Manuals and Toolkits

Outsourcing of Business Registration Activities - Lessons from Experience (April 2010)

Outsourcing has become a recognized feature of industrial and commercial activity around the world. Many countries have outsourced some aspect of business registration, particularly the development and operation of computer systems, but there are some that have gone further. This study has been commissioned by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to explore the extent to which outsourcing has become a recognized feature of business registration, the reasons for this, and the associated benefits, drawbacks, and practical problems. Did business registries outsource any or all of their functions? If so, did the same considerations apply as for the private sector? Were there lessons to be learned from their experience? Responses to these and other questions were received from 53 registries and analyzed in this study.

Secured transactions Systems and Collateral Registries (January 2010)

The main objective of this publication is to provide technical advice and guidance to World Bank Group staff, donor institutions, government officials and other practitioners on the implementation of secured transactions law and institutional reforms in emerging market countries. The content of the Toolkit will guide the reader through the various stages of the project cycle (identification, diagnostic, solution design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation) involved in the introduction of secured transactions reforms. The recommendations presented in the Toolkit are based on IFC’s experience in the secured transactions area, the contributions of a number of experts in this field, existing literature, reform experience in a number of emerging market countries and the existing best practices in jurisdictions with advanced secured transactions systems.

How Many Stops in a One Stop Shop? (January 2010)

Many governments have introduced one-stop shops as part of their reform of the business registration process. But what is a one-stop shop? Is it like any other shop? Can it really involve just one stop? IFC has commissioned this study to provide some background and possibly a few hints for those contemplating setting up a one-stop shop or improving one that already exists.

Incentives and Investments: Evidence and Policy Implications (December 2009)

This paper analyzes how investment incentives can be used to foster private investment, particularly in developing countries. What makes such incentives effective? How much should they cost? And how are they linked to policy making and political economy? The assessment draws on existing literature as well as several case studies and surveys conducted for this paper.

A Handbook for Tax Simplification (October 2009)

The Handbook for Tax Simplification provides policy makers and tax practitioners with a framework to assess a tax system, including measuring its various parameters and systems of management. The book analyzes the impact of income tax, the value added tax (VAT), and other local taxes that are imposed on business and defines the best practices for tax policy and tax administration that will yield a system that is simple, predictable and one which does not create an undue burden on private enterprise. Topics addressed in this handbook range from the principal policy considerations for any reform initiative to practical and user-friendly templates for implementing policy and measuring the effectiveness of reform. This book provides a check-list that can help policy makers identify the binding constraints imposed by tax system on business and provides recommendations on how these constrains may be minimized or even removed within the existing political economy environment.

A Rough Guide to Investment Climate Reform in Conflict-Affected Countries (July 2009)

This guide is designed to help project teams engaged in investment climate reform in conflict-affected countries more effectively design, plan, implement, and evaluate reform projects. In this guide investment climate refers to government laws, policies, regulations, and procedures that improve institutional governance, bureaucratic efficiency, and industry competitiveness.