McKenzie, D. and Woodruff, Christopher (2008) Experimental evidence on returns to capital and access to finance in Mexico. The World Bank Economic Review, Vol.22 (No.3). pp. 457-482. doi:10.1093/wber/lhn017 ISSN 0258-6770.

Research output not available from this repository.

Request-a-Copy directly from author or use local Library Get it For Me service.

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

A strong theoretical argument for focusing on access to finance is that financial market imperfections can result in large inefficiencies, as firms with productive investment opportunities underinvest. Lack of access to finance is a frequent complaint of microenterprises, which account for a large share of employment in developing countries. However, assessing the extent to which a lack of capital affects their business profits is complicated by the fact that business investment is likely to be correlated with a host of unmeasured characteristics of the owner and firm, such as entrepreneurial ability and demand shocks. In a randomized experiment that gave cash and in-kind grants to small retail firms, providing an exogenous shock to capital, the shock generated large increases in profits, with the effects concentrated among firms that were more financially constrained. The estimated return to capital was at least 20–33 percent a month—three to five times higher than market interest rates.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory J Political Science > JL Political institutions (America except United States)
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics
Journal or Publication Title:	The World Bank Economic Review
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
ISSN:	0258-6770
Official Date:	2008
Dates:	Date Event 2008 Published
Volume:	Vol.22
Number:	No.3
Number of Pages:	26
Page Range:	pp. 457-482
DOI:	10.1093/wber/lhn017
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Funder:	World Bank

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item