2014年-世界发展银行全球_Enterprise_Surveys___Lithuania_Country_Profile_2013_15页_1mb

Lithuania Country Profile 2013 Summary

Core Content Overview

The Lithuania Country Profile 2013 provides an in-depth analysis of the business environment and firm performance in Lithuania, based on data from the Enterprise Surveys conducted by the World Bank and its partners. The surveys cover small, medium, and large firms in the non-agricultural formal private economy and focus on various aspects including infrastructure, trade, regulations, corruption, crime, finance, innovation, and workforce. The report compares Lithuania's performance with its regional group (Eastern Europe & Central Asia) and income group (Upper middle income).

Main Topics and Key Findings

1. Business Environment Obstacles

• Top Constraints: Firms in Lithuania identify various obstacles, with the Graft Index (corruption) being a major concern.
• Corruption:
  • 12.5% of firms in Lithuania reported experiencing graft.
  • 10.9% of firms expected to give gifts to tax inspectors.
  • 31.3% of firms expected to give gifts to secure a construction permit.
  • 2.8% of firms expected to give gifts to get an import license.
  • 6.6% of firms expected to give gifts to get an operating license.
• Regional Comparison: Lithuania's corruption levels are lower than the regional average (64.6%) and income group average (13.3%).

2. Average Firm Characteristics

• Age: The average firm age in Lithuania is 12.3 years, with small firms being younger (10.5 years) and large firms older (24.5 years).
• Gender Representation:
  • 21.0% of firms have a female top manager.
  • 35.8% of firms have female participation in ownership.
• Ownership Structure:
  • 92.3% of firms are privately domestic.
  • 6.7% are foreign private.
  • 0.9% are government/state-owned.
  • Closed shareholding companies dominate, with 93.0% of firms in this category.
  • Sole proprietorships are also common, with 6.9% of firms.

3. Infrastructure

• Electricity:
  • 0.2 power outages per month on average.
  • 0.0% of sales lost due to power outages.
  • 43.2 days delay in obtaining an electrical connection.
• Water Supply:
  • 0.0 water shortages per month on average.
  • 14.0 days delay in obtaining a water connection.
• Telephone:
  • N/A delay in obtaining a mainline telephone connection.
• Regional Comparison:
  • Lithuania has lower delays and fewer outages compared to the regional average.

4. Trade

• Exporter Firms: 35.0% of firms in Lithuania export directly or indirectly.
• Foreign Inputs: 62.7% of firms use foreign material inputs or supplies.
• Customs Delays:
  • 1.4 days for direct exports.
  • 3.5 days for imports.
• Transport Losses:
  • 0.5% of sales lost during direct exports due to breakage or spoilage.
  • 0.0% of sales lost due to theft during direct exports.
• Regional Comparison: Lithuania's export and import performance is below the regional average.

5. Regulations, Taxes, and Business Licensing

• Time to Obtain Licenses:
  • 5.6 days for an import license.
  • 134.5 days for a construction-related permit.
  • 42.7 days for an operating license.
• Government Interaction:
  • 6.0% of senior management time is spent dealing with government regulation.
  • 0.5 average visits or meetings with tax officials.
• Legal Forms:
  • Closed shareholding companies are the most common, accounting for 93.0% of firms.
  • Open shareholding companies are rare, with only 0.1%.
• Regional Comparison: Lithuania's regulatory and licensing processes are faster than the regional average.

6. Corruption

• Graft Index: 12.5% of firms in Lithuania reported being asked or expected to pay bribes.
• Bribe Payments:
  • 10.9% of firms expected to give gifts to tax inspectors.
  • 12.9% of firms expected to give gifts to secure a government contract.
  • 31.3% of firms expected to give gifts to get a construction permit.
• Regional Comparison: Lithuania's corruption levels are lower than both the regional and income group averages.

7. Crime and Informality

• Court Fairness: 32.5% of firms believe the court system is fair, impartial, and uncorrupted.
• Security Costs: 0.4% of sales are spent on security.
• Losses Due to Crime: 0.6% of sales are lost due to theft, robbery, vandalism, or arson.
• Informality: All firms in Lithuania are formally registered when they start operations, indicating a low level of informality.

8. Finance

• Investment Financing:
  • 62.6% of firms use internal finance.
  • 16.7% use bank finance.
  • 5.5% use trade credit.
  • 7.3% use equity or sale of stock.
  • 7.8% use other financing sources.
• Working Capital:
  • 40.8% of firms use external financing for working capital.
• Collateral Requirements:
  • 192.8% of the loan amount is required as collateral.
• Bank Services:
  • 32.8% of firms have bank loans or lines of credit.
  • 96.3% of firms have checking or savings accounts.
• Regional Comparison: Lithuania's financial indicators are generally in line with the regional and income group averages.

9. Innovation and Workforce

• Quality Certifications: 17.9% of firms have internationally recognized quality certifications.
• External Auditing: 28.2% of firms have their annual financial statements reviewed by an external auditor.
• Website Usage: 67.0% of firms use their own website.
• Email Communication: 98.0% of firms use email to communicate with clients and suppliers.
• Workforce Composition:
  • 1.7 average temporary workers.
  • 22.2 average permanent, full-time workers.
  • 38.4% of full-time workers are women.
• Regional Comparison: Lithuania's innovation and workforce indicators are lower than the regional average.

Key Information and Main Points

• The Enterprise Surveys provide a comprehensive view of the business environment and firm performance.
• Corruption is a significant challenge, though Lithuania's levels are relatively low compared to its region and income group.
• Infrastructure in Lithuania is generally efficient, with low delays and minimal outages.
• Trade is active, but customs delays and transport risks remain a concern.
• Regulatory and licensing processes are relatively efficient, with shorter delays than the regional average.
• Finance is accessible, but high collateral requirements and limited external financing sources persist.
• Innovation and workforce indicators show room for improvement, particularly in comparison to the regional average.

Conclusion

The Lithuania Country Profile 2013 highlights the strengths and challenges of the Lithuanian business environment. While the country performs well in infrastructure and regulatory efficiency, it faces issues related to corruption, trade processes, and innovation. The report serves as a valuable resource for policymakers and researchers aiming to improve the business climate and foster economic growth.