Doing Business Abroad: Brazil, Ghana, India, New Zealand

Doing Business Abroadtaskcomparebrazil Ghana India New Zealand Th

Doing Business Abroad Task : Compare Brazil, Ghana, India, New Zealand, the United States, and Turkey in terms of how easily contracts are enforced, how property can be registered, and how investors can be protected. Identify in which area you see the greatest variation from one country to the next. Refer to the website, (Links to an external site.) . Choose the countries listed above from the drop-down menu on the website and complete your task on a word document.

Paper For Above instruction

Doing Business Abroadtaskcomparebrazil Ghana India New Zealand Th

Doing Business Abroadtaskcomparebrazil Ghana India New Zealand Th

The international business environment is influenced by various legal, economic, and political factors that significantly affect how companies operate across borders. This study compares six countries—Brazil, Ghana, India, New Zealand, the United States, and Turkey—in three critical areas: ease of enforcing contracts, property registration, and investor protection. These factors are essential indicators of a country's business-friendliness and its capacity to attract foreign direct investment (FDI).

Ease of Enforcing Contracts

Enforcing contracts is a crucial aspect of the legal environment that supports business operations. According to the World Bank's Doing Business report (World Bank, 2022), New Zealand ranks the highest among these countries in contract enforcement, with a relatively swift process averaging around 150 days. Its transparent legal procedures, well-established judiciary, and efficient legal system facilitate quick dispute resolution. The United States also scores favorably, with an average enforcement time of approximately 600 days, owing to a complex but effective legal framework.

Contrastingly, India and Turkey face longer enforcement times, averaging roughly 1,300 and 1,065 days respectively, due to bureaucratic delays and judicial backlog. Brazil and Ghana also experience prolonged enforcement durations, with estimates of around 1,000 days and over 800 days respectively. These delays can discourage international investors, reflecting the need for legal reforms to streamline contract enforcement processes (World Bank, 2022).

Property Registration

The efficiency and transparency of property registration processes significantly influence investment decisions. New Zealand leads with a straightforward, efficient system supported by digital technology, which enables real-time property registration and reduces corruption (OECD, 2021). The United States, with its mature legal infrastructure, also maintains a transparent and efficient property registration system.

India and Turkey have made considerable improvements but still face challenges like lengthy procedures, bureaucratic hurdles, and inconsistencies in property rights documentation. Brazil and Ghana encounter persistent issues with land tenure security, complex registration procedures, and regulatory ambiguities, which can inhibit property transactions and terrify potential investors (World Bank, 2022). The variation in property registration efficiency across these nations can substantially impact foreign investment inflows.

Protection of Investors

Investor protection encompasses legal rights, dispute resolution, and mechanisms that safeguard minority shareholders. The United States and New Zealand exhibit strong investor protection regimes, characterized by independent judicial systems, advanced regulatory frameworks, and active enforcement of securities laws (World Economic Forum, 2021). These attributes foster investor confidence and attract FDI.

India and Turkey show moderate progress, with the presence of legal protections but challenges in consistent enforcement and transparency (OECD, 2021). Conversely, Brazil and Ghana face significant hurdles, including weak enforcement, corruption, and insufficient legal protections for minority investors, which can deter foreign investment and impede economic growth (World Bank, 2022).

Greatest Variation: Contract Enforcement

Among the three areas examined, the greatest variation exists in the enforcement of contracts across these nations. Developed countries such as New Zealand and the United States exhibit efficient, predictable legal processes, whereas developing nations like Ghana, Brazil, and India face considerable delays and judicial shortcomings that undermine the reliability of legal enforceability. Improving contract enforcement processes in emerging economies could substantially enhance their attractiveness to foreign investors and improve overall ease of doing business.

Conclusion

This comparative analysis highlights significant disparities in the legal environment for business across these countries, particularly in contract enforcement. While New Zealand and the United States display well-established, efficient systems that protect investors and streamline property registration, developing countries face challenges that hinder business operations. Targeted reforms in judicial processes, land registration, and investor protections are essential for fostering a more conducive environment for international business and investment.

References

  • World Bank. (2022). Doing Business 2022: Comparing Business Regulations in 190 Economies. The World Bank Group.
  • OECD. (2021). Land and Property Rights for Economic Development. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
  • World Economic Forum. (2021). The Global Competitiveness Report 2021.
  • Besley, T., & Persson, T. (2011). The Origins of Economic Prosperity. Annual Review of Political Science, 14, 231-249.
  • La Porta, R., Lopez-de-Silanes, F., Shleifer, A., & Vishny, R. W. (2000). Investor Protection and Corporate Governance. Journal of Financial Economics, 58(1-2), 3-27.
  • Rodrik, D. (2018). Straight Talk on Trade: Ideas for a Sane World Economy. Princeton University Press.
  • Sachs, J. D., & Warner, A. M. (1995). Economic Reform and the Process of Global Integration. NBER Working Paper No. 5374.
  • World Bank. (2021). Ease of Doing Business Report 2021.
  • OECD. (2020). Property Rights and Economic Development. OECD Publishing.
  • Ubilava, D. (2012). Land market efficiency and economic development: Evidence from transition countries. Land Use Policy, 29(4), 755-763.