A World Bank Enterprise Survey is a firm-level survey of a representative sample of an economy’s private sector. The surveys cover a broad range of business environment topics including access to finance, corruption, infrastructure, competition, and performance measures. The surveys also collect data which are used in the Business Enabling Environment indicators. Since 2005-06, nearly all data collection efforts have been centralized within the Enterprise Analysis Unit, where a Global Methodology was developed and applied ever since. To date, over 191,000 interviews in 154 countries have taken place under the Global Methodology. More detailed information about the Enterprise Surveys can be found on the Methodology page. Surveys that deviate from this Global Methodology or were conducted prior to 2005 are available, along with all other raw data, on our portal.
The World Bank’s Enterprise Analysis Unit is a team of economists and firm-level survey experts that both 1) conducts Enterprise Surveys and 2) draws upon this wealth of firm-level data from developing countries to produce research on the micro-economic foundations of growth. Our findings and recommendations are helping policy makers identify, prioritize and implement reforms of policies and institutions that support efficient private economic activity. Key research topics of the unit include firm performance and job creation, legal gender parity for entrepreneurs and workers, informality, and export performance.
Enterprise Surveys Partners
The Enterprise Surveys implemented in European and Central Asian countries are also known as Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Surveys (BEEPS) and are jointly conducted by the World Bank Group, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the European Commission (EC). Enterprise Surveys in Latin America are jointly funded with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Enterprise Surveys in the Middle East and North Africa are jointly funded with EBRD and the EIB. In the past, other institutions have contributed to the Enterprise Surveys: the UK's Department for International Development(DFID) in South Asia and a subset of African countries, the Dutch Good Growth Fund (DGGF) in a subset of francophone West African countries (DGGF), and COMPETE Caribbean in the Caribbean.
Contact Us
Enterprise Analysis Unit
Global Indicators Department, DEC
1818 H Street, NW
Washington DC, 20433 USA
Tel. (202) 473-1000
Please email your questions and feedback to enterprisesurveys@worldbank.org. Please include the name of your organization and the country in which you reside.
