2010年-世界发展银行全球_Enterprise_Surveys___Liberia_Country_Profile_2009_15页_1mb

Liberia Country Profile 2009: Enterprise Survey Summary

Core Content Overview

The Liberia Country Profile 2009 provides an in-depth analysis of the business environment in Liberia through the Enterprise Surveys, conducted by the World Bank and its partners. The report compares Liberia’s performance with the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region and the low-income group, covering key areas such as corruption, regulations, taxes, business licensing, infrastructure, trade, crime, informality, finance, innovation, and workforce.

Main Topics and Key Indicators

1. Business Environment Obstacles

• The business environment in Liberia is characterized by significant challenges.
• The top 10 constraints faced by firms are benchmarked against the regional average.
• Large firms face more severe constraints compared to small and medium firms.

2. Average Firm

• The average firm in Liberia is relatively young, with an average age of 8.5 years.
• Female participation in management and ownership is notable, with 29.9% of firms having female top managers and 53.0% having female participation in ownership.
• Domestic ownership dominates, with 88.9% of firms being privately owned, while foreign private firms account for 9.3%.

3. Infrastructure

• Electricity supply is a major issue, with 5.4 power outages per month and 2.8% of sales lost due to outages.
• Water shortages are also common, with 2.3 shortages per month and 2.8 hours of average shortage duration.
• Delays in obtaining infrastructure services such as electricity, water, and telephone connections are significant, with 26.3 days for electricity and 7.1 days for water.

4. Trade

• Only 1.0% of firms in Liberia are exporters.
• 40.3% of firms use foreign material inputs or supplies.
• Import clearance takes an average of 6.7 days, and export clearance is not reported for Liberia.
• Losses during export due to theft, breakage, or spoilage are minimal, but still a concern.

5. Regulations, Taxes, and Business Licensing

• Corruption is a major concern, with 53.2% of firms facing the Graft Index (bribery in public services).
• Bribery is expected in meetings with tax inspectors (54.4%) and to secure government contracts (51.6%).
• Construction permits require 62.9% of firms to make informal payments.
• Import licenses take 15.7 days to obtain, and operating licenses take 16.0 days.
• Senior management spends 7.5% of their time dealing with government regulations.
• Tax inspections are frequent, with an average of 6.5 visits per year.

6. Corruption

• Corruption is a major administrative and financial burden on firms.
• Graft Index measures the incidence of informal payments when applying for public services.
• Bribery is common in securing government contracts and permits, affecting firm growth and investment.

7. Crime and Informality

• 44.3% of firms believe the court system is fair, impartial, and uncorrupted.
• Security costs account for 3.2% of sales.
• Theft, robbery, vandalism, and arson result in 2.8% of sales lost.
• Formal registration is reported by 73.8% of firms when starting operations, indicating a moderate level of informality.

8. Finance

• Internal finance is the primary source for investment, with 79.8% of firms relying on it.
• Bank finance accounts for 6.7% of investment.
• External financing for working capital is 16.2%, with 58.0% of collateral required for loans.
• Only 14.0% of firms have bank loans or lines of credit.
• 67.8% of firms have checking or savings accounts.

9. Innovation and Workforce

• Quality certification is rare, with only 2.4% of firms holding internationally recognized certifications.
• External financial statement audits are used by 21.6% of firms.
• Website usage is low, with 4.6% of firms using their own website.
• Email communication is used by 30.1% of firms.
• Workforce composition shows a higher proportion of temporary workers and female full-time workers.

Key Findings

• Corruption is a significant issue in Liberia, with high rates of informal payments expected for various permits and licenses.
• Infrastructure deficiencies are a major constraint, particularly in electricity and water supply, leading to increased costs and reduced productivity.
• Trade activity is limited, with only a small percentage of firms involved in exporting or using foreign inputs.
• Regulatory and licensing processes are time-consuming and costly, with large firms experiencing more delays.
• Finance access is limited, with internal finance dominating and collateral requirements being high.
• Informality is present but not widespread, with 73.8% of firms being formally registered.
• Innovation and technology use are low, with few firms adopting modern practices such as email and websites.
• Workforce practices are influenced by labor regulations, with a notable presence of temporary workers and a growing share of female full-time employment.

Comparison with Regional and Income Group Averages

Conclusion

Liberia's business environment is marked by high levels of corruption, inefficient infrastructure, and limited access to financial services. While informality is not widespread, it remains a challenge for the private sector. Trade activity is limited, and regulatory processes are both time-consuming and costly. Innovation and technology use are low, and workforce practices are shaped by labor regulations, with a growing role for women in full-time employment. These findings highlight the need for reforms to improve the business environment and promote sustainable development and private sector growth.