground(Washington, DC, 2013-10)Zambia shares its robust economic growth and capital inflows in the past few years with other Sub-Saharan countries, growth supported by high commodity prices that while declining are still at historical high levels. High commodity prices have induced large foreign direct investment (FDI) flows, mainly in extractive industries but also in services sector, supporting growth. Zambia's mining sector has benefited from FDI, receiving almost 1 billion dollar in 2011 alone. A large gap has emerged between available resources and likely spending in 2013. The government is responding with a full range of adjustments, including cutting recurrent spending (such as on travel and motor vehicles), cutting capital projects, and stepping up revenue collection. The government has raised fuel prices and reduced maize and fertilizer subsidies, but the medium-term fiscal impact of these initiatives is uncertain. These reforms aimed to create space for expanding better targeted spending programs. Zambia's economy has seen far too many unexpected policy changes in recent years. Persistent and even escalating perceptions of an uncertain policy environment can weaken investment, thereby reducing gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Zambia's population and labor force is young and growing fast. The current structure of the economy and sources of growth are such that formal wage jobs are being created slowly. Creating formal jobs in the private sector is rightly accorded top priority in government policy and strategy documents. The government's general approach is to provide an enabling environment for the private sector and address constraints to growth. For wage employment, understanding the technical and vocational education sector is a priority for future skills development. There is a need to address the gaps in access to basic education and prevent dropouts through targeted programs for children at risk of not starting or finishing school. This report is divided in two sections: section one gives recent economic developments and section two presents jobs challenge: realities on the ground.Publication Sierra Leone : Investment Climate Policy Note(Washington, DC, 2009-06)This Investment Climate Policy Note (ICPN) for Sierra Leone evaluates the country's business environment by: (i) analyzing barriers to private sector investment and growth and how they vary among different types of firms; (ii) benchmarking Sierra Leone's investment climate and firm performance to that of other countries; and (iii) providing recommendations to promote and strengthen the private sector. The ICPN is supported by the statistical analysis of a 2009 enterprise survey of 150 formal, manufacturing and service firms with five or more employees based in Western Area/Freetown and Kenema, two of Sierra Leone's major urban centers. The ICPN is organized as follows. Chapter one provides context for Sierra Leone's business environment. Chapter two discusses the performance of Sierra Leone firms, with a focus on labor productivity. Chapter three examines how investment climate constraints cost businesses money and time, discusses main bottlenecks to conducting business as identified by managers of Sierra Leone firms, and reviews obstacles related to electricity supply, tax rates, informality, corruption and access to land. Chapter four analyzes data on how firms access and use finance, and chapter five discusses exports and internationalization in Sierra Leone. Chapter six concludes and provides policy options to improve the investment climate.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Global Economic Prospects, June 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-06-10)The global economy is facing another substantial headwind, emanating largely from an increase in trade tensions and heightened global policy uncertainty. For emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), the ability to boost job creation and reduce extreme poverty has declined. Key downside risks include a further escalation of trade barriers and continued policy uncertainty. These challenges are exacerbated by subdued foreign direct investment into EMDEs. Global cooperation is needed to restore a more stable international trade environment and scale up support for vulnerable countries grappling with conflict, debt burdens, and climate change. Domestic policy action is also critical to contain inflation risks and strengthen fiscal resilience. To accelerate job creation and long-term growth, structural reforms must focus on raising institutional quality, attracting private investment, and strengthening human capital and labor markets. Countries in fragile and conflict situations face daunting development challenges that will require tailored domestic policy reforms and well-coordinated multilateral support.Publication Global Economic Prospects, January 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-16)Global growth is expected to hold steady at 2.7 percent in 2025-26. However, the global economy appears to be settling at a low growth rate that will be insufficient to foster sustained economic development—with the possibility of further headwinds from heightened policy uncertainty and adverse trade policy shifts, geopolitical tensions, persistent inflation, and climate-related natural disasters. Against this backdrop, emerging market and developing economies are set to enter the second quarter of the twenty-first century with per capita incomes on a trajectory that implies substantially slower catch-up toward advanced-economy living standards than they previously experienced. Without course corrections, most low-income countries are unlikely to graduate to middle-income status by the middle of the century. Policy action at both global and national levels is needed to foster a more favorable external environment, enhance macroeconomic stability, reduce structural constraints, address the effects of climate change, and thus accelerate long-term growth and development.Publication The Container Port Performance Index 2023(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-07-18)The Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) measures the time container ships spend in port, making it an important point of reference for stakeholders in the global economy. These stakeholders include port authorities and operators, national governments, supranational organizations, development agencies, and other public and private players in trade and logistics. The index highlights where vessel time in container ports could be improved. Streamlining these processes would benefit all parties involved, including shipping lines, national governments, and consumers. This fourth edition of the CPPI relies on data from 405 container ports with at least 24 container ship port calls in the calendar year 2023. As in earlier editions of the CPPI, the ranking employs two different methodological approaches: an administrative (technical) approach and a statistical approach (using matrix factorization). Combining these two approaches ensures that the overall ranking of container ports reflects actual port performance as closely as possible while also being statistically robust. The CPPI methodology assesses the sequential steps of a container ship port call. ‘Total port hours’ refers to the total time elapsed from the moment a ship arrives at the port until the vessel leaves the berth after completing its cargo operations. The CPPI uses time as an indicator because time is very important to shipping lines, ports, and the entire logistics chain. However, time, as captured by the CPPI, is not the only way to measure port efficiency, so it does not tell the entire story of a port’s performance. Factors that can influence the time vessels spend in ports can be location-specific and under the port’s control (endogenous) or external and beyond the control of the port (exogenous). The CPPI measures time spent in container ports, strictly based on quantitative data only, which do not reveal the underlying factors or root causes of extended port times. A detailed port-specific diagnostic would be required to assess the contribution of underlying factors to the time a vessel spends in port. A very low ranking or a significant change in ranking may warrant special attention, for which the World Bank generally recommends a detailed diagnostic.Publication Business Ready 2024(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-03)Business Ready (B-READY) is a new World Bank Group corporate flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. It replaces and improves upon the Doing Business project. B-READY provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector, not only by advancing the interests of individual firms but also by elevating the interests of workers, consumers, potential new enterprises, and the natural environment. This 2024 report introduces a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. The analysis centers on 10 topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm. The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. B-READY draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys. The 2024 report, which covers 50 economies, serves as the first in a series that will expand in geographical coverage and refine its methodology over time, supporting reform advocacy, policy guidance, and further analysis and research.Publication Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-03-05)Digitalization is the transformational opportunity of our time. The digital sector has become a powerhouse of innovation, economic growth, and job creation. Value added in the IT services sector grew at 8 percent annually during 2000–22, nearly twice as fast as the global economy. Employment growth in IT services reached 7 percent annually, six times higher than total employment growth. The diffusion and adoption of digital technologies are just as critical as their invention. Digital uptake has accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic, with 1.5 billion new internet users added from 2018 to 2022. The share of firms investing in digital solutions around the world has more than doubled from 2020 to 2022. Low-income countries, vulnerable populations, and small firms, however, have been falling behind, while transformative digital innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) have been accelerating in higher-income countries. Although more than 90 percent of the population in high-income countries was online in 2022, only one in four people in low-income countries used the internet, and the speed of their connection was typically only a small fraction of that in wealthier countries. As businesses in technologically advanced countries integrate generative AI into their products and services, less than half of the businesses in many low- and middle-income countries have an internet connection. The growing digital divide is exacerbating the poverty and productivity gaps between richer and poorer economies. The Digital Progress and Trends Report series will track global digitalization progress and highlight policy trends, debates, and implications for low- and middle-income countries. The series adds to the global efforts to study the progress and trends of digitalization in two main ways: · By compiling, curating, and analyzing data from diverse sources to present a comprehensive picture of digitalization in low- and middle-income countries, including in-depth analyses on understudied topics. · By developing insights on policy opportunities, challenges, and debates and reflecting the perspectives of various stakeholders and the World Bank’s operational experiences. This report, the first in the series, aims to inform evidence-based policy making and motivate action among internal and external audiences and stakeholders. The report will bring global attention to high-performing countries that have valuable experience to share as well as to areas where efforts will need to be redoubled.