Business survey to attract investors

AS part of regional efforts towards poverty alleviation and integration, a team of local business researchers and representatives of the business community have left the country to join their SADC counterparts in a regional business climate survey conference in South Africa this week.

Last year the Association of SADC Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCCI) embarked on a process to conduct Regional Business Climate Surveys. The pilot survey, carried out during June and July of last year, focused on the manufacturing sector in the SADC region.The survey focused on manufacturing to reduce logistical problems because these firms are easier to identify and contact, and manufacturing is highly reflective of ‘business mood’ because the sector provides activities with high value-addition, growth and employment potential, hence its development capacity.This initial project was financially sponsored by the Advisory Services for Private Business, an agency of GTZ, and technical assistance was provided by the Namibian Economic Policy Research Unit (NEPRU).One of the team members attending the three-day conference, Dr Christoph Stork, a senior researcher with NEPRU, said the main aim of the regional business climate survey was to strengthen public-private sector dialogue issues resting on empirical evidence.He also said monitoring the business climate across the SADC region would facilitate the policy- and decision-making process by political authorities and private investors and entrepreneurs, and in turn develop a sustainable business climate survey model for SADC for the development of a dynamic vision for the region.Stork said every country would present its latest business climate survey and during the three days, a data analysis workshop would be carried out at which a draft regional business climate survey will be prepared and presented to ASCCI before the final report is compiled.Namibia surveyed a sample of 51 businesses, which according to Stork, is highly representative as it included the biggest and most important companies in the manufacturing sector.Stork said the final result should be out next month.The pilot survey, carried out during June and July of last year, focused on the manufacturing sector in the SADC region.The survey focused on manufacturing to reduce logistical problems because these firms are easier to identify and contact, and manufacturing is highly reflective of ‘business mood’ because the sector provides activities with high value-addition, growth and employment potential, hence its development capacity.This initial project was financially sponsored by the Advisory Services for Private Business, an agency of GTZ, and technical assistance was provided by the Namibian Economic Policy Research Unit (NEPRU).One of the team members attending the three-day conference, Dr Christoph Stork, a senior researcher with NEPRU, said the main aim of the regional business climate survey was to strengthen public-private sector dialogue issues resting on empirical evidence.He also said monitoring the business climate across the SADC region would facilitate the policy- and decision-making process by political authorities and private investors and entrepreneurs, and in turn develop a sustainable business climate survey model for SADC for the development of a dynamic vision for the region.Stork said every country would present its latest business climate survey and during the three days, a data analysis workshop would be carried out at which a draft regional business climate survey will be prepared and presented to ASCCI before the final report is compiled.Namibia surveyed a sample of 51 businesses, which according to Stork, is highly representative as it included the biggest and most important companies in the manufacturing sector. Stork said the final result should be out next month.