B-READY reports

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B-READY reports
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B-READY 2024 report

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Business Ready (B-READY) 2024

Business Ready (B-READY) is a new World Bank Group corporate flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. It replaces and improves upon the Doing Business project. B-READY provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector, not only by advancing the interests of individual firms but also by elevating the interests of workers, consumers, potential new enterprises, and the natural environment. This 2024 report introduces a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. The analysis centers on 10 topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm. The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. B-READY draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys. The 2024 report, which covers 50 economies, serves as the first in a series that will expand in geographical coverage and refine its methodology over time, supporting reform advocacy, policy guidance, and further analysis and research.

Overview

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CHAPTERS

Executive Summary

Introduction

B-READY 2024 Data and Summary Results

B-READY Pillar Scores

What is Next?

Blogs and Papers

Punching Above Their Weight: Insights from Rwanda and Georgia’s B-READY Performance

A strong private sector is critical for growth, jobs, and development. Yet many developing economies still face barriers to becoming truly supportive environments for the private sector.

Author(s) : Taylor Colin Boyce, Charlotte Nan Jiang, Debasmita Padhi, Thomas Philip Romano

Type : Policy Indicators Briefs

Topic : All

Measuring what matters for business: The new B-READY data in the World Development Indicators

Among low-income economies across the world, only 29% have a single centralized website dedicated to providing regulatory information pertaining to international trade. In high-income economies, the same number stands at 67%.

Author(s) : Ana Florina Pirlea and Tiffany Ronpeng Yang

Type : Blog

Topic : All

Data insights on tax digitalization: Why direct e-payments matter

Digitalization has transformed the interaction between taxpayers and governments, shifting from paper-based transactions to more streamlined electronic processes. This shift to tax e-payments enables faster processing, reduces errors and administrative costs.

Author(s) : Nadia Novik, Oleksandra Popova, Tamar Matiashvili, Alvin Duane Garces, and Seung Hee Nam

Type : Blog

Topic : Taxation

The Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Commercial Dispute Resolution

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has briskly entered numerous fields of human activity, including the legal realm. This Brief focuses specifically on commercial dispute resolution, exploring the preliminary evidence on the advantages of the uptake of AI, obstacles in the implementation of the new technology, and AI’s potential effect on development.

Author(s) : Raman Maroz and Tommy Kairuz Harb

Type : Global Indicators Briefs

Topic : Dispute Resolution

Insights about Public Procurement: Key Findings from the B-READY Project

This Brief examines regulatory indicators that promote firm entry, ease of contracting with the government, fairness, transparency, and best value for money in public procurement systems across 50 economies.

Author(s) : Antoni Albert Nogues Comas, and Kerenny Torres Negron

Type : Global Indicators Briefs

The right place at the right time: Why business location matters for firm success

In today's digital age, the physical location of a company remains crucial to its success. Understanding this is crucial as it underscores how strategic location decisions can boost firm performance and foster private sector development across economies.

Author(s) : Seoyeon Kim, Sarah Kouhlani-Nolla, and Jayashree Srinivasan

Type : Blog

Topic : Business Location

Minimum wage policies through the lens of data-driven insights

Minimum wage laws play a crucial role in addressing labor market distortions, ensuring fair wages, and fostering economic development by reducing poverty and inequality.

Author(s) : Dorina Georgieva and Dagmara Maj-Swistak

Type : Blog

Topic : Labor

Data-driven transparency: The need for easy access to laws and regulations for businesses

Transparent access to laws and regulations fosters trust, deters corruption, and empowers businesses—yet many economies still fall short in providing this essential foundation for growth.

Author(s) : Raman Maroz and Luisa Daniela Dyer Melhado

Type : Blog

Topic : Dispute Resolution

Data for reforms: leveraging the B-READY 2024 report for enhanced business environments

The newly launched Business Ready (B-READY) 2024 report offers a comprehensive analysis of the global business environment, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses across 50 economies. With nearly 1,200 indicators per economy, B-READY is a powerful tool that policymakers can use to pinpoint areas for improvement and guide reforms to create a stronger private sector.

Author(s) : Valeria Perotti and Subika Farazi

Type : Blog

Topic : All

Supply-Side Regulatory Drivers for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

The brief is the first in a two-part series that provides an overview of the electricity sector's demand and supply side environmental regulations. This brief focuses on supply-side regulations and investigates their role in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy integration.

Author(s) : Viktoriya Ereshchenko and Elena Popic

Type : Global Indicators Briefs

Topic : Utility Services

Digitizing Court Systems: Benefits and Limitations

While increased digitization is associated with greater accessibility and transparency within judiciaries, it may not necessarily result in significant improvements in the efficiency of the court processes unless a more holistic approach is considered.

Author(s) : Raman Maroz, Oleksandra Popova, and Santiago Satizábal Acosta

Type : Global Indicators Briefs

Topic : Dispute Resolution

Does sustainable finance regulation play a role in the “greening” of capital markets?

Robust regulatory frameworks are important for developing healthy capital markets. Most current research ends that sustainable finance regulation serves as a backbone for the development of sustainable bond markets. This Brief presents results from a novel global sustainable Finance regulatory data set.

Author(s) : Valentina Saltane, Anam Amin, and Subika Farazi

Type : Global Indicators Briefs

Topic : Financial Services