2011年-世界发展银行全球_Enterprise_Surveys___Dominican_Republic_Country_Profile_2010_15页_876kb

Dominican Republic Country Profile 2010 Summary

Core Content Overview

The Dominican Republic Country Profile 2010 is part of the World Bank's Enterprise Surveys, which assess the business environment and firm performance across various sectors. The surveys provide insights into the challenges firms face in terms of infrastructure, trade, regulations, corruption, crime, and financial services. The data is collected from a representative sample of non-agricultural formal private firms, and the results are benchmarked against the Latin America & Caribbean (LAC) region and the Lower Middle Income group.

Main Topics Covered

1. Business Environment Obstacles

• The business environment in the Dominican Republic is perceived as having several key obstacles.
• The top 10 constraints include issues like corruption, regulations, and delays in obtaining licenses.
• Large firms report fewer constraints compared to small and medium firms.
• The Graft Index (corruption) is higher than the regional average, indicating that firms are more likely to face informal payments in the Dominican Republic.

2. Average Firm

• The average firm in the Dominican Republic has been in operation for 19.4 years.
• Female participation in management is 11%, with 30% of firms having female ownership.
• Private domestic firms dominate the market, accounting for 90.7%, while private foreign firms make up 8.2%.
• Government/state-owned firms are rare, representing 0.1% of firms.

3. Infrastructure

• Electricity supply is a major issue, with 25.6 power outages per month and 4.4% of sales lost due to these outages.
• Water shortages occur 10.9 times per month, with an average duration of 13 hours.
• Delays in obtaining electricity, water, and telephone connections are significant, with 24.1, 45.8, and 13.3 days respectively.

4. Trade

• 12.7% of firms in the Dominican Republic are exporters, with 83.7% using foreign inputs.
• The average time to clear direct exports through customs is 6.6 days, while imports take 15.4 days.
• Theft and breakage during exports are minimal, with 0.1% of losses due to breakage or spoilage.

5. Regulations, Taxes, and Business Licensing

• The process of obtaining import licenses takes 120.8 days, which is longer than the regional average.
• Construction-related permits take 105.3 days to obtain.
• Operating licenses require 138.4 days.
• Senior management time spent dealing with regulations is 11.7% of their time.
• The average number of meetings with tax officials is 1.0 per year.

6. Corruption

• 15.3% of firms expect to give gifts during meetings with tax inspectors.
• 36.7% of firms expect to give gifts to obtain an import license.
• 13.6% of firms expect to give gifts to secure an operating license.
• The Graft Index is 8.6, indicating a moderate level of corruption compared to other countries.

7. Crime and Informality

• 16.3% of firms believe the court system is fair, impartial, and uncorrupted.
• Security costs account for 1.0% of sales.
• Losses due to theft, robbery, vandalism, and arson are 0.7% of sales.
• 80.3% of firms are formally registered when they start operations, suggesting a relatively low level of informality.

8. Finance

• Internal finance is the primary source of investment, with 61.0% of firms relying on it.
• Bank finance accounts for 21.8% of investment.
• 50.8% of firms use external financing for working capital.
• The value of collateral needed for a loan is 234.4% of the loan amount, indicating a high requirement for financial security.

9. Innovation and Workforce

• 11.8% of firms have internationally recognized quality certifications.
• 82.4% of firms have their annual financial statements reviewed by external auditors.
• 48.9% of firms use their own websites.
• 85.3% of firms use email to communicate with clients and suppliers.
• Average number of temporary workers is 4.1, while permanent workers is 42.4.
• 36.0% of full-time workers are female.

Key Findings

• The Dominican Republic has a lower middle income status, with a GNI per capita of US$3,550.
• Small firms face more obstacles than large firms, particularly in terms of corruption and regulatory delays.
• Corruption remains a significant issue, especially in the import licensing process.
• Infrastructure deficiencies such as power outages and water shortages are widespread and affect firm productivity and profitability.
• Trade is a key activity, with foreign inputs being heavily used.
• Financial systems are underdeveloped, requiring high collateral and leading to reliance on internal financing.
• Informality is relatively low, but still present, with 80.3% of firms being formally registered.
• Innovation is limited, with only a small percentage of firms holding international certifications.
• ICT usage is relatively high, with email and websites being common tools for communication and market access.
• Gender participation in management and ownership is moderate, with 11% of firms having female top managers and 30% having female ownership.

Conclusion

The Dominican Republic faces a range of business environment challenges, particularly in corruption, infrastructure, and regulations, which impact firm performance and growth. Despite these challenges, the country shows relatively high ICT adoption and moderate levels of informality. Financial systems are not well-developed, leading to high reliance on internal financing and significant collateral requirements. Improvements in governance, infrastructure, and financial accessibility could enhance the business environment and support more sustainable economic growth.