Series Information
The Investment Climate Surveys (ICS) were conducted by the World Bank and its partners across all geographic regions and covered firms of all sizes in many industries. The ICS collected a wide array of qualitative and quantitative information through face-to-face interviews with managers and owners regarding the investment climate in their country and the productivity of their firms.
Firm-level surveys have been conducted since 1998 by different units within the World Bank. Since 2005-06, most data collection efforts have been centralized within the Enterprise Analysis Unit (FPDEA). Enterprise Surveys, a replacement for Investment Climate Surveys, are now conducted by the Enterprise Analysis Unit.
Abstract
The Lao PDR Investment Climate Survey (ICS) was undertaken jointly by the Government of the Lao PDR, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the World Bank between April and September 2005. 303 firms were surveyed. Of these, 246 were manufacturing firms, and 57 firms were from the tourism sector.
Through face-to-face interviews with managers and owners, the ICS gathered qualitative and quantitative information regarding the investment climate and the performance of firms in sampled provinces and industries. Topics included infrastructure, finance, labor, regulatory burden and administrative delays, governance, innovation and technology, and firm productivity. Taken together, the qualitative and quantitative data helped connect the characteristics of the investment climate in the Lao PDR with the firms’ performance. The data and results from the ICS were intended to help develop policy reforms that would further promote growth and productivity of firms in the Lao PDR.
The dataset described in this study includes only manufacturing firms. The manufacturing part of the survey was carried out in six provinces: Vientiane, Oudomxay, Luangprabang, Xayaboury, Savannakhet, and Champassak. It covered five industries: wood processing, construction materials, garments, textiles/handicraft, and food and beverage.
