IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ete/revbec/20030102.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Capital Structure of Business Start-Ups. Policy Implications

Author

Listed:
  • N. Huyghebaert

Abstract

In this article, I discuss policy implications based on a study of the capital structure of business start-ups. Using a sample of 328 newly founded enterprises in Belgian manufacturing, it turned out that venture capital is barely used as a source of financing at the time of start-up. Also, banks finance a lower fraction of debt for firms that face potentially large adverse selection and moral hazard problems. To remedy their shortage of bank credit, start-up firms use leasing and vendor financing, but have lower leverage. These results therefore suggest that newly founded enterprises may face significant financial constraints at start-up, which could contribute to their subsequent failure. As a result, I plead for policy measures that stimulate venture capital financing for smaller scale and non-high tech projects and that encourage information production by banks. While having their own merits, current government measures towards start-ups, which largely consist of providing and guaranteeing loans, do not actually meet these requirements.

Suggested Citation

  • N. Huyghebaert, 2003. "The Capital Structure of Business Start-Ups. Policy Implications," Review of Business and Economic Literature, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Review of Business and Economic Literature, vol. 0(1), pages 23-46.
    • Handle: RePEc:ete:revbec:20030102
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://lirias.kuleuven.be/bitstream/123456789/122575/1/02_HUYGHEBAERT.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James, Christopher, 1987. "Some evidence on the uniqueness of bank loans," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 217-235, December.
    2. Black, Bernard S. & Gilson, Ronald J., 1998. "Venture capital and the structure of capital markets: banks versus stock markets," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 243-277, March.
    3. N. Berger, Allen & F. Udell, Gregory, 1998. "The economics of small business finance: The roles of private equity and debt markets in the financial growth cycle," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 22(6-8), pages 613-673, August.
    4. Holmes, Thomas J & Schmitz, James A, Jr, 1995. "On the Turnover of Business Firms and Business Managers," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 103(5), pages 1005-1038, October.
    5. Ravid, S. Abraham & Spiegel, Matthew, 1997. "Optimal Financial Contracts for a Start-Up with Unlimited Operating Discretion," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 32(3), pages 269-286, September.
    6. Blanchflower, David G & Oswald, Andrew J, 1998. "What Makes an Entrepreneur?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 16(1), pages 26-60, January.
    7. Narayanan, M. P., 1988. "Debt versus Equity under Asymmetric Information," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 23(1), pages 39-51, March.
    8. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    9. C. Mirjam Van Praag & Hans Van Ophem, 1995. "Determinants of Willingness and Opportunity to Start as an Entrepreneur," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(4), pages 513-540, November.
    10. Douglas Holtz-Eakin & David Joulfaian & Harvey S. Rosen, 1994. "Entrepreneurial Decisions and Liquidity Constraints," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 25(2), pages 334-347, Summer.
    11. Randall S. Kroszner & Philip E. Strahan, 1999. "Bankers on Boards: Monitoring, Conflicts of Interest, and Lender Liability," NBER Working Papers 7319, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Lerner, Josh, 1995. "Venture Capitalists and the Oversight of Private Firms," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 50(1), pages 301-318, March.
    13. Devenow, Andrea & Welch, Ivo, 1996. "Rational herding in financial economics," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(3-5), pages 603-615, April.
    14. Kroszner, Randall S. & Strahan, Philip E., 1999. "Bankers on Boards: Monitoring Conflicts of Interest & Lender Liability," Working Papers 150, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State.
    15. Myers, Stewart C., 1977. "Determinants of corporate borrowing," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 5(2), pages 147-175, November.
    16. Diamond, Douglas W, 1991. "Monitoring and Reputation: The Choice between Bank Loans and Directly Placed Debt," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(4), pages 689-721, August.
    17. Brennan, M. J. & Franks, J., 1997. "Underpricing, ownership and control in initial public offerings of equity securities in the UK," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 391-413, September.
    18. Sahlman, William A., 1990. "The structure and governance of venture-capital organizations," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 473-521, October.
    19. Gompers, Paul A, 1995. "Optimal Investment, Monitoring, and the Staging of Venture Capital," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 50(5), pages 1461-1489, December.
    20. 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.
    21. repec:bla:jfinan:v:53:y:1998:i:3:p:845-878 is not listed on IDEAS
    22. Storey, David J & Johnson, Steven G, 1987. "Regional Variations in Entrepreneurship in the U.K," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 34(2), pages 161-173, May.
    23. Chee K. Ng & Janet Kiholm Smith & Richard L. Smith, 1999. "Evidence on the Determinants of Credit Terms Used in Interfirm Trade," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(3), pages 1109-1129, June.
    24. repec:bla:kyklos:v:48:y:1995:i:4:p:513-40 is not listed on IDEAS
    25. Petersen, Mitchell A & Rajan, Raghuram G, 1994. "The Benefits of Lending Relationships: Evidence from Small Business Data," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 49(1), pages 3-37, March.
    26. Smith, Clifford Jr. & Warner, Jerold B., 1979. "On financial contracting : An analysis of bond covenants," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(2), pages 117-161, June.
    27. Barton H. Hamilton, 2000. "Does Entrepreneurship Pay? An Empirical Analysis of the Returns to Self-Employment," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 108(3), pages 604-631, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. García-Teruel, Pedro J. & Martínez-Solano, Pedro & Sánchez-Ballesta, Juan Pedro, 2014. "The role of accruals quality in the access to bank debt," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 186-193.
    2. Jens Burchardt & Ulrich Hommel & Dzidziso Samuel Kamuriwo & Carolina Billitteri, 2016. "Venture Capital Contracting in Theory and Practice: Implications for Entrepreneurship Research," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(1), pages 25-48, January.
    3. N. Berger, Allen & F. Udell, Gregory, 1998. "The economics of small business finance: The roles of private equity and debt markets in the financial growth cycle," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 22(6-8), pages 613-673, August.
    4. Kalu Ojah & Justo Manrique, 2005. "Determinants of corporate debt structure in a privately dominated debt market: a study of the Spanish capital market," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(7), pages 455-468.
    5. ElBannan, Mona A., 2017. "Stock market liquidity, family ownership, and capital structure choices in an emerging country," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 201-231.
    6. Johannes Wallmeroth & Peter Wirtz & Alexander Peter Groh, 2017. "Institutional Seed Financing, Angel Financing, and Crowdfunding of Entrepreneurial Ventures: A Literature Review," Working Papers hal-01527999, HAL.
    7. Gorton, Gary & Winton, Andrew, 2003. "Financial intermediation," Handbook of the Economics of Finance, in: G.M. Constantinides & M. Harris & R. M. Stulz (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Finance, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 8, pages 431-552, Elsevier.
    8. Miglo, Anton, 2022. "Theories of financing for entrepreneurial firms: a review," MPRA Paper 115835, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. A. Heughebaert & T. Vanacker & S. Manigart, 2012. "Institutional Frameworks, Venture Capital and the Financing of European New Technology-Based Firms," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 12/809, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    10. Massimo Colombo & Luca Grilli, 2007. "Funding Gaps? Access To Bank Loans By High-Tech Start-Ups," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 25-46, June.
    11. Langberg, Nisan, 2008. "Optimal financing for growth firms," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 379-406, July.
    12. Akdoğu, Evrim & Alp Paukowits, Aysun, 2022. "Supply of credit and corporate bond covenants," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    13. Curtiss, Jarmila, 2012. "Determinants of Financial Capital Use: Review of theories and implications for rural businesses," Factor Markets Working Papers 123, Centre for European Policy Studies.
    14. Tensie Steijvers & Wim Voordeckers & Koen Vanhoof, 2010. "Collateral, relationship lending and family firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 243-259, April.
    15. Kiyoung Chang & Ying Li & Ha‐Chin Yi, 2021. "Informed equity ownership and bank loan contracting," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(7-8), pages 1368-1403, July.
    16. Chua, Jess H. & Chrisman, James J. & Kellermanns, Franz & Wu, Zhenyu, 2011. "Family involvement and new venture debt financing," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 472-488, July.
    17. Mariarosaria Agostino & Lucia Errico & Sandro Rondinella & Francesco Trivieri, 2022. "Do cooperative banks matter for new business creation? Evidence on Italian manufacturing industry," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 93(3), pages 637-675, September.
    18. Tlili, Rim, 2012. "Comment justifier la multibancarité au sein des PME ?," Economics Thesis from University Paris Dauphine, Paris Dauphine University, number 123456789/10919 edited by Etner, François.
    19. Djedidi-Kooli, Salima, 2009. "L’accès au financement des PME en France : quel rôle joué par la structure du système bancaire ?," Economics Thesis from University Paris Dauphine, Paris Dauphine University, number 123456789/8354 edited by Etner, François.
    20. Schertler, Andrea & Stolpe, Michael, 2000. "Venture mania in Europe: Its causes and consequences," Kiel Discussion Papers 358, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).

    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:ete:revbec:20030102. 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: library EBIB (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/fekulbe.html .

    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.