2016年-世界发展银行全球_Enterprise_Surveys___Lesotho_Country_Profile_2016_12页_514kb

Enterprise Surveys: Lesotho 2016 Summary

Core Content

The Enterprise Surveys (ES) conducted by the World Bank Group provide insights into the business environment and performance of firms in Lesotho in 2016. The survey covers non-agricultural, formal, private firms with a focus on manufacturing and services sectors. It excludes agriculture, public utilities, government services, health care, and financial services. The survey was conducted between June and August 2016, involving 149 firms.

The survey measures various aspects of the business environment, including workforce characteristics, firm performance, physical infrastructure, international trade, access to finance, crime and informality, regulations and taxes, and corruption. These data help in understanding the challenges and opportunities for firms in Lesotho and in comparing them with other countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region and the Lower Middle Income group.

Main Topics and Key Findings

Firms Characteristics

• Average firm age: 14.7 years.
• Gender participation:
  • 39.1% of firms have female participation in ownership.
  • 36.2% of firms have a female top manager.
  • 48.2% of permanent full-time workers are female.
• Workforce distribution:
  • 55.5% of firms have permanent full-time workers.
  • 5.1% of firms have temporary workers.
  • 76.6% of firms offer formal training.
  • 19.8% of production workers are unskilled.

Workforce

• Formal training: 31.2% of firms offer formal training.
• Training intensity: 76.6% of workers in manufacturing receive formal training.
• Top manager experience: On average, 10.1 years of experience in the firm's sector.
• Employment growth: 4.2% annual employment growth across all firms.

Firm Performance

• Real annual sales growth: -6.0%.
• Employment growth: 4.2%.
• Sales losses due to electricity outages: 1.4% of annual sales.
• Impact of electricity outages: 2.2 outages per month.

Physical Infrastructure

• Electricity supply:
  • 2.2 outages per month.
  • 12.2 days to obtain an electrical connection.
• Water supply:
  • 1.8 insufficiencies per month.
  • 31.5% of production workers are unskilled.
• Infrastructure efficiency:
  • Days to obtain an import license: 2.8.
  • Days to obtain a construction permit: 5.4.
  • Days to obtain an operating license: 1.9.

International Trade

• Exporting firms: 21.4% of firms export directly or indirectly.
• Importing firms: 2.2 days to clear imports through customs.
• Use of foreign inputs: 71.9% of firms use foreign material inputs or supplies.

Access to Finance

• Formal financial services:
  • 82.5% of firms have a checking or savings account.
  • 18.7% of firms have a bank loan or line of credit.
• Financing sources:
  • 41.0% of investment is financed internally.
  • 18.8% is financed by banks.
  • 11.8% is financed by supplier credit.
  • 17.5% is financed by equity or stock sales.

Crime and Informality

• Security costs: 5.4% of annual sales.
• Losses due to crime: 3.8% of annual sales.
• Informality:
  • 68.1% of firms compete against unregistered or informal firms.
  • 91.3% of firms were formally registered when they started operations.

Regulations, Permits, and Taxes

• Regulatory compliance time:
  • 2.7% of senior management time is spent on government regulation.
• Tax-related visits:
  • 1.2 visits or meetings with tax officials per firm.
• Permit efficiency:
  • Days to obtain an import license: 2.8.
  • Days to obtain a construction permit: 5.4.
  • Days to obtain an operating license: 1.9.

Corruption

• Bribery incidence:
  • 14.6% of firms experienced at least one bribe payment request.
• Gift-giving expectations:
  • 31.7% of firms expected to give gifts to secure a government contract.
  • 15.7% expected to give gifts in meetings with tax officials.
  • 2.2% expected to give gifts for a construction permit.

Business Environment Obstacles

• Top obstacles:
  • Access to finance: 8.1% of firms consider it the biggest obstacle.
  • Access to land: 5.2%.
  • Corruption: 1.8%.
  • Crime, theft, and disorder: 5.6%.
  • Customs and trade regulations: 1.0%.

Key Information

• The ES are repeated every four years and are used to assess the evolution of the business environment.
• The survey is conducted with top managers and business owners.
• Firm size is categorized as:
  • Small: 5–19 employees.
  • Medium: 20–99 employees.
  • Large: 100+ employees.
• Firms with less than five employees or 100% state-owned firms are not included in the survey.
• The survey provides quantitative data on various indicators and comparisons with other countries in the same region and income group.

Conclusion

The Enterprise Surveys for Lesotho 2016 highlight several challenges faced by firms, including limited access to finance, inefficiencies in infrastructure, and corruption. These factors significantly impact firm performance, operational costs, and growth potential. The data also emphasize the importance of formal registration, training, and efficient regulatory processes in fostering a supportive business environment. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and researchers aiming to improve the business climate and private sector development in Lesotho.