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The real driver of trade credit

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  • Tsuruta, Daisuke
  • Uchida, Hirofumi

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of real and financial measures that firms adopt to respond to adverse shocks on trade credit that they owe. We find that a reduction in the quantity of purchases reduces trade credit, while lengthening the period of accounts payable increases it. However, the effect of the former is more economically significant than that of the latter. Our findings suggest that changes in the amount of underlying real transactions are the true driver of trade credit during a crisis period, and the flexible adjustment of trade credit terms might not be an effective means to respond to adverse shocks.

Suggested Citation

  • Tsuruta, Daisuke & Uchida, Hirofumi, 2019. "The real driver of trade credit," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:pacfin:v:57:y:2019:i:c:s0927538x1930023x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.pacfin.2019.101183
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    Cited by:

    1. TSURUTA Daisuke & UCHIDA Hirofumi, 2021. "Does Trade Credit Absorb Adverse Shocks?," Discussion papers 21089, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    2. Tsuruta, Daisuke, 2019. "Working capital management during the global financial crisis: Evidence from Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 206-219.
    3. Tsuruta, Daisuke, 2016. "No lending relationships and liquidity management of small businesses during a financial shock," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 31-46.
    4. Ono, Arito & Uesugi, Iichiro, 2014. "SME Financing in Japan during the Global Financial Crisis: Evidence from Firm Surveys," HIT-REFINED Working Paper Series 6, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    5. Grzegorz Zimon & Robert Dankiewicz, 2020. "Trade Credit Management Strategies in SMEs and the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Case of Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-16, July.
    6. Martha Coleman & Mengyun Wu, 2020. "Combination of Ant Colony Optimization and K-nearest Neighbours: The Influence of Working Capital Management on Corporate Performance," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 45(4), pages 395-415, November.
    7. Yu, Hong & Zhang, Muyang & Zhu, Ruolu, 2022. "Local educational experiences of executives, school geographical relationship and trade credit: Evidence from listed firms in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    8. TSURUTA Daisuke, 2017. "Working Capital Management during Financial Crisis: Evidence from Japan," Discussion papers 17045, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trade credit; Real driver; Financial driver; Terms of trade credit;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation

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