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Uncertainty and growth of the firm

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  • Lensink, Robert
  • Steen, Paul van der
  • Sterken, Elmer

    (Groningen University)

Abstract

Using data from a survey of 1097 Dutch firms we investigate the relation between growth of the firm and uncertainty. We focus on the impact of uncertainty on various types of investment, employment demand, and expected maturity of the firm. The special feature of the survey is that it includes data on non-listed (small) firms. We include uncertainty with respect to expected sales and Return on Investment (ROI). We find that sales uncertainty, measured by the conditional variance, has a negative impact on various investment decisions. We include an analysis of financial structure and firm size on the growth-uncertainty relation

Suggested Citation

  • Lensink, Robert & Steen, Paul van der & Sterken, Elmer, 2000. "Uncertainty and growth of the firm," CCSO Working Papers 200014, University of Groningen, CCSO Centre for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:gro:rugccs:200014
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    3. D.B. Audretsch & L. Klomp & E. Santarelli & A.R. Thurik, 2004. "Gibrat's Law: Are the Services Different?," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 24(3), pages 301-324, May.
    4. Bontempi, Maria Elena & Golinelli, Roberto & Parigi, Giuseppe, 2010. "Why demand uncertainty curbs investment: Evidence from a panel of Italian manufacturing firms," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 218-238, March.
    5. Ravi Dhar & William Goetzmann, 2005. "Institutional Perspectives on Real Estate Investing: The Role of Risk and Uncertainty," Yale School of Management Working Papers ysm457, Yale School of Management, revised 01 Jul 2005.
    6. Ghosal, Vivek & Ye, Yang, 2019. "The impact of uncertainty on the number of businesses," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    7. Mark J. Koetse & Henri L.F. de Groot & Raymond J.G.M. Florax, 2011. "A Meta-Regression Analysis of the Investment–Uncertainty Relationship," Chapters, in: Raymond J.G.M. Florax & Henri L.F. de Groot & Peter Mulder (ed.), Improving Energy Efficiency through Technology, chapter 7, Edward Elgar Publishing.
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    10. Le, K.N. & Hermes, N. & Lanjouw, G., 2003. "Irreversible investment and uncertainty : an empirical study of rice mills in the Mekong river delta, Vietnam," Research Report 03E40, University of Groningen, Research Institute SOM (Systems, Organisations and Management).
    11. Ebrahimi , Mehrzad & Arshadi , Ali, 2014. "The Effect of the Behavioral Elements on the Growth of Iranian Firms," Journal of Money and Economy, Monetary and Banking Research Institute, Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, vol. 9(4), pages 31-48, July.
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    23. Kounetas, Kostas & Skuras, Dimitris & Tsekouras, Kostas, 2011. "Promoting energy efficiency policies over the information barrier," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 72-84, March.

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