Export Performance of MSMEs in India: Is Credit Constraint an Invisible Gorilla?

We examine the effects of foreign currency borrowings (FCBs) and domestic market constraints on the performance of the export of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) during the period 1988–2019. Our results show that access to the FCBs improved the performance of the MSME exports, indicating the importance of credit accessibility. MSMEs effectively utilise the grants when accompanied by credit facilities such as FCBs. We find that the high cost of debt and lack of financial development adversely affect the exports, as MSMEs are unable to borrow. The rupee depreciation alone does not help the MSMEs reap such depreciation benefits due to the lack of domestic credit. The recent policy stance of emphasis on MSMEs is expected to improve export performance. This study calls for the specialised window for the MSMEs to meet low cost and easy credit. The findings suggest stepping up grants to the MSMEs to improve the export performance. JEL Codes: F14, F34, F2, F31

The Impact of Relationship Lending on Bank Loan Process for Korean SMEs

We investigate the effects of the bank-firm relationships on the decision making process regarding loan application, loan approval, and loan interest rate. To do this, we use data from 2016, and 2017 Surveys of Korea Small Business Finance conducted by Industrial Bank of Korea. We found that a more intense bank-firm relationship increases the likelihood of loan approval. Also, SMEs borrowing from lower number of banks and with more concentrated loans in main bank seem to obtain credit from main bank at lower interest rate than others. But applying for a loan is not related to the bank-firm relationship. This findings suggest that a close bank-firm relationship can reduce information asymmetry problem and alleviate SMEs’ credit constraint. Also bank-firm relationships seem to be important in determining the loan interest rate. As a relsult, our findings support that relationship lending has a beneficial effect on the supply side of the Korean SME credit market.

Firm performance under financial constraints: evidence from sub-Saharan African countries

The business environment in which a firm operates has an important impact on firm performance. This study examined the impact of credit constraint and power outages on the firm’s investment decision using World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) data collected from firms operating in 13 sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. The study employed a two-part model and the Heckman selection model to estimate the impact of lack of access to finance and poor power supply on a firm’s decision to invest in self-generation. The result obtained suggest that there is a negative correlation between credit constraint and a firm’s decision to invest in self-generation. This indicates that credit constraint negatively affects a firm’s decision to invest in self-generation and firms that are credit constrained have less incentive to invest in self-generation compared to those that are not credit constrained. To test the robustness of the result obtained, alternative definitions of credit constraints were used. Results from alternative regressions using different definitions of credit constraints show that credit constraint affects a firm’s decision to invest in self-generation but not the volume of investment.

Research on the Impact of Relationship Networks on Farmers’ Formal Credit Constraints: The Case of China

Based on the survey data of Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, this paper uses the Heckman two-stage model to construct a credit constraint function without selection bias, and explores the relationship between the scale and quality of the relationship network and the credit constraints of rural households. Research shows that the scale of the relationship network is affected adversely by urbanization and networking, having a weaker impact on the formal credit constraints of rural households. The quality of the relationship networks can improve farmers’ awareness of formal credit, reduce transaction exposure, regulate farmers’ behavior and act as a “guarantee”, thereby effectively alleviating farmers’ formal credit constraints. At the same time, the relationship network of farmers is gradually becoming more structured, where farmers' social interests are becoming more purposeful. Additionally, formal financial institutions have set a threshold for farmers’ credit, which requires a certain amount of securities for money.

Credit Constraint and Rural Household Welfare in the Mezam Division of the North-West Region of Cameroon

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of the rural household’s head and household characteristics on credit accessibility. This study also seeks to investigate how credit constraint affects rural household welfare in the Mezam division of the North-West region of Cameroon. Using data from a household survey questionnaire, we found that 36.88% of the households were credit-constrained, while 63.13% were unconstrained. A probit regression model was used to examine the determinants of households’ credit access, while an endogenous switching regression model was used to analyze the impact of credit constraint on household welfare. The results from the probit regression model indicate the importance of the farmer’s or trader’s organization membership, occupation, and savings to the household’s likelihood of being credit-constrained. On the other hand, a prediction from the endogenous switching regression model confirms that households with access to credit have a better standard of welfare than a constrained household. From the results, it is necessary for the government to subsidize microfinance institutions, so that they can take on the risk of offering credit to rural households.

Firm Performance Under Financial Constraints: Evidence from Sub-Saharan African Firms

Business environment in which a firm operates has an important impact on firm performance. This study examined the impact of credit constraint and power outages on the firm’s investment decision using World Bank Enterprise Survey data collected from firms operating in 13 SSA countries. The study employed a two-part model and the Heckman selection model to estimate the impact of lack of access to finance and poor power supply on a firm’s decision to invest in self-generation. The result obtained suggest that there is a negative correlation between credit constraint and a firm’s decision to invest in self-generation. This indicates that credit constraint negatively affects a firm’s decision to invest in self-generation and firms that are credit constrained have less incentive to invest in self-generation compared to those that are not credit constrained. To test the robustness of the result obtained, alternative definitions of credit constraints were used. Results from alternative regressions using different definitions of credit constraints show that credit constraint affects a firm’s decision to invest in self-generation but not the volume of investment.