Unternehmensbeurteilung durch Diskriminanzanalyse mit qualitativen Merkmalen

Summary The authors present an extended approach to the simultaneous processing of qualitative data and quantitative balance-sheet ratios in a linear discriminant analysis for credit assessment. The examined qualitative data consist of the accounting behaviour of an enterprise and a special defined cover ratio (equity [+ long-term debt] to fixed assets). The accounting behaviour describes whether an enterprise accounts in a profit-increasing „progressiv“, „neutral“ (no direct impact on profit) or a profit-decreasing „konservativ“ way. The qualitatively defined cover ratio describes the extent to which the fixed asset is covered by long-term capital. In the case that the amount of long-term capital exceeds the amount of fixed assets the qualitatively defined cover ratio shows which part of the long-term capital (equity, pensions or other provisions) contributes to this surplus cover. The demonstrated treatment of qualitative data together with quantitative data in a linear discriminant analysis can easily be applied to other qualitative data.