2014年-世界发展银行全球_Enterprise_Surveys___Ghana_Country_Profile_2013_15页_965kb

Ghana Country Profile 2013: Enterprise Survey Summary

Core Content Overview

The Ghana Country Profile 2013 is part of the World Bank's Enterprise Surveys, which evaluate the business environment and firm performance across various sectors. The report includes data from small, medium, and large firms in the non-agricultural formal private economy and compares these indicators with regional (Sub-Saharan Africa) and income group (Lower middle income) benchmarks.

Main Topics Covered

• Business Environment Obstacles
• Average Firm Characteristics
• Infrastructure
• Trade
• Regulations, Taxes, and Business Licensing
• Corruption
• Crime and Informality
• Finance
• Innovation and Workforce

Key Findings

Business Environment Obstacles

• The business environment in Ghana presents several challenges, including corruption, regulatory inefficiencies, and infrastructure deficiencies.
• Firms in Ghana face higher corruption risks compared to the regional average, especially in securing government contracts and permits.
• Regulatory delays and bureaucratic hurdles are significant obstacles, particularly for obtaining construction-related permits.

Average Firm Characteristics

• The average firm in Ghana has been in operation for 14.9 years.
• Female participation in management is relatively low, at 14.9%.
• Female ownership is more common in small firms, with 34.0% of small firms having female participation in ownership.
• Private domestic ownership dominates, with 85.2% of firms being privately owned, while 14.5% are foreign-owned.

Infrastructure

• Electricity supply is a major concern, with 8.4 power outages per month and 11.5% of sales lost due to outages.
• Water shortages are also common, with 2.7 shortages per month and an average duration of 6.9 hours.
• Delays in obtaining infrastructure services are high, with 44.7 days for electricity and 57.7 days for water connections.

Trade

• 18.9% of firms in Ghana are exporters, and 68.5% of manufacturing firms use foreign inputs.
• Customs clearance for both imports and exports is slow, with 14.8 days for imports and 7.8 days for exports.
• Trade-related losses during exports are minimal, with 0.1% due to theft and 0.3% due to breakage or spoilage.

Regulations, Taxes, and Business Licensing

• The process of obtaining permits and licenses is time-consuming and costly.
• Import licenses take 14.6 days to obtain, while construction permits take 91.2 days.
• Senior management time spent on regulatory requirements is 4.0%, and tax inspections occur on average 2.7 times per year.

Corruption

• Corruption is widespread, with 29.7% of firms reporting graft incidents.
• Gifts to secure government contracts are expected by 35.2% of firms.
• Bribery for import and operating licenses is also common, with 23.1% and 19.1% of firms expecting to make informal payments, respectively.

Crime and Informality

• Only 44.4% of firms believe the court system is fair, impartial, and uncorrupted.
• Security costs account for 1.6% of sales, with theft and vandalism causing 1.2% of sales losses.
• Formal registration at startup is 76.5%, indicating a significant informal sector.

Finance

• Internal finance is the primary source for investment, with 76.0% of firms relying on it.
• Bank finance accounts for 12.6% of investment, and 26.8% of working capital is externally financed.
• Collateral requirements are high, with 240% of the loan amount needed as collateral on average.

Innovation and Workforce

• Only 9.2% of firms have internationally recognized quality certifications.
• Email usage for communication is 64.9%, indicating moderate adoption of ICT.
• Female full-time employment is 24.7%, with small firms having a slightly higher rate.
• Temporary workers are more common in small firms, with an average of 5.9 compared to 7.0 in medium firms and 33.0 in large firms.

Summary of Key Indicators

Conclusion

The Ghana Country Profile 2013 highlights that while the country has a relatively high level of formal financial access, it faces significant challenges in corruption, infrastructure, and regulatory efficiency. These issues affect firm performance, increase operational costs, and hinder innovation and growth. The report provides a comprehensive view of the business environment, offering insights for policymakers and researchers to improve the conditions for private sector development.