Doing Business Report (1993-2021)

The Doing Business Report (1993-2021) is a World Bank publication that measures business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies worldwide. The report evaluates key aspects like starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, and trading across borders. Each annual edition presents detailed data through standardized case studies, tracking changes in the regulatory environment that impact small and medium-sized domestic firms. The report ranks economies based on their ease of doing business, providing quantitative indicators that enable comparisons between countries and over time. The publication includes in-depth analysis of reforms, best practices, and trends in business regulation, supported by extensive research and data collection from local experts, government officials, and business professionals. The report's methodology evolved over its 28-year run to incorporate new indicators and refine existing measurements. The series represents a comprehensive examination of how government policies and institutional frameworks shape private sector development and economic growth. Through its focus on practical business realities, the report raises fundamental questions about regulatory efficiency and economic opportunity.

The Doing Business Report series received extensive attention from policymakers, researchers, and business leaders during its publication run. Readers appreciated: - Clear metrics and rankings for comparing business regulations across countries - Data-driven approach to measuring regulatory environments - Year-over-year tracking of reforms and changes - Usefulness for academic research and policy analysis Common criticisms: - Methodology changes made historical comparisons difficult - Focus on formal regulations missed informal business practices - Rankings potentially influenced by political pressure - Data collection process had inconsistencies between countries The report did not have traditional consumer reviews or ratings on sites like Amazon or Goodreads due to its nature as a technical publication. However, academic citations and policy documents frequently referenced it. The World Bank permanently discontinued the report in 2021 after an external audit found data irregularities and inappropriate pressure on staff to manipulate rankings for certain countries. [Note: As a technical publication rather than a traditional book, standard review metrics are not available]

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📚 The World Bank discontinued the Doing Business Report in 2021 after data irregularities were discovered in the 2018 and 2020 editions, leading to a major controversy in international development circles. 🌍 The report ranked 190 economies on their ease of doing business, measuring factors like starting a business, getting electricity, and dealing with construction permits. 💡 China's rapid rise in the rankings (from 78th to 31st place between 2017 and 2019) raised suspicions and was one of the factors that led to an internal investigation of the report's methodology. 📊 The report's annual rankings influenced an estimated $500 billion in international investment decisions and was used by many countries to shape their economic policies. 🏢 Former World Bank Chief Economist Paul Romer resigned in 2018 after questioning changes in Chile's rankings, suggesting they might have been politically motivated to disadvantage the country's socialist government.