Doing Business

Fifteen in a series of annual reports comparing business regulation in 190 economies, Doing Business 2018 measures aspects of regulation affecting 10 areas of everyday business activity: •Starting a business •Dealing with construction permits •Getting electricity •Registering property •Getting credit •Protecting minority investors •Paying taxes •Trading across borders •Enforcing contracts •Resolving insolvency These areas are included in the distance to frontier score and ease of doing business ranking. Doing Business also measures features of labor market regulation, which is not included in these two measures. The report updates all indicators as of June 1, 2017, ranks economies on their overall "ease of doing business", and analyzes reforms to business regulation – identifying which economies are strengthening their business environment the most. Doing Business illustrates how reforms in business regulations are being used to analyze economic outcomes for domestic entrepreneurs and for the wider economy. It is a flagship product produced in partnership by the World Bank Group that garners worldwide attention on regulatory barriers to entrepreneurship. More than 137 economies have used the Doing Business indicators to shape reform agendas and monitor improvements on the ground. In addition, the Doing Business data has generated over 2,182 articles in peer-reviewed academic journals since its inception. Data Notes; Distance to Frontier and Ease of Doing Business Ranking; and Summaries of Doing Business Reforms in 2016/17 can be downloaded separately from the Doing Business website.

Unleash entrepreneurship and navigate global business regulations. This report, eighth in a series, compares business regulations across 183 economies, revealing which are improving and which are slipping. It analyzes reforms impacting everyday business activities, from starting up to closing down, and their effects on domestic entrepreneurs and the wider economy. It's for business leaders, policy makers, and researchers seeking to understand the impact of regulations on economic outcomes. Discover how regulations affect property rights, credit access, investor protections, taxation, and trade. Learn how governments can foster transparency, efficiency, and growth. Discover how women are particularly affected by complex business regulations. This edition provides an objective basis for improving the regulatory environment and empowering entrepreneurs worldwide.