The country profile for Azerbaijan isbased on data from the enterprise surveys conducted by theWorld Bank in 2013. The enterprise surveys focus on the manyfactors that shape the decisions of firms to invest. Thesefactors can be accommodating or constraining and play animportant role in whether a country will prosper or not. Anaccommodating business environment is one that encouragesfirms to operate efficiently. Such conditions strengthenincentives for firms to innovate and to increaseproductivity, key factors for sustainable development. Amore productive private sector, in turn, expands employmentand contributes taxes necessary for public investment inhealth, education, and other services. In contrast, a poorbusiness environment increases the obstacles to conductingbusiness activities and decreases a country's prospectsfor reaching its potential in terms of employment,production, and welfare. Enterprise surveys are conducted bythe World Bank and its partners across all geographicregions and cover small, medium, and large companies. Thesurveys are applied to a representative sample of firms inthe non-agricultural economy. The sample is consistentlydefined in all countries and includes the entiremanufacturing sector, the services sector, and thetransportation and construction sectors. Public utilities,government services, health care, and financial servicessectors are not included in the sample. Enterprise surveyscollect a wide array of qualitative and quantitativeinformation through face-to-face interviews with firmmanagers and owners regarding the business environment intheir countries and the productivity of their firms. Thetopics covered in enterprise surveys include the obstaclesto doing business, infrastructure, finance, labor,corruption and regulation, law and order, innovation andtechnology, trade, and firm productivity.