2010年-世界发展银行全球_Enterprise_Surveys___Fiji_Country_Profile_2009_15页_1mb

Fiji Country Profile 2009 Summary

Core Content Overview

The Fiji Country Profile 2009 is part of the World Bank's Enterprise Surveys, which aim to evaluate the business environment across various sectors and firm sizes. The surveys provide qualitative and quantitative data that help assess how well the business environment supports firm productivity, growth, and performance. The report includes key indicators related to corruption, regulations, taxes, business licensing, infrastructure, trade, finance, innovation, and workforce characteristics.

Main Topics and Key Findings

1. Introduction to Enterprise Surveys

• The Enterprise Surveys examine factors that influence the business environment.
• These factors can either support or hinder firm performance and are critical to a country's economic development.
• Surveys cover small, medium, and large firms in the non-agricultural formal private economy.
• The data is collected through face-to-face interviews with firm managers and owners.

2. Business Environment Obstacles

• The surveys identify key challenges that firms face, such as corruption, inefficient regulations, crime, and informality.
• These obstacles increase operational costs, reduce productivity, and limit firm growth.
• The report compares Fiji's performance with the East Asia & Pacific region and the Lower Middle Income group.

3. Average Firm Characteristics

• The data reflects the typical firm in Fiji, including its age, ownership structure, and gender participation.
• Age of firms is on average 23.3 years.
• Female participation in ownership is 49.1%, while female participation in management is not available for Fiji.
• Private domestic ownership dominates at 90.9%, while private foreign ownership is 8.5%, and government ownership is 0.6%.

4. Infrastructure

• Infrastructure is a key determinant of firm competitiveness and productivity.
• Electricity and water supply are major concerns:
  • Average number of power outages per month is 1.7.
  • Value lost due to power outages is 3.3% of sales.
  • Water shortages occur 1.6 times per month, with an average duration of 7.4 hours.
  • Delays in obtaining electricity, water, and telephone connections are significant, with 19 days for electricity and 53.4 days for water connections.
• These delays increase costs and may act as barriers to business expansion.

5. Trade

• 19.1% of firms in Fiji are exporters, and 79.9% use foreign inputs.
• Average time to clear customs for imports is 12 days, and for exports it is 11.6 days.
• Losses during transport due to theft or damage are relatively low, at 1.0% for exports.
• Trade activity is influenced by customs efficiency and the availability of low-cost supplies.

6. Regulations, Taxes, and Business Licensing

• Regulations and licensing procedures can be time-consuming and costly.
• Days to obtain an import license is 12.2 days, and for a construction-related permit, it is 50.7 days.
• Senior management time spent dealing with government regulations is 4.4%, and average number of tax meetings is 1.3.
• Open shareholding companies account for 5.1%, while closed shareholding companies are the most common at 34.2%.
• Sole proprietorships are also prevalent at 39.4%.

7. Corruption

• Corruption is a significant challenge, with 4.3% of firms reporting that they were expected to give gifts during meetings with tax inspectors.
• 9.0% of firms are expected to give gifts to secure a government contract.
• 5.3% of firms expect to give gifts for a construction permit.
• The Graft Index is 4.3, lower than the regional average of 9.1 and the income group average of 13.7.

8. Crime and Informality

• 65.6% of firms believe the court system is fair, impartial, and uncorrupted.
• Security costs account for 0.9% of sales, and losses due to crime are 0.8% of sales.
• Formal registration at the time of business start is reported by 93.5% of firms.
• Informality is still a challenge, with 6.5% of firms not formally registered.

9. Finance

• Internal finance is the most common source of investment, used by 55.9% of firms.
• Bank finance is used by 32.1%, and trade credit by 4.4%.
• Equity and sale of stock are less common, with only 7.6% of firms using these methods.
• Working capital external financing is used by 34.7% of firms.
• Collateral needed for a loan is 214.7% of the loan amount.
• 37.8% of firms have bank loans or lines of credit, and 96.1% have checking or savings accounts.

10. Innovation and Workforce

• 22.8% of firms have internationally recognized quality certification.
• 90.0% of firms have annual financial statements reviewed by external auditors.
• 34.1% of firms use their own websites, and 86.0% use email for communication with clients and suppliers.
• Workforce composition shows that 44.3% of firms have permanent, full-time workers, and 4.7% have temporary workers.
• 37.3% of firms employ full-time female workers, with 29.1% in medium firms and 40.8% in small firms.

Key Information and Comparisons

Summary of Key Insights

• Corruption is a moderate concern in Fiji, with lower levels compared to the regional and income group averages.
• Regulatory processes are time-consuming, particularly for construction-related permits, which take the longest.
• Infrastructure is a major concern, with frequent power outages and water shortages affecting firm operations.
• Trade is active, with a high percentage of firms using foreign inputs and exporting.
• Finance is heavily reliant on internal funding, with bank finance playing a significant but less dominant role.
• Innovation is limited, with only a small percentage of firms holding international quality certifications.
• Workforce composition shows a preference for permanent, full-time employment, with female participation in full-time roles at 37.3%.

Conclusion

The Fiji Country Profile 2009 highlights both the strengths and weaknesses of the business environment. While infrastructure, finance, and trade are relatively strong, corruption, regulations, and informality remain key challenges. The data suggests that improving regulatory efficiency, reducing infrastructure delays, and enhancing legal institutions could significantly improve firm productivity and economic growth.