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Business advice and lending in small firms

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  • Anoosheh Rostamkalaei
  • Mark Freel

Abstract

The literature on lending to small firms has primarily focused on the mechanisms and methods used to evaluate entrepreneurs and businesses and on the types of firms that are more likely to experience unfavourable application outcomes. That is, the focus of most empirical research is on supply-side decisions. The current research attempts to shed some light on demand-side considerations. Drawing upon data collected as the UK SME Finance Monitor (2011–2014), we identify links between entrepreneurs' diligence, business risk and finance-related advice-seeking prior to initiating loan and overdraft applications. The results show evidence of the usefulness of advice in ameliorating, both structural and strategic, business risk and improving the prospects of successful debt applications to banks.

Suggested Citation

  • Anoosheh Rostamkalaei & Mark Freel, 2017. "Business advice and lending in small firms," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 35(3), pages 537-555, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:35:y:2017:i:3:p:537-555
    DOI: 10.1177/0263774X16665620
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Anoosheh Rostamkalaei & Miwako Nitani & Allan Riding, 2020. "Borrower discouragement: the role of informal turndowns," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 173-188, January.
    2. Brown, Ross & Lee, Neil, 2019. "Strapped for cash? Funding for UK high growth SMEs since the global financial crisis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 37-45.
    3. Wang, Xiaodong & Han, Liang & Huang, Xing, 2020. "Bank competition, concentration and EU SME cost of debt," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).

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