IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/entthe/v36y2012i3p443-463.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Second–Order Gender Effects: The Case of U.S. Small Business Borrowing Cost

Author

Listed:
  • Zhenyu Wu
  • Jess H. Chua

Abstract

Gender–based differential treatment of business borrowers has been illegal for decades now. Therefore, any remaining gender effect is likely to be more subtle than before and second order in nature. Using 1,577 small businesses from the 2003 National Survey of Small Business Finances by the Federal Reserve Board, resolving the gender assignment problem, and isolating the supply effects, our tests detected a second–order gender effect in U.S. small business borrowing cost. Specifically, lenders charge female sole proprietorships an average of 73 basis points higher than male sole proprietorships. The methodology also ameliorates an interpretation problem common to first–order gender effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhenyu Wu & Jess H. Chua, 2012. "Second–Order Gender Effects: The Case of U.S. Small Business Borrowing Cost," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(3), pages 443-463, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:36:y:2012:i:3:p:443-463
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6520.2012.00503.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2012.00503.x
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2012.00503.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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. 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.
    2. Myers, Stewart C. & Majluf, Nicholas S., 1984. "Corporate financing and investment decisions when firms have information that investors do not have," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 187-221, June.
    3. Stewart C. Myers & Nicholas S. Majluf, 1984. "Corporate Financing and Investment Decisions When Firms Have InformationThat Investors Do Not Have," NBER Working Papers 1396, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Sara Carter & Eleanor Shaw & Wing Lam & Fiona Wilson, 2007. "Gender, Entrepreneurship, and Bank Lending: The Criteria and Processes Used by Bank Loan Officers in Assessing Applications," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 31(3), pages 427-444, May.
    5. 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.
    6. Frame, W Scott & Srinivasan, Aruna & Woosley, Lynn, 2001. "The Effect of Credit Scoring on Small-Business Lending," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 33(3), pages 813-825, August.
    7. Chrisman, James J. & McMullan, Ed & Hall, Jeremy, 2005. "The influence of guided preparation on the long-term performance of new ventures," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 20(6), pages 769-791, November.
    8. David Barlow & Martin Robson, 2002. "Have unincorporated businesses in the UK been constrained in their ability to obtain bank lending?," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(9), pages 673-680.
    9. Berger, Allen N & Udell, Gregory F, 1995. "Relationship Lending and Lines of Credit in Small Firm Finance," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 68(3), pages 351-381, July.
    10. Mitchell A. Petersen & Raghuram G. Rajan, 1995. "The Effect of Credit Market Competition on Lending Relationships," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 110(2), pages 407-443.
    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.
    12. DeYoung, Robert & Glennon, Dennis & Nigro, Peter, 2008. "Borrower-lender distance, credit scoring, and loan performance: Evidence from informational-opaque small business borrowers," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 113-143, January.
    13. Ken S. Cavalluzzo, 2002. "Competition, Small Business Financing, and Discrimination: Evidence from a New Survey," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 75(4), pages 641-680, October.
    14. Allen N. Berger & Gregory F. Udell, 2002. "Small Business Credit Availability and Relationship Lending: The Importance of Bank Organisational Structure," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(477), pages 32-53, February.
    15. Kaplan, Robert S & Urwitz, Gabriel, 1979. "Statistical Models of Bond Ratings: A Methodological Inquiry," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 52(2), pages 231-261, April.
    16. Richard L. Peterson, 1981. "An Investigation of Sex Discrimination in Commercial Banks' Direct Consumer Lending," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 12(2), pages 547-561, Autumn.
    17. Nachman, David C & Noe, Thomas H, 1994. "Optimal Design of Securities under Asymmetric Information," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 7(1), pages 1-44.
    18. Cavalluzzo, Ken S & Cavalluzzo, Linda C, 1998. "Market Structure and Discrimination: The Case of Small Businesses," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 30(4), pages 771-792, November.
    19. Douglas W. Diamond, 1984. "Financial Intermediation and Delegated Monitoring," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 51(3), pages 393-414.
    20. Townsend, Robert M., 1979. "Optimal contracts and competitive markets with costly state verification," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 265-293, October.
    21. Susan Marlow & Dean Patton, 2005. "All Credit to Men? Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Gender," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 29(6), pages 717-735, November.
    22. Carroll, Glenn R. & Mosakowski, Elaine M., 1987. "The Career Dynamics of Self-Employment," Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, Working Paper Series qt13p1n10b, Institute of Industrial Relations, UC Berkeley.
    23. 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.
    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. Kimberly A. Eddleston & Jamie J. Ladge & Cheryl Mitteness & Lakshmi Balachandra, 2016. "Do you See what I See? Signaling Effects of Gender and Firm Characteristics on Financing Entrepreneurial Ventures," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(3), pages 489-514, May.
    2. Natalia Vershinina & Gideon Markman & Liang Han & Peter Rodgers & John Kitching & Nigar Hashimzade & Rowena Barrett, 2022. "Gendered regulations and SME performance in transition economies," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 1113-1130, February.
    3. Irene Comeig & Ainhoa Jaramillo-Gutiérrez & Federico Ramírez, 2022. "Are credit screening contracts designed for men?," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 16(4), pages 883-905, December.
    4. Song Zhang & Liang Han & Konstantinos Kallias & Antonios Kallias, 2021. "The value of in-person banking: evidence from U.S. small businesses," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1393-1435, November.
    5. Link, Albert N. & Strong, Derek R., 2016. "Gender and Entrepreneurship: An Annotated Bibliography," Foundations and Trends(R) in Entrepreneurship, now publishers, vol. 12(4-5), pages 287-441, September.
    6. Sheela Pandey & Alejandro S. Amezcua, 2020. "Women’s business ownership and women’s entrepreneurship through the lens of U.S. federal policies," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(4), pages 1123-1152, April.
    7. Emma Galli & Danilo V. Mascia & Stefania P. S. Rossi, 2020. "Bank credit constraints for women‐led SMEs: Self‐restraint or lender bias?," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 26(4), pages 1147-1188, September.
    8. Malin Malmström & Jeaneth Johansson & Joakim Wincent, 2017. "Gender Stereotypes and Venture Support Decisions: How Governmental Venture Capitalists Socially Construct Entrepreneurs’ Potential," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(5), pages 833-860, September.
    9. Johan, Sofia A. & Wu, Zhenyu, 2014. "Does the quality of lender–borrower relationships affect small business access to debt? Evidence from Canada and implications in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 206-211.
    10. Forrester, Juanita Kimiyo & Neville, François, 2021. "An institutional perspective on borrowing discouragement among female-owned enterprises and the role of regional female empowerment," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(6).
    11. Li, Changhong & Xu, Yuan & Gill, Amarjit & Haider, Zulfiquer Ali & Wang, Yuan, 2019. "Religious beliefs, socially responsible investment, and cost of debt: Evidence from entrepreneurial firms in India," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 102-114.
    12. Sara Poggesi & Michela Mari & Luisa Vita, 2016. "What’s new in female entrepreneurship research? Answers from the literature," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 735-764, September.
    13. Brogaard, Jonathan & Gerasimova, Nataliya & Rohrer, Maximilian, 2024. "The effect of female leadership on contracting from Capitol Hill to Main Street," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    14. Rajeev Goel & Devrim Göktepe-Hultén & Rati Ram, 2015. "Academics’ entrepreneurship propensities and gender differences," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 161-177, February.
    15. Jasmine Jaim, 2022. "All About Patriarchal Segregation of Work Regarding Family? Women Business-Owners in Bangladesh," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 175(2), pages 231-245, January.
    16. Barbara Orser & Susan Coleman & Yanhong Li, 2020. "Progress or pinkwashing: who benefits from digital women-focused capital funds?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 363-387, August.
    17. Song Zhang & Liang Han & Konstantinos Kallias & Antonios Kallias, 2022. "Bank switching of US small businesses: new methods and evidence," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1573-1616, May.
    18. Karen D. Hughes & Jennifer E. Jennings & Candida Brush & Sara Carter & Friederike Welter, 2012. "Extending Women's Entrepreneurship Research in New Directions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(3), pages 429-442, May.
    19. Yang, Shu & Kher, Romi & Newbert, Scott L., 2020. "What signals matter for social startups? It depends: The influence of gender role congruity on social impact accelerator selection decisions," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(2).
    20. Evila Piva & Paola Rovelli, 2022. "Mind the gender gap: the impact of university education on the entrepreneurial entry of female and male STEM graduates," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 143-161, June.
    21. Sara Carter & Samuel Mwaura, 2014. "The Financing of Diverse Enterprises: Evidence from the SME finance monitor," Research Papers 0018, Enterprise Research Centre.
    22. Geiger, Mark, 2020. "A meta-analysis of the gender gap(s) in venture funding: Funder- and entrepreneur-driven perspectives," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 13(C).
    23. Kwapisz, Agnieszka, 2020. "Health insurance coverage and sources of advice in entrepreneurship: Gender differences," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 14(C).
    24. Shujun Ding & Zhenyu Wu, 2014. "Family Ownership and Corporate Misconduct in U.S. Small Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 123(2), pages 183-195, August.
    25. Naegels, Vanessa & Mori, Neema & D'Espallier, Bert, 2022. "The process of female borrower discouragement," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).

    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. Cole, Rebel & Sokolyk, Tatyana, 2016. "Who needs credit and who gets credit? Evidence from the surveys of small business finances," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 40-60.
    2. Allen N. Berger & Gregory F. Udell, 2002. "Small Business Credit Availability and Relationship Lending: The Importance of Bank Organisational Structure," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(477), pages 32-53, February.
    3. Doris Neuberger & Solvig Räthke-Döppner, 2015. "The role of demographics in small business loan pricing," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 411-424, February.
    4. Gregory F Udell, 2015. "SME Access to Intermediated Credit: What Do We Know and What Don't We Know?," RBA Annual Conference Volume (Discontinued), in: Angus Moore & John Simon (ed.),Small Business Conditions and Finance, Reserve Bank of Australia.
    5. 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.
    6. Ding, Shujun & Jia, Chunxin & Wu, Zhenyu & Yuan, Wenlong, 2017. "Limited attention by lenders and small business debt financing: Advertising as attention grabber," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 69-82.
    7. 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.
    8. Annie bellier & Wafa Sayeh & Stéphanie Serve, 2012. "What lies behind credit rationing? A survey of the literature," THEMA Working Papers 2012-39, THEMA (THéorie Economique, Modélisation et Applications), Université de Cergy-Pontoise.
    9. Zhou Xing & Yang Fan & Wu Zhenyu, 2012. "Family Involvement, Ethnicity, and Willingness to Borrow: Evidence from U.S. Small Firms," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 2(2), pages 1-26, March.
    10. Chala, Alemu Tulu & Forssbaeck, Jens, 2018. "Does Collateral Reduce Loan-Size Credit Rationing? Survey Evidence," Working Papers 2018:36, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    11. Ferri, Giovanni & Murro, Pierluigi, 2015. "Do firm–bank ‘odd couples’ exacerbate credit rationing?," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 231-251.
    12. 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.
    13. David P. Ely & Kenneth J. Robinson, 2004. "The impact of banks' expanded securities powers on small‐business lending," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(1-2), pages 79-102.
    14. DeYoung, Robert & Frame, W. Scott & Glennon, Dennis & McMillen, Daniel P. & Nigro, Peter, 2008. "Commercial lending distance and historically underserved areas," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 60(1-2), pages 149-164.
    15. Simone Lenzu & Francesco Manaresi, 2019. "Sources and implications of resource misallocation: new evidence from firm-level marginal products and user costs," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 485, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    16. Langberg, Nisan, 2008. "Optimal financing for growth firms," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 379-406, July.
    17. Ben R. Craig & William E. Jackson & James B. Thomson, 2007. "On government intervention in the small-firm credit market and its effect on economic performance," Working Papers (Old Series) 0702, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    18. Slavec, Alenka & Prodan, Igor, 2012. "The influence of entrepreneur’s characteristics on small manufacturing firm debt financing," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 17(1), pages 104-130.
    19. Hans Degryse & Steven Ongena, 2002. "Bank-Firm Relationships and International Banking Markets," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(3), pages 401-417.
    20. 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.

    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:sae:entthe:v:36:y:2012:i:3:p:443-463. 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: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    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.