This paper seeks to describe the ways in which the economic crisis has affected bank-firm dynamics and access to credit for male and female entrepreneurs. The issue of bank loans and access to credit has been widely covered in studies on female entrepreneurship. Countless research proves the existence of significant differences between male and female businesses, for example, regarding financial structure and the impact of debt finance. The causes of these differences, however, have not yet been clearly identified. In this context, one wonders whether male and female firms were affected by the crisis in the same way, or if bank-firm dynamics followed different trends in the two cases. This paper presents the main findings from an empirical research based on a questionnaire survey involving a sample of 300 (150 male and 150 female) sole-proprietors and owners of micro-enterprises located in the Marche region (central Italy). Data was collected in October- November 2013 and refers to the period 2008-2013. The purpose of the questionnaire was to understand if men and women entrepreneurs asked for new bank loans during the crisis, and if they obtained the required bank loans under the same conditions. Moreover we want to understand if other variables, other than gender, could have influenced access to bank credit. The empirical analysis has shown that firms were very cautious with access to finance during the crisis. In fact, only a few firms asked for new bank loans and female firms asked for bank loans more rarely than male firms. In contrast to previous studies, this analysis reveals no significant differences between male and female businesses on the possibility of attaining requested bank loans .Even the influence of other variables is statistically insignificant.

Access to Bank Credit During the Economic Crisis. A Comparison Between Italian Male and Female Entrepreneurs

CESARONI, FRANCESCA MARIA
;
SENTUTI, ANNALISA
2015

Abstract

This paper seeks to describe the ways in which the economic crisis has affected bank-firm dynamics and access to credit for male and female entrepreneurs. The issue of bank loans and access to credit has been widely covered in studies on female entrepreneurship. Countless research proves the existence of significant differences between male and female businesses, for example, regarding financial structure and the impact of debt finance. The causes of these differences, however, have not yet been clearly identified. In this context, one wonders whether male and female firms were affected by the crisis in the same way, or if bank-firm dynamics followed different trends in the two cases. This paper presents the main findings from an empirical research based on a questionnaire survey involving a sample of 300 (150 male and 150 female) sole-proprietors and owners of micro-enterprises located in the Marche region (central Italy). Data was collected in October- November 2013 and refers to the period 2008-2013. The purpose of the questionnaire was to understand if men and women entrepreneurs asked for new bank loans during the crisis, and if they obtained the required bank loans under the same conditions. Moreover we want to understand if other variables, other than gender, could have influenced access to bank credit. The empirical analysis has shown that firms were very cautious with access to finance during the crisis. In fact, only a few firms asked for new bank loans and female firms asked for bank loans more rarely than male firms. In contrast to previous studies, this analysis reveals no significant differences between male and female businesses on the possibility of attaining requested bank loans .Even the influence of other variables is statistically insignificant.
2015
978-1-910810-50-7
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11576/2628996
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