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…
Policy preferences for small businesses
Many governments around the world assign policy preferences for small businesses. These policy preferences support business development and job creation. There are two rationales for this. First, micro and small enterprises deserve special attention because of their overall contribution to national development. As a total sector, micro and small enterprises are major contributors to employment in almost…
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…
Australian government scraps Repeal Day: Is business reform a political stunt?
The Australian Government’s decision to its scrap Repeal Day (I’ve written about this before: here, here and here) initiative after two years raises some interesting questions: Does red-tape reduction and improvement in regulatory quality require a specific day or event? How can government manage a continuous regulatory reform process connected to broader ambitions such as…
Regulatory reform – deregulation versus better regulation
It seems that government’s around the world are paying greater attention to regulatory reform. While reform is a continuous activity of all governments, more and more are becoming aware of how the accumulation of regulation can quash business growth and constrain economic competitiveness. It is interesting to see the ways these reforms are being introduced…
A recent debate on regulatory reform
Getting the balance between too much regulation and too little is a challenging job. In my own work, I try to focus more on the quality of regulation and its ultimate effect, rather than simply the number. However, it is clear that there can be too many laws and regulations for business, and the public…
UK Government’s Better Regulation Manual and Red Tape Challenge
In July 2013 the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published the Better Regulation Framework Manual. This manual is intended for policy-makers, as well as economists, social researchers, lawyers and those specialising in better regulation. It contains guidance for those who are involved in developing or implementing policies that will regulate or deregulate business or civil society organisations. This…