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Credit rationing and the financial structure of Italian small and medium enterprises

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Abstract

Our aim is to analyze the effect of public subsidies on the development path of Italian small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Public subsidies to SMEs have been often used with the aim of favoring economic growth in less developed regions. The main theoretical arguments justifying this intervention are related to the idea that public subsidies can solve lack-ofcapital problems deriving from asymmetric information. According to Stiglitz and Weiss (1981), public subsidies to rationed firms can reduce the informational gap, leading subsidized firms to reduce their financial constraints and to increase their investment levels. Results obtained modelling leverage, performance and investment behaviour in a panel of around 1,900 enterprises over the years 1989 to 1994 seem to confirm the working hypotheses. However, they can not be considered as conclusive and further research is needed in this context.

Suggested Citation

  • Giovanni Trovato & Marco Alfó, 2006. "Credit rationing and the financial structure of Italian small and medium enterprises," Journal of Applied Economics, Universidad del CEMA, vol. 9, pages 167-184, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:cem:jaecon:v:9:y:2006:n:1:p:167-184
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bergström, Fredrik, 1998. "Capital Subsidies and the Performance of Firms," SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Economics and Finance 285, Stockholm School of Economics.
    2. Hoff, Karla & Stiglitz, Joseph E., 1998. "Moneylenders and bankers: price-increasing subsidies in a monopolistically competitive market," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 485-518, April.
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    4. Cowling, Marc & Mitchell, Peter, 2003. "Is the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme Hazardous for Banks or Helpful to Small Business?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 63-71, August.
    5. Mueller,Dennis C. (ed.), 1997. "Perspectives on Public Choice," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521553773, January.
    6. David Begg & Richard Portes, 1993. "Eastern Germany since unification: wage subsidies remain a better way," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 1(4), pages 383-400, December.
    7. de Mesa, David & Webb, David C., 1992. "Efficient credit rationing," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 1277-1290, August.
    8. Stiglitz, Joseph E & Weiss, Andrew, 1983. "Incentive Effects of Terminations: Applications to the Credit and Labor Markets," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 73(5), pages 912-927, December.
    9. Diamond, Douglas W, 1989. "Reputation Acquisition in Debt Markets," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 97(4), pages 828-862, August.
    10. Davidson, Russell & MacKinnon, James G., 1993. "Estimation and Inference in Econometrics," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195060119.
    11. Stiglitz, Joseph E & Weiss, Andrew, 1981. "Credit Rationing in Markets with Imperfect Information," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 71(3), pages 393-410, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alessandro Girardi & Marco Ventura, 2021. "Measuring credit crunch in Italy: evidence from a survey-based indicator," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 299(1), pages 567-592, April.
    2. Girardi, Alessandro & Ventura, Marco & Margani, Patrizia, 2018. "An Indicator of Credit Crunch using Italian Business Surveys," MPRA Paper 88839, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Shoaib Ali & Farooq Azam & Hafiz Muhammad Naveed & Waqar Abid, 2020. "Impact of Prestigious Indicators on Sustainable Growth of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Pakistan," Asian Journal of Economics and Empirical Research, Asian Online Journal Publishing Group, vol. 7(2), pages 251-257.
    4. Annalisa Castelli & Gerald P. Dwyer & Iftekhar Hasan, 2012. "Bank Relationships and Firms' Financial Performance: The Italian Experience," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 18(1), pages 28-67, January.
    5. Boschi, Melisso & Girardi, Alessandro & Ventura, Marco, 2014. "Partial credit guarantees and SMEs financing," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 15(C), pages 182-194.
    6. V. Grinchenko, 2016. "Capital structure of small and medium enterprises," Economy and Forecasting, Valeriy Heyets, issue 1, pages 142-156.
    7. repec:zbw:bofrdp:2009_036 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Horvath, Akos & Lang, Peter, 2021. "Do loan subsidies boost the real activity of small firms?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    9. Miglo, Anton, 2022. "Theories of financing for entrepreneurial firms: a review," MPRA Paper 115835, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. DiMaria, charles-henri, 2024. "ESG principles: the limits to green benchmarking," MPRA Paper 120410, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2024.
    11. Juana Rivera-Lirio & María Muñoz-Torres, 2010. "The Effectiveness of the Public Support Policies for the European Industry Financing as a Contribution to Sustainable Development," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 94(4), pages 489-515, July.
    12. Annalisa Castelli & Gerald P. Dwyer & Iftekhar Hasan, 2012. "Bank Relationships and Firms' Financial Performance: The Italian Experience," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 18(1), pages 28-67, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public subsidies; credit rationing; asymmetric information; Markov regression models;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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