We study the relationship between net trade credit and firms' investment levels, focusing on financially distressed firms. First, we introduce a theoretical model to predict the role played by net trade credit as a coordination device differentiating firms by their degree of financial distress....

The extant literature on trade credit emphasizes its financing role wherein financially sound firms provide trade credit to ease the credit constraints of weaker trading partners. We offer an alternative, though not mutually exclusive, perspective in which trade credit serves as a commitment...

The extant literature on trade credit emphasizes its financing role wherein financially sound firms provide trade credit to ease the credit constraints of weaker trading partners. We offer an alternative, though not mutually exclusive, perspective in which trade credit serves as a commitment...

We examine the impact of employment protection legislation (EPL) on individual firms' growth opportunities, as measured by Tobin's q. On the one hand, by increasing job security, EPL spurs innovation effort. Yet that boost only occurs in firms with little comparative advantage at original...

This paper investigates whether network effects on investment exist and whether firms strategically herd their connected firms. Using novel data on board members, we utilize board-interlock networks where two firms share at least one common board member and estimate network effects on firms'...

Abstract U.S. firms have reduced their investment in scientific research ("R") compared to product development ("D"), raising questions about the returns to each type of investment, and about the reasons for this shift. We use Census data that disaggregates "R" from "D" to study how US firms...