2013年-世界发展银行全球_Enterprise_Surveys___Nepal_Country_Profile_2013_15页_1mb

Nepal Country Profile 2013: Enterprise Surveys Summary

Core Content Overview

The Nepal Country Profile 2013 is part of the World Bank's Enterprise Surveys, which assess the business environment across various sectors and firm sizes. The surveys provide qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate how regulatory, infrastructural, financial, and social factors influence firm productivity and performance. This document outlines the key indicators and challenges faced by firms in Nepal, benchmarked against South Asia and the low-income group.

Main Topics Covered

1. Business Environment Obstacles

The business environment in Nepal is characterized by several obstacles that affect firm operations and growth. These include:

• Corruption: A significant concern, with firms often required to make informal payments to public officials.
• Regulatory and Licensing Burdens: Lengthy and complex procedures for obtaining permits and licenses.
• Crime and Informality: High levels of crime and a substantial informal sector that undermine formal business operations.
• Infrastructure Deficiencies: Inadequate electricity, water, and telecommunications services.

These obstacles increase operational costs, reduce productivity, and hinder the ability of firms to expand and innovate.

2. Average Firm Characteristics

The Enterprise Surveys provide insights into the typical firm in Nepal, including:

• Age: The average firm is 14.2 years old, with small firms being younger (12.5 years) and large firms older (34.5 years).
• Gender Participation: Female participation in management is 17.2%, while ownership participation is 21.8%. These figures are lower than the South Asian average.
• Ownership Structure: Most firms (71.9%) are sole proprietorships, with a small percentage (20.6%) being closed shareholding companies and only 1.4% being open shareholding companies.
• Informality: 90.1% of firms are formally registered at the time of starting operations, indicating a relatively low level of informality compared to the low-income group.

3. Infrastructure Indicators

Infrastructure plays a critical role in firm productivity and competitiveness. Key findings include:

• Power Outages: On average, there are 8.7 power outages per month, with small firms experiencing more frequent outages (9.3) than large firms (6.4).
• Power Outage Impact: Firms lose 10.5% of sales due to power outages, with small firms losing the most.
• Water Shortages: Water shortages occur 0.8 times per month, with a short average duration of 0.5 hours. Large firms face fewer issues.
• Service Delays: Delays in obtaining electrical connections are significant (21.3 days), while delays in obtaining water connections are not reported for Nepal.

4. Trade Indicators

Trade activity is an important aspect of the business environment, with challenges such as:

• Export Participation: Only 5.9% of firms export, with a higher percentage of medium firms (11.3%) compared to small (4.9%) and large (6.2%) firms.
• Use of Foreign Inputs: 44.9% of firms use foreign material inputs or supplies, with medium firms using the most (74.4%).
• Customs Delays: Average time to clear imports is 5.2 days, while exports take 8.5 days. These times are relatively short compared to the South Asian average.
• Transport Losses: 0.1% of firms lose goods during direct exports due to theft, and 1.9% due to breakage or spoilage.

5. Regulations, Taxes, and Business Licensing

Regulatory and licensing processes are a major constraint for firms in Nepal:

• Graft Index: 19.5% of firms in Nepal report being asked or expected to pay a bribe when applying for public services, which is higher than the South Asian average (13.0%) but lower than the low-income group (22.6%).
• Gift Payments: Firms are expected to give gifts in meetings with tax inspectors (10.4%), for government contracts (51.3%), and for construction permits (18.8%).
• Permit Delays: It takes 6.3 days to obtain an import license, 26.7 days for construction-related permits, and 9.8 days for operating licenses. These times are significantly higher than the South Asian average.
• Legal Forms: Sole proprietorships dominate (71.9%), while open shareholding companies are rare (1.4%).

6. Corruption

Corruption is a major barrier to business efficiency and growth in Nepal:

• Gift Payments: Firms frequently face demands for informal payments, especially when securing government contracts or operating licenses.
• Corruption Perception: The Graft Index is a composite measure of corruption, indicating that firms in Nepal are more likely to encounter bribes than in South Asia.
• Impact on Business: Corruption increases the cost of doing business and reduces the incentive for firms to invest and innovate.

7. Crime and Informality

Crime and informality have a direct impact on firm operations and profitability:

• Perception of Justice: Only 52.0% of firms believe the court system is fair, impartial, and uncorrupted, compared to 79.9% in South Asia.
• Security Costs: On average, 1.1% of sales are spent on security, with small firms spending more (1.2%) than large firms (0.6%).
• Losses from Crime: 1.1% of sales are lost due to theft, robbery, vandalism, and arson.
• Informality Level: 90.1% of firms are formally registered when starting operations, suggesting a relatively low level of informality.

8. Finance Indicators

Access to finance is crucial for firm growth, and the data shows:

• Internal Finance: 70.3% of firms rely on internal finance for investment, with small firms (74.3%) and medium firms (52.2%) also using internal funds.
• Bank Finance: 12.8% of firms use bank financing for investment, which is lower than the South Asian average (40.4%).
• Working Capital: 16.2% of firms use external financing for working capital, with a high value of collateral required (364.2% of loan amount).
• Bank Account Usage: 86.0% of firms have checking or savings accounts, indicating a relatively high level of financial inclusion.

9. Innovation and Workforce

Innovation and workforce characteristics are also analyzed:

• Quality Certification: Only 8.2% of firms have internationally recognized quality certifications, which is below the South Asian average (12.0%).
• Financial Auditing: 70.7% of firms have their annual financial statements reviewed by external auditors.
• ICT Usage: 48.3% of firms use email for communication, and 26.1% have their own websites, suggesting moderate use of digital tools.
• Workforce Composition: The average number of permanent workers is 13.3, with 1.5 temporary workers. Female participation in full-time employment is 18.2%.

Key Findings Summary

Conclusion

The Nepal Country Profile highlights several key challenges in the business environment, including high levels of corruption, inefficient regulatory systems, and infrastructure deficiencies. Despite these challenges, Nepal shows relatively high financial inclusion and a significant proportion of firms are formally registered. However, the low use of international quality certifications and the prevalence of sole proprietorships indicate room for improvement in innovation and formal business structures. Overall, the report serves as a valuable tool for policymakers and researchers to understand and improve the business climate in Nepal.