Global Indicators Group

The Global Indicators Group is located within the Development Economics Vice Presidency.  DECIG produces primary data and analysis on private sector development, with emphasis on regulations, institutions, and policies that promote job creation, economic productivity, and gender equality. The data products emphasize reliability, relevance, and comparability, within and across economies. The goal of the data, reports, and papers produced by the Global Indicators Group is to encourage and guide social and economic reforms that promote an efficient and fair business environment. The work also feeds into research produced by academia, international organizations, and think tanks, as well as policy advocacy conducted by civil society and non-governmental organizations.

The Global Indicators Group is comprised of four major research products:

WBG’s new corporate flagship assessing the business environment in about 180 economies worldwide annually, replacing the discontinued Doing Business project. B-READY focuses on ten topics following the life cycle of a firm and its participation in the market while opening, operating (or expanding), and closing (or reorganizing) a business.

Enterprise Surveys provide the world's most comprehensive comparable firm-level data in emerging markets and developing economies. Data are available on 130,000+ firms in 139 countries. Data cover a broad range of business environment topics including access to finance, corruption, infrastructure, crime, competition, and performance measures. The World Bank’s Enterprise Analysis Unit is a team of economists and firm-level survey experts that both 1) conducts Enterprise Surveys and 2) draws upon this wealth of firm-level data from developing countries to produce research on the micro-economic foundations of growth. 

The Subnational project collects business environment data and provides a quantitative assessment of the business environment and the efficacy of bureaucracy at the local administrative level in a country or region. The data collection methodology is inspired by the WB’s Business Ready (B-READY) study. The Subnational project adapts the B-READY methodology to the regional/subnational context. The project also builds on experience conducting subnational assessments and policy dialogue with national and local authorities from 599 locations in 83 economies. The project will produce analysis and studies which highlight regulatory differences and gaps in the implementation of national law and generate knowledge on good regulatory practices. By showing how and by how much locations are lagging behind good practices, the aim is to open the door for knowledge sharing, peer learning, and regulatory reforms. Updates on the development of the new Subnational studies will be published as they become available.

Women, Business and the Law (WBL) is a World Bank Group project collecting data on the laws and regulations that affect women’s economic opportunity. Over the past more than ten years, Women, Business and the Law has expanded coverage to 190 economies and eight topics relevant to women's economic participation.  Women, Business and the Law reports are researched and written by a team of experienced lawyers and experts.