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Finance Constraints and Firm Transition in the Informal Sector: Evidence from Indian Manufacturing

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  • Rajesh S. N. Raj
  • Kunal Sen

Abstract

This paper focuses on the role of finance constraints in determining the lack of transition of firms in India from very small family firms, which are the predominant type of firms in the informal sector, into larger informal firms that employ non-family labour. Using a rich firm-level data-set drawn from nationally representative surveys of the Indian informal manufacturing sector, this paper tests for the role played by finance constraints in firm transition in the informal sector at the firm and district level. There is evidence that the difficulty that firms face in accessing external finance acts as a significant constraint to small firm growth in the informal sector. Looking at data from India's districts, it is found that the financial development in a given district increases the likelihood that firms in the district will make the transition from household enterprises into non-household enterprises.

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  • Rajesh S. N. Raj & Kunal Sen, 2015. "Finance Constraints and Firm Transition in the Informal Sector: Evidence from Indian Manufacturing," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(1), pages 123-143, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:oxdevs:v:43:y:2015:i:1:p:123-143
    DOI: 10.1080/13600818.2014.972352
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Abhijit V. Banerjee & Esther Duflo, 2014. "Do Firms Want to Borrow More? Testing Credit Constraints Using a Directed Lending Program," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 81(2), pages 572-607.
    2. Jeffrey M Wooldridge, 2010. "Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262232588, December.
    3. Kanbur, Ravi, 2011. "Avoiding Informality Traps," Working Papers 126536, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    4. Beck, T.H.L., 2007. "Financing constraints of SMEs in developing countries : Evidence, determinants and solutions," Other publications TiSEM 85aac075-08b5-44ce-bf1a-9, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    5. Breman, Jan, 2010. "Outcast Labour in Asia: Circulation and Informalization of the Workforce at the Bottom of the Economy," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198066323, Decembrie.
    6. Kuntchev, Veselin & Ramalho, Rita & Rodriguez-Meza, Jorge & Yang, Judy S., 2013. "What have we learned from the enterprise surveys regarding access to credit by SMEs ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6670, The World Bank.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rajesh Raj Natarajan & Kunal Sen, 2024. "Behind the numbers: exploring caste inequities in entrepreneurial success," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2024-4, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    2. Myint Moe Chit, 2018. "Political openness and the growth of small and medium enterprises: empirical evidence from transition economies," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 781-804, September.
    3. Rayees Ahmad Sheikh & Sarthak Gaurav, 2020. "Informal Work in India: A Tale of Two Definitions," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(4), pages 1105-1127, September.
    4. Sanjay Banerji & Rajesh S. N. Raj & Kunal Sen, 2016. "Monitoring Costs, Credit Constraints and Entrepreneurship," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 84(5), pages 573-599, September.
    5. Golam Rabbani & S N Rajesh Raj, 2024. "The role of financial constraints in firm transition—Evidence from Indian manufacturing," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(4), pages 2193-2228, May.
    6. Saibal Ghosh, 2022. "Financing obstacles for SMEs: the role of politics," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 12(1), pages 329-340, December.
    7. Ira N. Gang & Rajesh Raj Natarajan & Kunal Sen & Myeong-Su Yun, 2021. "The gender productivity gap: Evidence from the Indian informal sector," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-183, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Rajesh Raj S. N. & Subash Sasidharan, 2018. "Does the Caste of the Firm Owner Play a Role in Access to Finance for Small Enterprises? Evidence from India," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 56(4), pages 267-296, December.
    9. Rajesh Raj Natarajan & Simone Schotte & Kunal Sen, 2020. "Transitions between informal and formal jobs in India: Patterns, correlates, and consequences," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-101, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    10. Pragati Priya & Chandan Sharma, 2023. "Do financial constraints and corruption limit firms' innovation capability? Evidence from developing economies," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(4), pages 1935-1961, June.

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