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Information Technology in Banking and Entrepreneurship

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Abstract

We study the importance of information technology (IT) in banking for entrepreneurship. Guided by a parsimonious model, we establish that job creation by young firms is stronger in US counties more exposed to banks with greater IT adoption. We present evidence consistent with banks' IT adoption spurring entrepreneurship through a collateral channel: entrepreneurship increases by more in IT-exposed counties when house prices rise. Further analysis suggests that IT improves banks' ability to determine collateral values, in particular when collateral appraisal is more complex. IT also reduces the time and cost of disbursing collateralized loans.

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  • Toni Ahnert & Sebastian Doerr & Nicola Pierri & Yannick Timmer, 2024. "Information Technology in Banking and Entrepreneurship," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2024-083, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedgfe:2024-83
    DOI: 10.17016/FEDS.2024.083
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    Cited by:

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    2. Yun Gao & Kenichi Ueda, 2025. "Loan Screening under Symmetrically Imperfect Information," CARF F-Series CARF-F-614, Center for Advanced Research in Finance, Faculty of Economics, The University of Tokyo.

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    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

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