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Industrial districts and financial constraints to innovation

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  • Elisa Ughetto

Abstract

Informational frictions between borrowers and lenders are particularly acute for innovative firms undertaking high-risk projects. As a consequence, banks may end up denying credit to them. However, the literature on relationship finance predicts that a closer relationship between credit suppliers and obligors is deemed to alleviate information asymmetries, hence preventing credit rationing from occurring. The question of whether such situations also apply to innovative firms has so far remained relatively unexplored. Using a cross-section of Italian manufacturing firms, I find that credit constraints appear to be more severe for firms undertaking innovative activities, although such effects are weaker when measures of R&D intensity are included. The empirical analysis also shows that firms located in an industrial district have easier access to external finance. If I move to consider firms engaged in substantial R&D activities located in a district, results suggest that they can benefit from better financial conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Elisa Ughetto, 2009. "Industrial districts and financial constraints to innovation," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(5), pages 597-624.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:irapec:v:23:y:2009:i:5:p:597-624
    DOI: 10.1080/02692170903007599
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    1. Cowling, Marc & Ughetto, Elisa & Lee, Neil, 2018. "The innovation debt penalty: Cost of debt, loan default, and the effects of a public loan guarantee on high-tech firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 166-176.
    2. Giulio Cainelli & Sandro Montresor & Giuseppe Vittucci Marzetti, 2013. "Production and financial linkages in inter-firm networks: structural variety, risk-sharing and resilience," Economic Complexity and Evolution, in: Andreas Pyka & Esben Sloth Andersen (ed.), Long Term Economic Development, edition 127, pages 113-136, Springer.
    3. Leonardo José Penaloza Pacheco, 2019. "Acceso al crédito, innovación tecnológica e inserción externa de las empresas argentinas 2010 -2012," Apuntes del Cenes, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, vol. 38(67), pages 157-190, February.
    4. Korus, Arthur & Löher, Jonas & Nielen, Sebastian & Pasing, Philipp, 2021. "Fintechs: Chancen für die KMU-Finanzierung?," IfM-Materialien 288, Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn.
    5. Keuschnigg, Christian & Ribi, Evelyn, 2010. "Profit Taxation, Innovation and the Financing of Heterogeneous Firms," CEPR Discussion Papers 7626, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Peter Egger & Christian Keuschnigg, 2015. "Innovation, Trade, and Finance," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 7(2), pages 121-157, May.
    7. Roberto Antonietti & Giulio Cainelli & Monica Ferrari & Stefania Tomasini, 2015. "Banks, related variety and firms’ investments," Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 89-99, March.
    8. Frederico Roch, 2014. "Does Governmental Support To Innovation Have Positive Effect On R&D Investments? Evidence From Brazil," Anais do XLI Encontro Nacional de Economia [Proceedings of the 41st Brazilian Economics Meeting] 165, ANPEC - Associação Nacional dos Centros de Pós-Graduação em Economia [Brazilian Association of Graduate Programs in Economics].
    9. Christian Keuschnigg & Evelyn Ribi, 2010. "Business Taxation, Corporate Finance and Economic Performance," University of St. Gallen Department of Economics working paper series 2010 2010-04, Department of Economics, University of St. Gallen.
    10. Roberto Ganau, 2016. "Productivity, Credit Constraints and the Role of Short-Run Localization Economies: Micro-Evidence from Italy," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(11), pages 1834-1848, November.
    11. Fabio Bertoni & Anne-Laure Le Nadant & Frédéric Perdreau, 2014. "Innovation and R&D investments by leveraged buyout companies in times of crisis," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 34(2), pages 856-864.
    12. Schlepphorst, Susanne & Kay, Rosemarie & Nielen, Sebastian, 2019. "The effect of migrants' resource endowments on business performance," Working Papers 03/19, Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn.
    13. Mushtaq, Rizwan & Gull, Ammar Ali & Usman, Muhammad, 2022. "ICT adoption, innovation, and SMEs’ access to finance," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(3).
    14. Buzzacchi, Luigi & Scellato, Giuseppe & Ughetto, Elisa, 2013. "The investment strategies of publicly sponsored venture capital funds," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 707-716.

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