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Are finance constraints hindering the growth of SMEs in Europe?

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  • Wagenvoort, Rien

    (European Investment Bank, Economic and Financial Studies)

Abstract

This paper examines whether small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe suffer from a structural financing problem that hinders their growth. To this end, we estimate growth-cashflow sensitivities for firms in different size classes. Our results show that the sensitivity of company growth to cashflow rises as company size falls, which suggests that SMEs indeed encountered finance constraints that prevented them from fully exploiting their growth potential during the sample period 1996-2000. However, within each size class, quoted firms - even when small - tend to suffer less from finance constraints than unquoted firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Wagenvoort, Rien, 2003. "Are finance constraints hindering the growth of SMEs in Europe?," EIB Papers 7/2003, European Investment Bank, Economics Department.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:eibpap:2003_007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Chiara Coluzzi & Annalisa Ferrando & Carmen Martínez-Carrascal, 2009. "Financing obstacles and growth: An analysis for euro area non-financial corporations," Working Papers 0836, Banco de España.
    2. Zilja, Flladina & Benito, Gabriel R.G. & Boustanifar, Hamid & Zhang, Dan, 2023. "CEO wealth and cross-border acquisitions by SMEs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(6).
    3. Schmieder, Christian & Memmel, Christoph & Stein, Ingrid, 2007. "Relationship lending: empirical evidence for Germany," Discussion Paper Series 2: Banking and Financial Studies 2007,14, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    4. Esho, Ebes & Verhoef, Grietjie, 2018. "The Funding Gap and the Financing of Small and Medium Businesses: An Integrated Literature Review and an Agenda," MPRA Paper 90153, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 21 Nov 2018.
    5. Canton, E.J.F. & Grilo, I. & Monteagudo, J. & van der Zwan, P.W., 2012. "Perceived credit constraints in the European Union," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2010-001-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    6. Erik Canton & Isabel Grilo & Josefa Monteagudo & Peter Zwan, 2013. "Perceived credit constraints in the European Union," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 701-715, October.
    7. Quader, Syed Manzur, 2017. "Differential effect of liquidity constraints on firm growth," Review of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 20-29.
    8. Anton, Sorin Gabriel & Avadanei, Andreea, 2010. "The implications of European retail banking integration on small and medium-sized enterprises financing. An overview," MPRA Paper 28660, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Wagenvoort, Rien J.L.M. & Ebner, André & Morgese Borys, Magdalena, 2011. "A factor analysis approach to measuring European loan and bond market integration," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 1011-1025, April.
    10. Luis Pedauga & Francisco Sáez & Blanca L. Delgado-Márquez, 2022. "Macroeconomic lockdown and SMEs: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 665-688, February.
    11. Miroslav Mateev & Yanko Anastasov, 2010. "Determinants of small and medium sized fast growing enterprises in central and eastern Europe: a panel data analysis," Financial Theory and Practice, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 34(3), pages 269-295.
    12. Cour-Thimann, Philippine & Salleo, Carmelo & Perrard, Romain & Hendrikx, Maarten & Waschiczek, Walter & Antão, Paula & Rantala, Anssi & Nahmias, Laurent & Sauvé, Annie & Reininger, Thomas & Walko, Zol, 2007. "Corporate finance in the euro area - including background material," Occasional Paper Series 63, European Central Bank.
    13. Jang, SooCheong (Shawn), 2011. "Growth-focused or profit-focused firms: Transitions toward profitable growth," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 667-674.
    14. Milos Markovic & Michael A. Stemmer, 2017. "Firm Growth Dynamics and Financial Constraints: Evidence from Serbian Firms," Post-Print halshs-01489222, HAL.
    15. Timo Baas & Mechthild Schrooten, 2006. "‘Relationship Banking and SMEs: A Theoretical Analysis’," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 127-137, October.
    16. Wagenvoort, Rien & Ebner, André & Morgese Borys, Magdalena, 2009. "EFR 2009-01 A factor analysis approach to measuring European loan and bond market integration," Economic and Financial Reports 2009/1, European Investment Bank, Economics Department.
    17. Mariana Humeniuk & D³àna Shelenko & Natalia Kovalchuk & Ivan Balaniuk & Iryna Kozak-Balaniuk, 2022. "The Impact of Innovation on The Structure of the Assets of the Enterprises," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 4, pages 93-112.
    18. Allegrezza, Serge & Ben Aoun-Peltier, Leila & Dubrocard, Anne & Larue, Solène, 2013. "Access to finance of independent SMEs in Luxembourg. The consequences of the crisis," MPRA Paper 49330, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Kraemer-Eis, Helmut & Lang, Frank, 2014. "Guidelines for SME Access to Finance Market Assessments (GAFMA)," EIF Working Paper Series 2014/22, European Investment Fund (EIF).
    20. Bellucci, Andrea & Borisov, Alexander & Zazzaro, Alberto, 2010. "Does gender matter in bank-firm relationships? Evidence from small business lending," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(12), pages 2968-2984, December.
    21. Syed Manzur Quader, 2017. "Differential effect of liquidity constraints on firm growth," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(1), pages 20-29, January.
    22. De Maeseneire, Wouter & Claeys, Tine, 2012. "SMEs, foreign direct investment and financial constraints: The case of Belgium," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 408-424.
    23. Bahadır Ergün & Ömer Tuğsal Doruk, 2020. "Effect of financial constraints on the growth of family and nonfamily firms in Turkey," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 6(1), pages 1-24, December.
    24. Joachim Ragnitz & Johannes Steinbrecher, 2012. "Finanzierungserfordernisse des sächsischen Handwerks: gegenwärtige Situation, Perspektiven und wirtschaftspolitische Implikationen," ifo Dresden Studien, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 62.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    SMEs; Structural financing; Growth-cashflow sensitivities; Financial constraints; growth potential;
    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

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