IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/sbusec/v56y2021i1d10.1007_s11187-019-00225-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Credit constraints and exports of SMEs in emerging and developing countries

Author

Listed:
  • Filomena Pietrovito

    (Universita’ degli Studi del Molise)

  • Alberto Franco Pozzolo

    (Universita’ degli Studi del Molise)

Abstract

We study the relationship between credit constraints and exports using a large and heterogeneous sample of small- and medium-sized firms from 65 emerging and developing countries between 2003 and 2014. We measure credit constraints by means of each firm’s self-assessment of whether it is credit-rationed, and we follow an instrumental variable approach that uses firm-level instruments to address the potential endogeneity of credit constraints with respect to export performance. We find robust evidence of a negative, statistically and economically significant effect of financial constraints on both the probability that a firm exports (the extensive margin) and the share of exports over total sales (the intensive margin). The impact on both margins of exports is stronger for small and young firms, and for those operating in countries where the financial system, the quality of institutions, and the overall level of economic freedom are less developed.

Suggested Citation

  • Filomena Pietrovito & Alberto Franco Pozzolo, 2021. "Credit constraints and exports of SMEs in emerging and developing countries," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 311-332, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:56:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s11187-019-00225-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-019-00225-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11187-019-00225-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11187-019-00225-x?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Beck, Thorsten & Demirguc-Kunt, Asli, 2006. "Small and medium-size enterprises: Access to finance as a growth constraint," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(11), pages 2931-2943, November.
    2. Raghuram G. Rajan & Luigi Zingales, 1998. "Power in a Theory of the Firm," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 113(2), pages 387-432.
    3. Harry P Bowen & Dirk De Clercq, 2008. "Institutional context and the allocation of entrepreneurial effort," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 39(4), pages 768-768, June.
    4. Flora Bellone & Patrick Musso & Lionel Nesta & Stefano Schiavo, 2010. "Financial Constraints and Firm Export Behaviour," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 347-373, March.
    5. Peter J. Buckley, 1989. "The Multinational Enterprise," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-11026-1, October.
    6. Levenson, Alec R & Willard, Kristen L, 2000. "Do Firms Get the Financing They Want? Measuring Credit Rationing Experienced by Small Business in the U.S," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 83-94, March.
    7. Kaufmann, Daniel & Kraay, Aart & Mastruzzi, Massimo, 2007. "The worldwide governance indicators project : answering the critics," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4149, The World Bank.
    8. Patrick Musso & Stefano Schiavo, 2008. "The impact of financial constraints on firm survival and growth," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 135-149, April.
    9. Angelo Secchi & Federico Tamagni & Chiara Tomasi, 2016. "Financial constraints and firm exports: accounting for heterogeneity, self-selection, and endogeneity," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 25(5), pages 813-827.
    10. Nicolas Berman & Philippe Martin & Thierry Mayer, 2012. "How do Different Exporters React to Exchange Rate Changes?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 127(1), pages 437-492.
    11. Besnik A. Krasniqi & Sameeksha Desai, 2016. "Institutional drivers of high-growth firms: country-level evidence from 26 transition economies," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 1075-1094, December.
    12. Armando Silva, 2011. "Financial Constraints and Exports: Evidence from Portuguese Manufacturing Firms," International Journal of Business and Economic Sciences Applied Research (IJBESAR), Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH), Kavala Campus, Greece, vol. 4(3), pages 7-19, December.
    13. Joseph LiPuma & Scott Newbert & Jonathan Doh, 2013. "The effect of institutional quality on firm export performance in emerging economies: a contingency model of firm age and size," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 817-841, May.
    14. Schnitzer, Monika & Buch, Claudia & Kesternich, Iris & Lipponer, Alexander, 2010. "Exports Versus FDI Revisited: Does Finance Matter?," CEPR Discussion Papers 7839, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    15. Joel Stiebale, 2011. "Do Financial Constraints Matter for Foreign Market Entry? A Firm‐level Examination," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(1), pages 123-153, January.
    16. Marc J. Melitz, 2003. "The Impact of Trade on Intra-Industry Reallocations and Aggregate Industry Productivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(6), pages 1695-1725, November.
    17. Joseph Lipuma & Scott L. Newbert & Jonathan P. Doh, 2013. "The effect of institutional quality on firm export performance in emerging economies : a contingency model of firm age and size," Post-Print hal-02312662, HAL.
    18. Hessels, Jolanda & Parker, Simon C., 2013. "Constraints, internationalization and growth: A cross-country analysis of European SMEs," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 137-148.
    19. Chaney, Thomas, 2016. "Liquidity constrained exporters," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 141-154.
    20. Kletzer, Kenneth & Bardhan, Pranab, 1986. "Credit Markets and Patterns of International Trade," Santa Cruz Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt1g36f3sd, Department of Economics, UC Santa Cruz.
    21. Steven M. Fazzari & R. Glenn Hubbard & Bruce C. Petersen, 1988. "Financing Constraints and Corporate Investment," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 19(1), pages 141-206.
    22. Yuriy Gorodnichenko & Monika Schnitzer, 2013. "Financial Constraints And Innovation: Why Poor Countries Don'T Catch Up," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 11(5), pages 1115-1152, October.
    23. Francesca Bartoli & Giovanni Ferri & Pierluigi Murro & Zeno Rotondi, 2014. "Bank support and export: evidence from small Italian firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 245-264, February.
    24. James E. Anderson & Douglas Marcouiller, 2002. "Insecurity And The Pattern Of Trade: An Empirical Investigation," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 84(2), pages 342-352, May.
    25. Berman, Nicolas & Héricourt, Jérôme, 2010. "Financial factors and the margins of trade: Evidence from cross-country firm-level data," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 206-217, November.
    26. Greenaway, David & Guariglia, Alessandra & Kneller, Richard, 2007. "Financial factors and exporting decisions," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 377-395, November.
    27. Kletzer, Kenneth & Bardhan, Pranab, 1987. "Credit markets and patterns of international trade," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(1-2), pages 57-70, October.
    28. George A Shinkle & Aldas P Kriauciunas, 2010. "Institutions, size and age in transition economies: Implications for export growth," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(2), pages 267-286, February.
    29. Robert C. Feenstra & Zhiyuan Li & Miaojie Yu, 2014. "Exports and Credit Constraints under Incomplete Information: Theory and Evidence from China," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 96(4), pages 729-744, October.
    30. Berger, Allen N. & Udell, Gregory F., 2006. "A more complete conceptual framework for SME finance," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(11), pages 2945-2966, November.
    31. Jeffrey M Wooldridge, 2010. "Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262232588, April.
    32. repec:lmu:muenar:19883 is not listed on IDEAS
    33. Luigi Guiso & Paola Sapienza & Luigi Zingales, 2009. "Does Local Financial Development Matter?," Springer Books, in: Damiano Bruno Silipo (ed.), The Banks and the Italian Economy, chapter 0, pages 31-66, Springer.
    34. Peter H. Egger & Michaela Kesina, 2014. "Financial Constraints and the Extensive and Intensive Margin of Firm Exports: Panel Data Evidence from China," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(4), pages 625-639, November.
    35. Joachim Wagner, 2014. "Credit constraints and exports: evidence for German manufacturing enterprises," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(3), pages 294-302, January.
    36. Ruta Aidis & Saul Estrin & Tomasz Mickiewicz, 2012. "Size matters: entrepreneurial entry and government," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 119-139, July.
    37. Peter J. Buckley, 1989. "Foreign Direct Investment by Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises: The Theoretical Background," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: The Multinational Enterprise, chapter 2, pages 24-45, Palgrave Macmillan.
    38. Kalina Manova & Shang-Jin Wei & Zhiwei Zhang, 2015. "Firm Exports and Multinational Activity Under Credit Constraints," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 97(3), pages 574-588, July.
    39. Dimitratos, Pavlos & Lioukas, Spyros & Carter, Sara, 2004. "The relationship between entrepreneurship and international performance: the importance of domestic environment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 19-41, February.
    40. Joshua D. Angrist & Jörn-Steffen Pischke, 2009. "Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricist's Companion," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 8769.
    41. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/5g3sadr9h8gbri8hrtq0h6au2 is not listed on IDEAS
    42. Minetti, Raoul & Zhu, Susan Chun, 2011. "Credit constraints and firm export: Microeconomic evidence from Italy," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(2), pages 109-125, March.
    43. Thorsten Beck & Asli Demirgüç-Kunt & Ross Levine, 2000. "A New Database on the Structure and Development of the Financial Sector," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 14(3), pages 597-605, September.
    44. Kersten, Renate & Harms, Job & Liket, Kellie & Maas, Karen, 2017. "Small Firms, large Impact? A systematic review of the SME Finance Literature," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 330-348.
    45. Manova, Kalina, 2008. "Credit constraints, equity market liberalizations and international trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(1), pages 33-47, September.
    46. Becchetti, Leonardo & Trovato, Giovanni, 2002. "The Determinants of Growth for Small and Medium Sized Firms: The Role of the Availability of External Finance," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 291-306, December.
    47. Fauceglia, Dario, 2015. "Credit constraints, firm exports and financial development: Evidence from developing countries," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 53-66.
    48. Besnik A. Krasniqi & Sameeksha Desai, 2017. "Institutions and Export Performance in 26 Transition Economies," Societies and Political Orders in Transition, in: Arnis Sauka & Alexander Chepurenko (ed.), Entrepreneurship in Transition Economies, pages 57-73, Springer.
    49. Besnik A. Krasniqi & Muhamet Mustafa, 2016. "Small firm growth in a post-conflict environment: the role of human capital, institutional quality, and managerial capacities," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 1165-1207, December.
    50. Beck, Thorsten, 2002. "Financial development and international trade: Is there a link?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(1), pages 107-131, June.
    51. Tullio Jappelli, 1990. "Who is Credit Constrained in the U. S. Economy?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 105(1), pages 219-234.
    52. Petrit Gashi & Iraj Hashi & Geoff Pugh, 2014. "Export behaviour of SMEs in transition countries," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 407-435, February.
    53. Steven N. Kaplan & Luigi Zingales, 1997. "Do Investment-Cash Flow Sensitivities Provide Useful Measures of Financing Constraints?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(1), pages 169-215.
    54. Jinjarak, Yothin & Wignaraja, Ganeshan, 2016. "An Empirical Assessment of the Export—Financial Constraint Relationship: How Different are Small and Medium Enterprises?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 152-163.
    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. Tonoyan, Vartuhi & Boudreaux, Christopher J., 2023. "Gender diversity in firm ownership: Direct and indirect effects on firm-level innovation across 29 emerging economies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(4).
    2. José Manuel Mansilla-Fernández & Juliette Milgram-Baleix, 2023. "Working capital management, financial constraints and exports: evidence from European and US manufacturers," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 64(4), pages 1769-1810, April.
    3. Asif Islam & Gregmar I. Galinato & Wentao Zhang, 2021. "Can government spending boost firm sales?," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(4), pages 488-511, November.
    4. Socorro Márquez, Félix Oscar & Reyes Ortiz, Giovanni Efraín, 2024. "Reengineering in emerging businesses: a consequence of the covid-19," Revista Tendencias, Universidad de Narino, vol. 25(2), pages 169-189, July.
    5. Gopalan, Sasidaran & Reddy, Ketan & Sasidharan, Subash, 2022. "Does digitalization spur global value chain participation? Firm-level evidence from emerging markets," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    6. Tristan Blick & Ine Paeleman & Eddy Laveren, 2024. "Financing constraints and SME growth: the suppression effect of cost-saving management innovations," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(3), pages 961-986, March.
    7. Zilja, Flladina & Benito, Gabriel R.G. & Boustanifar, Hamid & Zhang, Dan, 2023. "CEO wealth and cross-border acquisitions by SMEs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(6).
    8. Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad & Phoumin, Han & Rasoulinezhad, Ehsan, 2022. "COVID-19 and regional solutions for mitigating the risk of SME finance in selected ASEAN member states," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 506-525.
    9. Aleksandr Kljuènikov & Mehmet Civelek & Vladimír Krajèík & Petr Novák & Michal Èervinka, 2022. "Financial performance and bankruptcy concerns of SMEs in their export decision," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(3), pages 867-890, September.
    10. Michael Machokoto & Tesfaye T. Lemma & Ouarda Dsouli & Rebecca Fakoussa & Eghosa Igudia, 2024. "Coupling men‐to‐women: Promoting innovation in emerging markets," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 3656-3677, July.
    11. Reto Wernli & Andreas Dietrich, 2022. "Only the brave: improving self-rationing efficiency among discouraged Swiss SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(3), pages 977-1003, October.
    12. Mehmet Civelek & Vladimír Krajèík, 2022. "How do SMEs from different countries perceive export impediments depending on their firm-level characteristics? System approach," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(1), pages 55-78, March.
    13. Spahiu Muhamet J. & Durguti Esat A., 2023. "Impact of Financial Liberalization on Export: Evidence from Kosovo," Studia Universitatis „Vasile Goldis” Arad – Economics Series, Sciendo, vol. 33(2), pages 95-111, June.
    14. Choi, ByeongHwa, 2023. "The impact of financial development on innovation-based exports: Do all firms benefit equally?," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 81-100.
    15. Civelek Mehmet & Polách Jiří & Švihlíková Ilona & Paták Milan, 2022. "International Differences in the Perceptions of Export Obstacles By SMEs in the Same Firm-Level Characteristics: Evidence from European Countries," Folia Oeconomica Stetinensia, Sciendo, vol. 22(1), pages 18-45, June.

    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. Duc Bao Nguyen & Anne‐Gaël Vaubourg, 2021. "Financial intermediation, trade agreements and international trade," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(3), pages 788-817, March.
    2. Trang Hoai Phan & Rainer Stachuletz & Hai Thi Hong Nguyen, 2022. "Export Decision and Credit Constraints under Institution Obstacles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-27, May.
    3. Dai, Mi & Nucci, Francesco & Pozzolo, Alberto F. & Xu, Jianwei, 2021. "Access to finance and the exchange rate elasticity of exports," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    4. Phan, Trang Hoai & Stachuletz, Rainer & Nguyen, Hai Thi Hong, 2022. "Export Decision and Credit Constraints under Institution Obstacles," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 132783, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    5. Angelo Secchi & Federico Tamagni & Chiara Tomasi, 2016. "Financial constraints and firm exports: accounting for heterogeneity, self-selection, and endogeneity," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 25(5), pages 813-827.
    6. José Manuel Mansilla-Fernández & Juliette Milgram-Baleix, 2023. "Working capital management, financial constraints and exports: evidence from European and US manufacturers," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 64(4), pages 1769-1810, April.
    7. Nakhoda, Aadil, 2012. "The influence of financial leverage of firms on their international trading activities," MPRA Paper 35765, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Credit Constraints and Exports: A Survey of Empirical Studies Using Firm Level Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 12, pages 401-421, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    9. Silvio Contessi & Francesca De Nicola, 2012. "What do we know about the relationship between access to finance and international trade?," Working Papers 2012-054, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
    10. Angelo Secchi & Federico Tamagni & Chiara Tomasi, 2016. "Export price adjustments under financial constraints," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 49(3), pages 1057-1085, August.
    11. Crinò, Rosario & Ogliari, Laura, 2015. "Financial Frictions, Product Quality, and International Trade," CEPR Discussion Papers 10555, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    12. Peter H. Egger & Michaela Kesina, 2014. "Financial Constraints and the Extensive and Intensive Margin of Firm Exports: Panel Data Evidence from China," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(4), pages 625-639, November.
    13. Eppinger, Peter & Smolka, Marcel, 2015. "Firm Exports, Foreign Ownership, and the Global Financial Crisis," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113039, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    14. Alexandru MINEA & Youssouf KIENDREBEOGO, 2012. "Financial Factors and Manufacturing Exports:Theory and Firm-level Evidence From Egypt," Working Papers 201221, CERDI.
    15. Li, Jie & Ouyang, Zhigang & Zhang, Naixin, 2023. "Processing trade and credit constraints," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    16. Fauceglia, Dario, 2015. "Credit constraints, firm exports and financial development: Evidence from developing countries," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 53-66.
    17. Almila Burgac Cil & Fikret Dulger, 2018. "Financial Constraints, Firm Characteristics and Exports: Evidence from Turkish Manufacturing Firms," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 8(1), pages 168-174.
    18. Li, Jie & Lan, Liping & Ouyang, Zhigang, 2020. "Credit constraints, currency depreciation and international trade," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    19. Angelo Secchi & Federico Tamagni & Chiara Tomasi, 2011. "Exporting under financial constraints: margins, switching dynamics and prices," LEM Papers Series 2011/24, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    20. Till Gross & Stephane Verani, 2012. "Financing Constraints, Firm Dynamics, and International Trade," 2012 Meeting Papers 1035, Society for Economic Dynamics.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Export behavior; Export margins; Small business financing; Credit constraints;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • M21 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics - - - Business Economics
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

    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:kap:sbusec:v:56:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s11187-019-00225-x. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.