This article provides some of the foundational concepts on business environment reform and its role in private sector development. It answers the questions: What is the business environment? What is business environment reform? Much of the content is based on the Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED) key documents in this field, of which I…
New video: business environment reform
I am pleased to be able to share this video I worked on for the Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS_fgLT-Mh0 I have been working with the DCED for a number of years and, in particular, providing support to its Business Environment Working Group. The DCED has some great resources available on business environment…
Formalising smallholder agriculture and agri-business: what the evidence says
I’m a little late posting this, but I think the findings of this study I conducted on the formalisation of smallholder agriculture and agri-business are quite relevant and interesting. I was commissioned by the DFID-funded Business Environment Reform Facility to review the evidence available on how business environment reform (BER) can support the formalisation of…
Supporting Local and Regional Business Environment Reforms
I’m very happy to share with you the link to this new resource from the Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED). This Annex has just been published (December 2016). It contributes to the Donor Guidance on Supporting Business Environment Reform and focuses on how donor and development agencies can support business environment reforms at local and regional levels.…
Business Environments|Entrepreneurial Places|Local Economic Development|Regional Development|Regulatory Reform
Research in Progress: Beyond National Business Environment Reform
Many public policy reforms focus on national level systems. However, increasingly attention is given to the other systems. This is especially true when the policy, legal and regulatory concerns of the private sector are considered. Many firms experience problems at the local level as they bump up against the licenses, permits, regulations, and bylaws local…
European Support for the Private Sector in Achieving Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in Developing Countries
The month, the European Commission submitted a report to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions on its support to the private sector in developing countries, The report, entitled A Stronger Role of the Private Sector in Achieving Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in Developing Countries (13 May 2014),…
Measuring Donor-Supported Business Environment Reform Results
The Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED) has just published guidance for donor and development agencies on how to measure the results of business environment reform support programmes. I prepared these guidelines along with members of the DCED’s Business Environment Working Group. The guidance can be downloaded from here. In 2008 the DCED published guidance for donor…
New guidelines on industrial policy and business environment reform
The Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED) has just published guidelines for donor and development agencies on how to complement business environment reforms with industrial policy. I was the principal author of this document, which was based on a background paper and on broad consultation with members of the DCED and its Business Environment Working…
51 Lessons for Donor and Development Agency Support to Business Environment Reforms
Last month, the Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED) published a paper I prepared on the practice of supporting business environment reform (BER). This is a synthesis of the findings of three practice reviews that I led in Bangladesh (2011), Kenya (2010) and Rwanda (2011). The reports of these country reviews, which each involved other co-authors,…
New guidlines on business environment reform and the informal economy
The Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED) has recently published guidelines for donor and development agencies on business environment reform and the informal economy. I was the principal author of this document, which was based on a discussion paper (see below), a major conference held in Cape Town in April 2010, and broad consultation with members of the DCED and…