Type | Conference Paper - African Finance Workshop in South Africa |
Title | Credit participation and access in post-war economy: Evidence from small scale enterprises in Liberia |
Author(s) | |
Publication (Day/Month/Year) | 2012 |
Country/State | South Africa |
URL | https://econrsa.org/system/files/workshops/papers/2012/dukuly-credit-participation.pdf |
Abstract | Small enterprises in post-war Liberia have huge potential of reversing negative consequences of conflict and spurring economic growth, but they are trapped in financing difficulties. The argument is reinforced that the credit market of Liberia is segmented and underdeveloped, with high level of asymmetric information, which has implications for screening errors, credit market participation and access. Suggestively, the development of credit market is critical to successful credit intervention, because it determines the strength of regulatory system; prudential guidelines; pricing of credit and ultimate ability of the small firms to participate in the credit market. The paper focuses on post-war period, looking at credit market participation and access in order to facilitate holistic integration of small enterprises in credit programs of Liberia. The paper immensely inform financial policy and add to existing literature by providing support to existing theories and presenting new evidence on the contextual nature of interaction between small firms and credit market in post-war economy. Microeconometric models and firm level micro data gathered from surveying of small-scale firms using the Liberia National Account of the Establishment Survey is used to buttress discussion. The answerable research question is: what factors influence credit market participation and access in a post-war economy? Credit market participation and access to credit are associated with diversity of factors such as credit market variables, skill/experience, firm size, performance indicators and market/institutional environment that defines firm operations. Hence, easing collateral requirements, strengthening prudential guidelines in regulatory systems, sensitizing borrowers, maintaining affordable and growing entrepreneurial culture are critical in developing credit markets, thus relaxing financial constraints. |
» | Liberia - Enterprise Survey 2009 |