The Country Performance Index (CPI) is a comprehensive methodology developed by Endsight Consulting to measure and rank countries on their competitiveness to attract business and investment.
You can view much of the CPI data at the website: www.endsightconsulting.com. You can request information, sample reports, and a demonstration by emailing: info@endsightconsulting.com or directly to Endsight staff: hicham@endsightconsulting.com or matthew@endsightconsulting.com
Endsight Consulting has two CPI surveys, one that compares the 54 countries of Africa and a global survey that compares 75 mid-range countries. The global survey includes most middle-income countries and several good performing low-income countries. The ranking of African countries is available now and the global report will be available in October.
Endsight Consulting has produced CPI rankings since 2018 for internal use with clients. We have conducted extensive research to find the most credible international indicators that provide sufficient coverage of recent and regularly updated data.
CPI is comprised of 36 international indicators divided into three categories of 12 indicators each to measure: A) Business Conditions, B) Financial Factors, and C) Governance. Indicators include Economic Risk, Political Risk, Tax Burden, Quality of Banking, Currency Risk, Quality and Cost of Labor, infrastructure, Corruption, Rule of Law, Sovereign Credit Rating, Regulatory Quality, Business Red Tape, Trade Policies, ICT & e-Commerce, Capital Risk, Safety & Security, Travel Accommodations, and others.
You can contact us if you have questions about the specific data sources.
CPI is comprised of 36 international indicators divided into three categories of 12 indicators each to measure: A) Business Conditions, B) Financial Factors, and C) Governance. Indicators include Economic Risk, Political Risk, Tax Burden, Quality of Banking, Currency Risk, Quality and Cost of Labor, infrastructure, Corruption, Rule of Law, Sovereign Credit Rating, Regulatory Quality, Business Red Tape, Trade Policies, ICT & e-Commerce, Capital Risk, Safety & Security, Travel Accommodations, and others.
You can contact us if you have questions about the specific data sources.
We recognize that there are many sources of data that measure various aspects of a country’s performance, including from such credible organizations as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, the Economist Intelligence Unit, World Health Organization, Transparency International, World Justice Project, OECD, Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and many others.
However, we found that their data, while usually excellent, supports the narrow mandate of the originating organization, such as governance, rule of law, corruption, health, education, etc. but none provide a comprehensive measurement that specifically addresses what a business or investor is looking for when considering market entry or expansion.
The unique value of CPI is how we organize, assemble, weigh, and produce the data into a methodology that meets the needs of the country to see itself clearly and to businesses to evaluate locations for growth.
However, we found that their data, while usually excellent, supports the narrow mandate of the originating organization, such as governance, rule of law, corruption, health, education, etc. but none provide a comprehensive measurement that specifically addresses what a business or investor is looking for when considering market entry or expansion.
The unique value of CPI is how we organize, assemble, weigh, and produce the data into a methodology that meets the needs of the country to see itself clearly and to businesses to evaluate locations for growth.
Governments are always seeking to increase foreign direct investment (FDI) but almost always over-estimate the quality of their domestic conditions for businesses. Leaders must realize that money is not sentimental and does not flow to areas of need but to areas of profitability. It sounds too simple, but to attract money, you must actually be attractive. Successfully increasing FDI requires leaders to stop traveling the world seeking money that is not interested; instead, go home and create favorable conditions where money wants to come to you.
CPI provides African leaders a blunt, data-driven, objective portrait of their country so they can accurately view their standing as a place for business and investment.
CPI provides African leaders a blunt, data-driven, objective portrait of their country so they can accurately view their standing as a place for business and investment.
Businesses and investors are always looking for new ways to increase revenues and profits. They are also sensitive to risk, especially for new and frontier markets. The CPI country profiles provide detailed analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the target market and allow them to better evaluate more favorable locations and design strategies to mitigate risk.
CPI provides a detailed profile of each country. In addition to this top-line data, Endsight does a deep-dive into each indicator to understand every calculation, formula, sub-indicator, raw data input, and survey question to know exactly how performance is derived. CPI data tells you what is there, but Endsight advisory services create a pathway for action that is driven by data rather than by speculation.
For countries, Endsight creates a roadmap of data collection and policy reform that both informs the rating agencies of the latest data and concretely improves conditions on the ground for business and investment, i.e., creating a more attractive environment both on paper and in fact.
For the private sector, Endsight provides a pathway to identify the specific risks in each country and, based on our deep reverse-engineering of each indicator, we provide methods to mitigate those risks, particularly when navigating the engagement with the governments.
For countries, Endsight creates a roadmap of data collection and policy reform that both informs the rating agencies of the latest data and concretely improves conditions on the ground for business and investment, i.e., creating a more attractive environment both on paper and in fact.
For the private sector, Endsight provides a pathway to identify the specific risks in each country and, based on our deep reverse-engineering of each indicator, we provide methods to mitigate those risks, particularly when navigating the engagement with the governments.
Each of the 36 indicators has a specific weight and location within our methodology. We understand that industries such as agriculture, banking, retail and manufacturing have different requirements.
The CPI methodology can be adjusted to isolate certain indicators and re-weigh them to reflect the priorities of a particular industry or business sector. CPI can also consider special client needs, such a regional focus or specific business strategies. Endsight works directly with the client to re-run the methodology in a manner that is customized for their priorities.
The CPI methodology can be adjusted to isolate certain indicators and re-weigh them to reflect the priorities of a particular industry or business sector. CPI can also consider special client needs, such a regional focus or specific business strategies. Endsight works directly with the client to re-run the methodology in a manner that is customized for their priorities.
CPI as a whole is updated annually, typically in the fall of each year. The various indicators are published at different times during the year, which we track and can update clients in real time.
Several international organizations produce excellent reports on particular aspects of a country’s performance on key indicators.
For example, the World Bank’s Doing Business Report – which was suspended a few years ago for influenced rankings – was a widely accepted measure of ten specific activities that a business could expect to encounter in a country. We felt that, while informative, it was too narrow to obtain a complete assessment. We similarly found many other rankings that provide helpful information but seem to fall short of a comprehensive profile of a country’s performance for businesses and investors. In CPI, we took the best data from the best organizations and organized it into a complete picture.
The biggest advantage that CPI offers is the associated analysis and advisory services provided by the parent company, Endsight Consulting. Virtually every rating agency only publishes the data but does not provide an explanation for what it means and how to improve performance. If all you need is the data, that is fine. But, data without action results in merely knowing how bad you are with no path to elevate your game. Endsight understands every aspect of every indicator and specializes in guiding its clients to not only understanding what the data says but to craft the best roadmap of actions to meet your objectives based on the data.
For example, the World Bank’s Doing Business Report – which was suspended a few years ago for influenced rankings – was a widely accepted measure of ten specific activities that a business could expect to encounter in a country. We felt that, while informative, it was too narrow to obtain a complete assessment. We similarly found many other rankings that provide helpful information but seem to fall short of a comprehensive profile of a country’s performance for businesses and investors. In CPI, we took the best data from the best organizations and organized it into a complete picture.
The biggest advantage that CPI offers is the associated analysis and advisory services provided by the parent company, Endsight Consulting. Virtually every rating agency only publishes the data but does not provide an explanation for what it means and how to improve performance. If all you need is the data, that is fine. But, data without action results in merely knowing how bad you are with no path to elevate your game. Endsight understands every aspect of every indicator and specializes in guiding its clients to not only understanding what the data says but to craft the best roadmap of actions to meet your objectives based on the data.
The country scorecard for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which has 20 indicators, is directly tied to the possibility of large grant funding from the United States. In addition to CPI, Endsight provides detailed analysis to enable a country to increase its scores on the MCC scorecard to access this money – our most popular service to client countries. The CPI database is not connected to specific sources of funding, but instead provides the country a roadmap for how to improve itself to be more attractive to funding sources generally. That said, Endsight offers engagement services to communicate a country’s improvement in performance as well as an engagement strategy to potential sources of business and investment.
Also, like all rating methodologies, CPI may have a time lag in the published data. Rating agencies that publish the data used by CPI require time to collect, analyze, and publish the data, which produces a snapshot of performance that is typically one year behind actual conditions in the country. Some data may have additional time lags. Data collected by rating agencies may not always include the most complete data from the country. Endsight helps the country identify and transmit the most recent and most credible data to rating agencies so it shows the most favorable results. In any case, the data published by CPI provides a highly accurate picture of a country’s performance at both a strategic and tactical level, even with small imperfections.
Also, like all rating methodologies, CPI may have a time lag in the published data. Rating agencies that publish the data used by CPI require time to collect, analyze, and publish the data, which produces a snapshot of performance that is typically one year behind actual conditions in the country. Some data may have additional time lags. Data collected by rating agencies may not always include the most complete data from the country. Endsight helps the country identify and transmit the most recent and most credible data to rating agencies so it shows the most favorable results. In any case, the data published by CPI provides a highly accurate picture of a country’s performance at both a strategic and tactical level, even with small imperfections.