IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/scandj/v122y2020i1p191-218.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Causal Effect of Credit Guarantees for Small‐ and Medium‐Sized Enterprises: Evidence from Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Alessio D’Ignazio
  • Carlo Menon

Abstract

We evaluate the effectiveness of a partial credit guarantee program, implemented in a large Italian region, that aimed to improve the access to credit of small and medium enterprises. Using unique microdata from a broad set of firms, we show that the policy increased the long‐term loans for beneficiary firms, while the total volume of bank loans was unaffected. Furthermore, targeted firms benefited from a substantial decrease in interest rates. However, there is some evidence that firms are more likely to default as a consequence of the treatment. Conversely, the results do not point to any significant effect on investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessio D’Ignazio & Carlo Menon, 2020. "Causal Effect of Credit Guarantees for Small‐ and Medium‐Sized Enterprises: Evidence from Italy," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 122(1), pages 191-218, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:scandj:v:122:y:2020:i:1:p:191-218
    DOI: 10.1111/sjoe.12332
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/sjoe.12332
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/sjoe.12332?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Laurent Bach, 2014. "Are Small Businesses Worthy of Financial Aid? Evidence from a French Targeted Credit Program," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 18(3), pages 877-919.
    2. Jensen, Thais Laerkholm & Leth-Petersen, Søren & Nanda, Ramana, 2022. "Financing constraints, home equity and selection into entrepreneurship," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(2), pages 318-337.
    3. Beck, Thorsten & Klapper, Leora F. & Mendoza, Juan Carlos, 2010. "The typology of partial credit guarantee funds around the world," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 10-25, April.
    4. Thomas Chaney & David Sraer & David Thesmar, 2012. "The Collateral Channel: How Real Estate Shocks Affect Corporate Investment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(6), pages 2381-2409, October.
    5. Kleibergen, Frank & Paap, Richard, 2006. "Generalized reduced rank tests using the singular value decomposition," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 133(1), pages 97-126, July.
    6. Barone, Guglielmo & Felici, Roberto & Pagnini, Marcello, 2011. "Switching costs in local credit markets," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 694-704.
    7. Andrews,Donald W. K. & Stock,James H. (ed.), 2005. "Identification and Inference for Econometric Models," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521844413, October.
    8. Levine, Ross, 2005. "Finance and Growth: Theory and Evidence," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 12, pages 865-934, Elsevier.
    9. Martin C. Schmalz & David A. Sraer & David Thesmar, 2017. "Housing Collateral and Entrepreneurship," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(1), pages 99-132, February.
    10. José Miguel Benavente & Alexander Galetovic & Ricardo Sanhueza, 2006. "Fogape: an economic analysis," Working Papers wp222, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    11. Thorsten Beck, 2009. "The Econometrics of Finance and Growth," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Terence C. Mills & Kerry Patterson (ed.), Palgrave Handbook of Econometrics, chapter 25, pages 1180-1209, Palgrave Macmillan.
    12. Joshua D. Angrist & Jörn-Steffen Pischke, 2009. "Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricist's Companion," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 8769.
    13. Jae Kang & Almas Heshmati, 2008. "Effect of credit guarantee policy on survival and performance of SMEs in Republic of Korea," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 31(4), pages 445-462, December.
    14. Egger, Peter & Koethenbuerger, Marko & Smart, Michael, 2010. "Do fiscal transfers alleviate business tax competition? Evidence from Germany," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(3-4), pages 235-246, April.
    15. Claire Lelarge & David Sraer & David Thesmar, 2010. "Entrepreneurship and Credit Constraints: Evidence from a French Loan Guarantee Program," NBER Chapters, in: International Differences in Entrepreneurship, pages 243-273, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Salvatore Zecchini & Marco Ventura, 2009. "The impact of public guarantees on credit to SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 191-206, February.
    17. Giorgio Fagiolo & Alessandra Luzzi, 2006. "Do liquidity constraints matter in explaining firm size and growth? Some evidence from the Italian manufacturing industry," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 15(1), pages 1-39, February.
    18. Claudio Loderer & Urs Waelchli, 2010. "Protecting Minority Shareholders: Listed versus Unlisted Firms," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 39(1), pages 33-57, March.
    19. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/75koqefued8i7pihbrl9u84p4u is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Honohan, Patrick, 2010. "Partial credit guarantees: Principles and practice," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 1-9, April.
    21. Chatzouz, Moustafa & Gereben, Áron & Lang, Frank & Torfs, Wouter, 2017. "Credit guarantee schemes for SME lending in Western Europe," EIB Working Papers 2017/02, European Investment Bank (EIB).
    22. Andrea Brandolini & Matteo Bugamelli & Guglielmo Barone & Antonio Bassanetti & Magda Bianco & Emanuele Breda & Emanuela Ciapanna & Federico Cingano & Francesco D'Amuri & Leandro D'Aurizio & Virginia D, 2009. "Report on trends in the Italian productive system," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 45, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    23. Arping, Stefan & Lóránth, Gyöngyi & Morrison, Alan D., 2010. "Public initiatives to support entrepreneurs: Credit guarantees versus co-funding," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 26-35, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Emanuele Ciani & Marco Gallo & Zeno Rotondi, 2020. "Public credit guarantee and financial additionalities across SME risk classes," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1265, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    2. Maurizio Conti & Leandro Elia & Antonella Rita Ferrara & Massimiliano Ferraresi, 2020. "Government late payments and firms survival. Evidence from the EU," Working papers 87, Società Italiana di Economia Pubblica.
    3. Harasztosi, Péter & Maurin, Laurent & Pál, Rozália & Revoltella, Debora & van der Wielen, Wouter, 2022. "Firm-level policy support during the crisis: So far, so good?," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 30-48.
    4. Muraközy, Balázs & Telegdy, Álmos, 2023. "The effects of EU-funded enterprise grants on firms and workers," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 216-234.
    5. Bonfim, Diana & Custódio, Cláudia & Raposo, Clara, 2023. "Supporting small firms through recessions and recoveries," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(3), pages 658-688.
    6. Andini, Monica & Boldrini, Michela & Ciani, Emanuele & de Blasio, Guido & D'Ignazio, Alessio & Paladini, Andrea, 2022. "Machine learning in the service of policy targeting: The case of public credit guarantees," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 434-475.
    7. Marco Desogus & Beatrice Venturi, 2023. "Stability and Bifurcations in Banks and Small Enterprises—A Three-Dimensional Continuous-Time Dynamical System," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-20, March.
    8. Phoebe Kotlikoff & Ahmed S. Rahman & Katherine A. Smith, 2022. "Minding the gap: academic outcomes from pre-college programs," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1), pages 3-28, January.
    9. Félix Corredera-Catalán & Filippo Pietro & Antonio Trujillo-Ponce, 2021. "Post-COVID-19 SME financing constraints and the credit guarantee scheme solution in Spain," Journal of Banking Regulation, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(3), pages 250-260, September.
    10. Diana Bonfim & Cláudia Custódio, 2021. "The sensitivity of SME’s investment and employment to the cost of debt financing," Working Papers w202115, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. D'Ignazio, Alessio & Menon, Carlo, 2012. "The causal effect of credit guarantees for SMEs: evidence from Italy," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 58555, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Peter Hennecke & Doris Neuberger & Dirk Ulbricht, 2019. "The economic and fiscal benefits of guarantee banks in Germany," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 771-794, October.
    3. Lagazio, Corrado & Persico, Luca & Querci, Francesca, 2021. "Public guarantees to SME lending: Do broader eligibility criteria pay off?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    4. Hennecke, Peter & Neuberger, Doris & Ulbricht, Dirk, 2017. "The economic and fiscal value of German guarantee banks," Thuenen-Series of Applied Economic Theory 152, University of Rostock, Institute of Economics.
    5. Guido de Blasio & Stefania De Mitri & Alessio D'Ignazio & Paolo Finaldi Russo & Lavina Stoppani, 2017. "Public guarantees on loans to SMEs: an RDD evaluation," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1111, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    6. Thomas Url, 2018. "Die Folgen staatlicher Wechselbürgschaften und Beteiligungsgarantien für Inlandsbeschäftigung und Leistungsbilanz," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 61057.
    7. Bertoni, Fabio & Colombo, Massimo G. & Quas, Anita, 2023. "The long-term effects of loan guarantees on SME performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    8. Honohan, Patrick, 2010. "Partial credit guarantees: Principles and practice," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 1-9, April.
    9. Kraemer-Eis, Helmut & Botsari, Antonia & Gvetadze, Salome & Lang, Frank & Torfs, Wouter, 2019. "European Small Business Finance Outlook: June 2019," EIF Working Paper Series 2019/57, European Investment Fund (EIF).
    10. Emanuele Ciani & Marco Gallo & Zeno Rotondi, 2020. "Public credit guarantee and financial additionalities across SME risk classes," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1265, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    11. de Blasio, Guido & De Mitri, Stefania & D'Ignazio, Alessio & Finaldi Russo, Paolo & Stoppani, Lavinia, 2018. "Public guarantees to SME borrowing. A RDD evaluation," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 73-86.
    12. TSURUTA Daisuke, 2023. "Credit Allocation and Public Credit Guarantee Schemes for Small Businesses: Evidence from Japan," Discussion papers 23083, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    13. Ondřej Dvouletý, 2017. "Effects of Soft Loans and Credit Guarantees on Performance of Supported Firms: Evidence from the Czech Public Programme START," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-17, December.
    14. Busetta, Giovanni & Zazzaro, Alberto, 2012. "Mutual loan-guarantee societies in monopolistic credit markets with adverse selection," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 15-24.
    15. Saadani, Youssef & Arvai, Zsofia & Rocha, Roberto, 2011. "A review of credit guarantee schemes in the Middle East and North Africa Region," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5612, The World Bank.
    16. Lorenzo Gai & Maria Cristina Arcuri & Federica Ielasi, 2023. "How does government-backed finance affect SMEs’ crisis predictors?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(3), pages 1205-1229, October.
    17. Anginer, Deniz & de la Torre, Augusto & Ize, Alain, 2014. "Risk-bearing by the state: When is it good public policy?," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 10(C), pages 76-86.
    18. Caselli, Stefano & Corbetta, Guido & Cucinelli, Doriana & Rossolini, Monica, 2021. "A survival analysis of public guaranteed loans: Does financial intermediary matter?," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    19. Cowling, Marc & Ughetto, Elisa & Lee, Neil, 2018. "The innovation debt penalty: Cost of debt, loan default, and the effects of a public loan guarantee on high-tech firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 166-176.
    20. MacDonald, Peter, 2013. "Labour substitution and the scope for military outsourcing," MPRA Paper 46688, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:scandj:v:122:y:2020:i:1:p:191-218. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1467-9442 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.