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Government connections and credit access around the world: Evidence from discouraged borrowers

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  • Shusen Qi

    (Xiamen University)

  • Duc Duy Nguyen

    (King’s College London)

Abstract

Motivated by the international business literature that examines the interactions between organizations, corruption, and political forces, we examine whether and how government connections affect small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) credit access around the world. Using a sample of SMEs across 30 developing countries, we show that SMEs with government connections are significantly less likely to be discouraged from approaching banks for a loan as compared to SMEs without such connections. However, connected SMEs do not receive preferential lending from banks. Moreover, the nature of this effect depends on the institutional setting. Specifically, the effect becomes stronger in countries with high levels of corruption, suggesting that government connections are substitutes for poorly functioning formal institutions. Our findings have important implications for policies targeted at reducing corruption, improving access to financing, facilitating entrepreneurship, and attracting foreign investment.

Suggested Citation

  • Shusen Qi & Duc Duy Nguyen, 2021. "Government connections and credit access around the world: Evidence from discouraged borrowers," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(2), pages 321-333, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:52:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1057_s41267-020-00341-x
    DOI: 10.1057/s41267-020-00341-x
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    3. Olayinka Oyekola & Meryem Duygun & Samuel Odewunmi & Temitope Fagbemi, 2023. "Political risk and external finance: Evidence from cross-country firm-level data," Discussion Papers 2312, University of Exeter, Department of Economics.
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    5. Ross Brown & José M. Liñares-Zegarra & John O.S. Wilson, 2022. "Innovation and borrower discouragement in SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 1489-1517, December.
    6. Olayinka Oyekola & Martha A. Omolo & Olapeju C. Ogunmokun, 2023. "Are majority-female-owned firms more susceptible to bribery solicitations?," Discussion Papers 2311, University of Exeter, Department of Economics.
    7. Wu, Tao & Delios, Andrew & Chen, Zhaowei & Wang, Xin, 2023. "Rethinking corruption in international business: An empirical review," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    8. Marc Cowling & Weixi Liu & Raffaella Calabrese, 2022. "Has previous loan rejection scarred firms from applying for loans during Covid-19?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 1327-1350, December.
    9. Olayinka Oyekola & Olapeju C. Ogunmokun & Martha A. Omolo & Samuel Odewunmi, 2023. "Gender, Legal Origin, and Accounting Disclosure: Evidence from More Than 140,000 Firms," Discussion Papers 2313, University of Exeter, Department of Economics.
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