The Firm Adoption of Technology (FAT) Survey

Technology is central to economic growth, driving productivity and structural transformation, and while access to new technologies has improved globally, persistent cross-country differences now stem largely from how intensively firms use them. Understanding and measuring technology adoption is therefore essential for effective development policy design. To meet this need, the World Bank’s Trade, Competition, and Business Global Department has been implementing nationally representative Firm Adoption of Technology (FAT) surveys. This is the most comprehensive cross-country effort to measure technology adoption in developing economies. The surveys collect detailed data on the adoption and use of over 300 technologies across more than 60 general and sector-specific business functions among formal firms with five or more employees.