Research

The Enterprise Analysis Unit's research aims at understanding how the business environment affects firm performance in developing countries. Data from the Enterprise Surveys serves as the primary input, complemented with similar firm-level surveys and other relevant data sources. Two types of research products are featured below. Enterprise Notes are 3-4 page research briefings with concise empirical findings and policy implications. Research Papers are journal articles or academic working papers.

Enterprise Notes

How are firms in Eastern and Central Europe reacting to the financial crisis? Since late 2008, countries around the world have been affected by the global economic slowdown. The Financial Crisis Survey measures the effects of this crisis on 1,686 firms in six countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Turkey. More...	Determinants of Doing Business Reforms This note identifies the quality of democracy and the amount of natural resources as important determinants of Doing Business reforms. Reforms are more likely in countries with better democracy and less reliance on natural resources. More...
Formal and Informal Microenterprises This note uses unique data from enterprise surveys in three African countries to examine the characteristics of informal and formal microenterprises. Entrepreneurs in the informal sector have different motivations for starting a business from their formal sector counterparts, with about twice as many informal entrepreneurs citing lack of alternative employment opportunities as their main motivation. More...	The Effects of Rigid Labor Regulations in Latin America Rigid regulations may prevent labor markets from being efficient. We quantify, for 14 Latin American countries, the extent to which rigid labor regulations affect both the hiring and dismissal decisions of firms. Making regulations more flexible would lead to an average net increase of 2.1 percent of total employment. More...

Competition: Consumer Behavior and Competition in Indian Retailing
Job Creation: Foreign Exposure and Job Creation
Crime: Crime, Security, and Firms in Latin America
Informality: Entry Regulation, Labor Laws, and Informality

Research Papers

New! Labor Productivity in the Informal Sector: Necessity vs. Opportunity Firms

New! Obstacles to Registering: Necessity vs. Opportunity Entrepreneurs

Entry Regulation, Labor Laws and Informality

Importing, Exporting and Innovation in Developing Countries

Natural Resources and Reforms

Multinational Firms, Global Value Chains and the Organization of Knowledge Transfer

Capital Immobility and Regional Inequality: Evidence from India

Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation in Developing Countries: Evidence from India

Democracy and Reforms

When does Legal Origin Matter?

The Cost of Registering Property: Does Legal Origin Matter?

Job Creation and Labor Reform in Latin America

What Firms Know

Helpful Governments

The Impact of Improved Highways on Indian Firms

Mexico: Who are the Unbanked?

Enforceability of Labor Law : Evidence from a Labor Court in Mexico

The Effect of Corporate Taxes on Investment and Entrepreneurship (draft paper)

Remittances and Banking Services: Evidence from Mexico

Litigation and Settlement: New Evidence from Labor Courts in Mexico

Mexican Employment Dynamics: Evidence from Matched Firm-worker Data

Obtaining a Driving License in India: An Experimental Approach to Studying Corruption?

Competition and Demographics in Large Indian Cities

How Sensitive are Latin American Exports to Chinese Competition in the U.S. Market?

The Incidence of Graft on Developing-Country Firms

Who Fears Competition from Informal Firms? Evidence from Latin America

Financial Development and Innovation in Small Firms

When do Creditor Rights Work?

Entry Regulation and Business Start-Ups: Evidence from Mexico

Labor Regulation and Employment in India's Retail Stores

Computer Usage and Labor Regulation in India's Retail Stores

Competition and Labor Productivity in India's Retail Stores

When do Enterprises Prefer Informal Credit?

Are Labor Regulations Driving Computer Usage in India's Retail Stores?

Private Credit in 129 Countries

The Persistence of Corruption in Brazil

Does Foreign Aid Help?

Aid with Multiple Personalities

Regulation and Growth

Who are China's Entrepreneurs?

Entrepreneurship in China and Russia Compared

Trading on Time

The Curse of Aid