Arruñada, BenitoUniversitat Pompeu Fabra. Departament d'Economia i Empresa2017-07-262017-07-262008-05-01European Business Organization Law Review, 2009, 10(4), 555-574.http://hdl.handle.net/10230/807Simplifying business formalization and eliminating outdated formalities is often a good way of improving the institutional environment for firms. Unfortunately, the World Bank s "Doing Business" project is harming such policies by promoting a reform agenda that gives them priority even in countries lacking functional business registers, so that the reformed registers keep producing valueless information, but faster. Its methodology also promotes biased measurements that impede proper consideration of the essential tradeoffs in the design of formalization institutions. If "Doing Business" is to stop jeopardizing its true objectives and contribute positively to scientific progress, institutional reform and economic development, then its aims, governance and methodology need to change.application/pdfengL'accés als continguts d'aquest document queda condicionat a l'acceptació de les condicions d'ús establertes per la següent llicència Creative Commonsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/workingPaperstarting businessdoing businessinformal economycompany registersManagement and Organization StudiesBusiness Economics and Industrial Organizationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess