World Bank Group and EBRD Launch Business Environment Survey in Tajikistan

Dushanbe, Tajikistan, July 2008—IFC, the World Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development have announced a joint initiative in Tajikistan—the fourth round of the Business and Enterprise Performance Survey. IFC has joined the initiative for the first time, and the survey will now cover issues specific to its advisory activities. The regional data from the survey will complement IFC’s efforts to monitor changes in the business enabling environment and will assess the impact of regulations.

The objective is to obtain feedback on the state of the private sector in client countries. Through interviews with 360 firms in the manufacturing and services sectors, the survey will assess the constraints to private sector growth and create statistically significant business environment indicators that are comparable with other countries.

The World Bank is implementing the business environment survey worldwide using a standardized questionnaire adapted to each country. Topics include the adoption of technology and innovation, competition, the qualifications of the workforce, informality, access to financial services, infrastructure, and the impact of government regulations.

The survey will continue gathering data to provide year-to-year, cross-country business environment measures. It will also revisit previously interviewed businesses to compile comprehensive panel data that will allow researchers to track changes in the business environment, measure the effect of these changes on establishment performance over time, and assess the effects of reforms.

The research team began interviews in May, and the preliminary results are expected in September 2008. The results, together with additional information from other investigations, will form the basis of policy recommendations to the government for promoting investment, productivity, and economic growth.