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Is Small Beautiful? Financial Structure, Size and Access to Finance

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  • Beck, Thorsten
  • Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli
  • Singer, Dorothe

Abstract

Combining two unique data sets, this paper explores the relationship between financial structure and firms’ access to financial services. Specifically, it considers the importance of three different types of financial institutions: low-end financial institutions, specialized lenders, and banks. Two findings stand out. First, dominance of the financial system by banks is associated with lower use of financial services by firms of all sizes, while low-end financial institutions and specialized lenders seem particularly suited to ease access to finance in low-income countries. Second, there is no evidence that smaller institutions are better in providing access to finance.

Suggested Citation

  • Beck, Thorsten & Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli & Singer, Dorothe, 2013. "Is Small Beautiful? Financial Structure, Size and Access to Finance," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 19-33.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:52:y:2013:i:c:p:19-33
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2013.05.014
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    1. Thorsten Beck & Asli Demirguc‐Kunt & Luc Laeven & Ross Levine, 2008. "Finance, Firm Size, and Growth," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 40(7), pages 1379-1405, October.
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    21. Beck, Thorsten & Cull, Robert & Fuchs, Michael & Getenga, Jared & Gatere, Peter & Randa, John & Trandafir, Mircea, 2010. "Banking sector stability, efficiency, and outreach in Kenya," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5442, The World Bank.
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    3. Jean-Christophe Statnik & Thi-Le-Giang Vu & Laurent Weill, 2023. "Does Corruption Discourage More Female Entrepreneurs from Applying for Credit?," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 65(1), pages 1-28, March.
    4. Méndez, Lizethe & Ongena, Steven, 2018. ""Finance and growth" re-loaded," CFS Working Paper Series 604, Center for Financial Studies (CFS).
    5. Allen, Franklin & Bartiloro, Laura & Gu, Xian & Kowalewski, Oskar, 2018. "Does economic structure determine financial structure?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 389-409.
    6. Kim, Dong-Hyeon & Lin, Shu-Chin & Chen, Ting-Cih, 2016. "Financial structure, firm size and industry growth," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 23-39.
    7. Iris Kruja, 2014. "Impact of Firm Specific Charachteristics in the Access to External Finances of SMEs," Proceedings of FIKUSZ '14, in: Pál Michelberger (ed.),Proceedings of FIKUSZ '14, pages 135-160, Óbuda University, Keleti Faculty of Business and Management.
    8. Brixiová, Zuzana & Kangoye, Thierry & Yogo, Thierry Urbain, 2020. "Access to finance among small and medium-sized enterprises and job creation in Africa," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 177-189.
    9. Nguepi Tsafack Elvis & Hua Cheng & Buregeya Ingabire Providence, 2022. "The Illustrative Understanding on the Informal Sector and Its Influence in Firm Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): Evidence from Cameroon," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-22, August.
    10. Thomas Poufinas & Maria Polychronou, 2018. "Alternative investments as a financing tool for small and medium enterprises," Bulletin of Applied Economics, Risk Market Journals, vol. 5(2), pages 13-44.
    11. Fan, Yaoyao & John, Kose & Liu, Frank Hong & Tamanni, Luqyan, 2019. "Security design, incentives, and Islamic microfinance: Cross country evidence," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 264-280.
    12. Castro, Fernanda & Kalatzis, Aquiles E.G. & Martins-Filho, Carlos, 2015. "Financing in an emerging economy: Does financial development or financial structure matter?," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 96-123.
    13. Martin Andersson & Johan E. Eklund & Alexandra Tsvetkova, 2023. "Spatial variations in financial constraints of SMEs—evidence from firm-level estimates of investment-cash flow sensitivities in Sweden," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(4), pages 1683-1698, April.
    14. Stephany Griffith-Jones, 2014. "Pour une libéralisation prudente du secteur financier : implications en matière de politique économique," Revue d’économie du développement, De Boeck Université, vol. 22(2), pages 81-112.
    15. Aysan, Ahmet Faruk & Babacan, Mehmet & Gür, Nurullah & Süleyman, Selim, 2023. "Firm Size and Financing Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from SMEs in Istanbul," MPRA Paper 116300, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2023.
    16. Markus Mättö & Mervi Niskanen, 2021. "Role of the legal and financial environments in determining the efficiency of working capital management in European SMEs," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 5197-5216, October.
    17. Stephan Heblich & Alex Trew, 2019. "Banking and Industrialization," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 17(6), pages 1753-1796.
    18. Sriyono & Sarwendah Biduri & Bayu Proyogi, 2021. "Acceleration of performance recovery and competitiveness through non-banking financing in SMEs based on green economy: impact of Covid-19 pandemic," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    19. Anoosheh Rostamkalaei & Mark Freel, 2017. "Business advice and lending in small firms," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 35(3), pages 537-555, May.
    20. Nguyen, Bach, 2021. "Local institutions, external finance and investment decisions of small businesses in Vietnam," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 45(3).
    21. Stephan Heblich & Alex Trew, 2019. "Banking and Industrialization," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 17(6), pages 1753-1796.
    22. Disli, Mustafa & Jalaly, Shakir, 2024. "The performance of Islamic and conventional microfinance loans in Afghanistan: The Taliban and beyond," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    23. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Wang, Chih-Wei & Ho, Shan-Ju, 2020. "Financial inclusion, financial innovation, and firms’ sales growth," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 189-205.
    24. Doojav, Gan-Ochir & Luvsannyam, Davaajargal & Sukhbaatar, Bilguun & Sodnomdarjaa, Bilguunzul & Otgonbat, Tsolmon & Batmunkh, Khuslen & Gantumur, Munkhbayar & Enkh-Amgalan, Elbegjargal, 2019. "Development and access to finance of small and medium-sized enterprises in Mongolia," MPRA Paper 106454, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    25. Muhammad Mehedi Masud & Abu Hanifa Md. Noman & Rulia Akhtar & Sonia Kumari A/P Selvarajan & Abdullah Al‐Mamun, 2024. "Does credit growth mitigate emission intensity in ASEAN countries?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(2), pages 1324-1349, March.

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