In the early 1990s, a consensus emerged among the leading experts in the field of small and micro business finance. It is based on three elements: The focus of projects should be on improving the entire financial sector of a given developing country; a commercial approach should be adopted,...

This paper investigates the credit channel in Germany and the United Kingdom. The financial systems of these two countries show substantial structural differences, which leads one to expect that their real sectors respond differently to changes in monetary policy. To the extent that this is the...

A recent survey has shown that the major problem faced by firms in Latin American countries is difficulty in accessing financial markets. Figure 1 summarizes the findings of the Business Environment Survey on obstacles faced by firms.

The link between aggregate profits and investment has been widely analysed through the impact of profits on net worth and therefore the firm's ability to borrow, in the presence of credit market imperfections. How the business cycle is affected if profits also affect investment through an impact...

The recent financial crisis has put the spotlight on the rapid rise in credit which preceded it. In this paper, we provide an empirical and theoretical analysis of the credit boom and the macroeconomic context in which it developed. We find that the boom was unusually long and associated with...

[...]This paper studies a simple model of the talent-ownership mismatch — or failure ofmeritocracy — brought about by credit market imperfections that arise as a consequence ofagency problems in the borrower-lender relationship. Our model highlights the interactionbetween the market for...

This study examines empirically whether corporate ratings by the credit ratingagency Standard & Poor’s reflect fundamental and publicly observable shocks tothe credit quality of companies. This serves to assess the degree of informationsensitivity of external ratings, and the timeliness of...

Judicial enforcement of contracts can have an effect on credit market performance because it influences the risk and costs of credit transactions. This paper documents this point by empirically investigating the relation between the efficiency of judicial systems and credit market development...