Enterprise Surveys versus Doing Business

Enterprise Surveys and Doing Business indicators are complementary, but different diagnostic tools.

Differences
Enterprise Surveys
Doing Business
Source of data
Using stratified sampling, surveys are taken of hundreds of entrepreneurs per country who describe the impact of their country’s investment climate on their firm. Responses reflect their managers' actual experiences.
 
You can see what happens to firms in actual practice.
A survey is taken of a few local experts in law and accounting who interact with a large number of firms, mainly in the central business center of the country.
 
You can see what happens to generic small and medium enterprises when following the prescribed laws and regulations.
Usage
Breadth and depth of data allows analysis across country geography and firm attributes (size, ownership, industry), and can probe the relationship between investment climate characteristics and firm productivity.
Constancy of firm description across countries allows for a straightforward comparison and ranking by country for the various indicators. Ease of use makes this a useful tool for policy analysis.
Type of issues covered
Spans all major investment climate topics, albeit with less depth than Doing Business, ranging from infrastructure to crime. Detailed productivity information includes firm finances, costs such as labor and materials, sales, and investment.
Covers in-depth research and exchange with experts on a more narrow set of laws, regulations, and institutions covering specific aspects of firm entry, operation, and exit.
Country coverage
15-20 Enterprise Surveys per year are implemented, with updates planned for each country approximately every three to five years. This reflects the intense nature of administering firm surveys and for the firms responding to the many, detailed questions (survey fatigue).
The most recent data covers 175 economies. Data is collected annually and each year expanded collection (covering more economies and indicators) is planned.