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First Experiences WithLocal Business Climate Surveys

Strategies and Practices Toward a More Enabling Business and Investment Climate, May 22-25 2006, Johannesburg

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Steps for Business Climate Surveys

This presentation provides Dos and Don´ts on:Local BCS: Thumbs up or down?Survey DesignSamplingData CollectionData AnalysisPublication of Results

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Local BCS: Thumbs up or down?Thumbs Down

Long intervals between BCS initially mean less prediction!

How about informal economy: Inclusion or exclusion?

What is the lowest level for a breakdown?

How to prevent another „Asian disaster“?

Thumbs Up Even a reduced BCS is a

useful tool for politics and administration!

Comparison between locales encourages competition!

BCS serve as a part of private sector market research!

After the „Asian disaster“, BCS were professionalized!

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Survey DesignHarmonize with existing surveys!

Some surveys might already exist. Check with national statistics, international institutions, consultant companies, NGOs, donors etc.

Always keep your target group in mind! Adapt key survey specifics to your sample: length of

survey, operationalizations, wording, national law etc.

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SamplingChoose your sample carefully!

Reconsider including the informal sector! There are various sources for registered firms.

National Statistics, Ministry of Economics, Ministry of Finance, NGOs, Donors etc.

Use panel data to control for the influence of omitted variables.

Think about group-specific analyses! 30 units should be your minimum per sub-group.

Adjust your sample size accordingly.

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Data Collection

Use standardized personal interviews! Sometimes SME managers lack experience and literacy.

They may benefit from personal assistance. Train interviewers thoroughly to ensure consistent

completion of your questionnaires.

Personnel must be (perceived as) impartial! Attributed credibility and impartiality are crucial. Consider

existing preconceptions during staffing.

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Data Analysis

Invest in your Data Base Management! The survey is longitudinal. Construct your data base

accordingly and include professional documentation.

Use up to date methodology! Be aware of recent multilevel techniques, allowing testing

for higher order effects (e.g. aggregated provincial, national or international effects).

Consider analysis techniques for structural equations, allowing you to test for causal relationships in your data.

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Publication of Results

Organize an official presentation! Invest in a professional presentation including developing

your own brand. This helps in future surveys.Do not forget about your sample!

Maintaining your sample is crucial (especially for panels). Disseminate your results carefully and nurse your partners.

Form alliances! Some local partners might be interested in participating,

thereby ensuring sustainability or enlarging the scope.

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Our Solution: A local BCS is viable!

Breakdown to provincial level without the informal sector

Integration into an existing survey in cooperation with our private counterpart

Donor harmonization in step with the Paris declaration

Realization of an unbalanced panel designCollaboration with a research institute for

scientific advice

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End of Presentation.

Thank you very much.