World Bank Country Survey 2012

The Questionnaire consists of 9 Sections:

A. General Issues facing Lao PDR:
Respondents were asked to indicate whether Lao PDR is headed in the right direction, what they thought were the top three most important development priorities, and which areas would contribute most to reducing poverty and generating economic growth in Lao PDR.

B. Overall Attitudes toward the World Bank:
Respondents were asked to rate their familiarity with the World Bank, the Bank’s effectiveness in Lao PDR, Bank staff preparedness, the extent to which the Bank meets Lao PDR’s need for knowledge services and financial instruments, the extent to which the Bank should seek to influence the global development agenda, their agreement with various statements regarding the Bank’s work, and the extent to which the Bank is an effective development partner. Respondents were also asked to indicate the sectoral areas on which it would be most productive for the Bank to focus its resources, the Bank’s greatest values and greatest weaknesses in its work, the most and least effective instruments in helping to reduce poverty in Lao PDR, with which groups the Bank should work more, and to what reasons respondents attributed failed or slow reform efforts.

C. World Bank Effectiveness and Results:
Respondents were asked to rate the extent to which the Bank’s work helps achieve sustainable development results in Lao PDR and the Bank’s level of effectiveness across thirty-two development areas, such as economic growth.

D. The World Bank’s Knowledge:
Respondents were asked to indicate how frequently they consult Bank knowledge/research, the areas on which the Bank should focus its research efforts, and to rate the effectiveness and quality of the Bank’s knowledge/research, including how significant of a contribution it makes to development results, its technical quality, the Bank’s effectiveness at providing linkage to non-Bank expertise, and the extent to which specific Bank products contribute to helping solve Lao PDR’s development challenges.

E. Working with the World Bank:
Respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement with a series of statements regarding working with the Bank, such as the World Bank’s “Safeguard Policy” requirements being reasonable, and the Bank disbursing funds promptly.

F. Specific Project/Program Related Issues:
Respondents were asked to rate their agreement with various statements regarding the World Bank’s involvement in Nam Theun 2 and the Lao PDR Poverty Reduction Support Operation Series (PRSO).

G. The Future Role of the World Bank in Lao PDR:
Respondents were asked to rate how significant a role the Bank should play in Lao PDR’s development in the near future and to indicate what the Bank should do to make itself of greater value in Lao PDR.

H. Communication and Information Sharing:
Respondents were asked to indicate where they get information about economic and social development issues, how they prefer to receive information from the Bank, their access to the Internet, and their usage and evaluation of the Bank’s website. Respondents were asked about their awareness of the Bank’s Access to Information policy, past information requests from the Bank, and their level of agreement that they use more data from the World Bank as a result of the Bank’s Open Data policy. Respondents were also asked their level of agreement that they know how to find information from the Bank and that the Bank is responsive to information requests.

I. Background Information:
Respondents were asked to indicate their current position, specialization, whether they professionally collaborate with the World Bank, their exposure to the Bank in Lao PDR, and their geographic location.