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1 – 10 of over 45000Existing studies that documented the effect of financial distress on trade credit provisions did not include measures financial constraint. It is possible that financial…
Abstract
Purpose
Existing studies that documented the effect of financial distress on trade credit provisions did not include measures financial constraint. It is possible that financial distress is tie to financial constraints, and both financial distress and financial constraints mutually reinforce each other in their effects on trade credit provision. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of financial constraint and financial distress on trade credit provisions in the UK FTSE 350 listed firms.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs panel data in the estimation of the determinants of accounts payables and accounts receivables of the UK FTSE 350 firms from 2009 to 2017.
Findings
This study finds that financial distress has significant positive effect on accounts payables and a significant negative effect on accounts receivables. Financial constraints have significant negative effect on accounts payables and a significant positive effect on accounts receivables.
Practical implications
Trade creditor desiring to maintain an enduring product-market relationship grant more concessions to customer in financial distress. The amount of trade credit that sellers provide to financially constrained firm is an increasing function of the buyer's creditworthiness. The urgent cash needs of financially distressed firms lead them to sell trade receivables to factoring company leading to reduction in trade receivables. Firm facing external financing constraints increase trade credit to customers in anticipation of cash flow inflow to enhance liquidity.
Originality/value
This study shows that financial distress and financial constraints mutually reinforce each other in their effects on trade credit provisions, and firm's financing condition contributes to divergence in trade credit policies.
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Wenwen An, Yuehua Xu and Jianqi Zhang
Previous studies have produced inconsistent findings regarding the effects of resource constraints on corporate illegal behavior. This study aims to explore how…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous studies have produced inconsistent findings regarding the effects of resource constraints on corporate illegal behavior. This study aims to explore how entrepreneurial firms can overcome the difficulties generated by resource constraints.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on insights from general strain theory and focusing on listed entrepreneurial firms, this study proposes that failure to obtain enough resources through listing generates strain in the managers of listed entrepreneurial firms, driving them to resort to corporate financial fraud as a solution. Nevertheless, such relationships between resource constraints and the likelihood of corporate financial fraud can be weakened by innovation capability, because innovation capability can generate more confidence in their managers and relieve their strains, thereby dissuading them from engaging in corporate financial fraud.
Findings
According to our empirical results, both financial and human resource constraints are positively related to the likelihood of corporate financial fraud in listed entrepreneurial firms, but such effects can be mitigated by innovation capability.
Practical implications
This study provides practical implications for both regulators and managers by indicating that although entrepreneurial firms with resource constraints are more likely to commit financial fraud, innovation capability could be a strategic approach to enhance managers’ confidence and relieve the strain.
Originality/value
Our study contributes to the literature by enriching our understanding of the consequences of resource constraints in entrepreneurial firms and highlighting the strategic importance of innovation capability in mitigating such effects.
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The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) counter numerous financial obstacles concerning business financing and cash flow management. The study, therefore, intends…
Abstract
Purpose
The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) counter numerous financial obstacles concerning business financing and cash flow management. The study, therefore, intends to examine the level of perceived severity of financial constraints on the business growth of enterprises, in terms of sales, profitability and asset growth. An attempt is made to study the influence of owner and firm attributes as the determinants of financial constraints faced by MSMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from MSME owners of Northern India through a self-administered questionnaire. In total, 213 responses were analysed using partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique through SmartPLSv2.
Findings
The findings advocate the role of owner and firm attributes in the severity of financial constraints experienced by the MSME owners. Most importantly, the study establishes a strong link between owner and firm attributes and cash flow constraints. Further, the paper confirms the negative influence of financing and cash flow problems on the growth of the firm.
Research limitations/implications
The evaluation and categorisation of perceived financial challenges into meaningful dimensions generate value to the problematic area of MSME operations. Thus, the findings are useful for the policymakers and researchers to contemplate the financial vulnerability of MSMEs.
Originality/value
The empirical findings of the present study add worth to the limited evidence of the relationship between owner and firm attributes and severity of cash flow constraints faced by the Indian MSME owners.
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Yafeng Fan, Jing Jiang and Zuohao Hu
In daily life, consumers usually experience economic limitations on their consumption, which in turn results in experiencing financial constraints. The purpose of this…
Abstract
Purpose
In daily life, consumers usually experience economic limitations on their consumption, which in turn results in experiencing financial constraints. The purpose of this article is to examine how feeling financially constrained influences variety seeking in consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted three experiments to test the proposed hypotheses by applying multiple methods of manipulation of financial constraints and different measures of variety seeking.
Findings
The authors found that feeling financially constrained increases consumers’ insecurity, which in turn decreases their variety-seeking behavior. Additionally, the authors noted that individuals’ positive illusion could moderate the aforementioned effect. The negative effect of financial constraints on variety seeking only existed among consumers with a low positive illusion.
Practical implications
The findings in this article could help marketers attain a better understanding of consumers’ choices under financial constraints and could help retailers optimize their product lines and distribution.
Originality/value
This research marks the first attempt to examine the relationship between financial constraint and variety seeking. The findings make for a valuable addition to both the financial constraint and variety-seeking literature reviews. The research study also extends the literature on how insecurity and positive illusion influence individuals’ decisions in the consumption context.
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Misraku Molla Ayalew and Zhang Xianzhi
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of financial constraints on innovation in developing countries. It also examines how the effect of financial…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of financial constraints on innovation in developing countries. It also examines how the effect of financial constraints varies by sector and with main firm characteristics such as size and age.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilizes matched firm-level data from two sources; the World Bank Enterprise Survey and the Innovation Follow-Up Survey. From 11 African countries, 4,720 firms have been included in the sample. A recursive bivariate probit model is used.
Findings
The result shows that financial constraints adversely affect a firm’s decision to engage in innovative activities and the likelihood to have product innovation and process innovation. The results point out that the extent of the adverse effect of financial constraints on innovation differs across the sectors, firm size and age groups. A firm’s innovation is also explained by firm size, R&D, cooperation/alliance, the human capital of the firm, staff training, public financial support and export. At last, the probability of encountering financial constraints is explained by firms’ ex ante financing structure, amount of collateral, accounting and auditing practices and group membership.
Practical implications
Managers should strengthen the internal and external financing capacity to reduce financing constraints and their adverse effect on innovation.
Social implications
A pending policy task for African leaders is to design and evaluate reforms that reduce the adverse effects of financial constraints on innovation.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the existing literature on financing of innovation by examining how and to what extent financial constraints affect innovation across various sectors, size and age groups.
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Sung Gyun Mun and SooCheong (Shawn) Jang
The purpose of this study is to develop an index for financial constraints, specifically for restaurant firms, and to further validate the developed financial constraint index.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop an index for financial constraints, specifically for restaurant firms, and to further validate the developed financial constraint index.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used logistic regression with a composite criterion based on the dividend payout ratio, KZ index and Cleary index to estimate restaurant firms’ financial constraints. Then, a fixed-effects regression was used to verify the validity of the measurement of restaurant firms’ financial constraints.
Findings
A restaurant firm’s operating profit, financial leverage, asset tangibility, sale of fixed assets and percentage change in number of employees are critical indicators for identifying financial constraints. The results indicated that in cases with positive operating cash flows, the effect of operating cash flow on capital investments continuously decreased as restaurant firms’ financial constraints increased.
Originality/value
This study is unique in that the specific financial and operational characteristics of restaurant firms were included in the model to determine financial constraint indicators, such as sale of fixed assets and percentage change in number of employees.
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Xuechang Zhu, Jingbin Wang, Bin Liu and Xiaoyi Di
Although the adoption of lean inventory management for performance improvement has been widely recognized, sticky inventory management is still a stopgap measure for new…
Abstract
Purpose
Although the adoption of lean inventory management for performance improvement has been widely recognized, sticky inventory management is still a stopgap measure for new small and medium enterprises (SMEs) against survival risks. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the nonlinear relationship between new SMEs inventory stickiness and venture survival by focusing on the moderating effects of environmental dynamism and financial constraints.
Design/methodology/approach
Classical moderating model is employed to investigate the effects of environmental dynamism and financial constraints on the relationship between inventory stickiness and venture survival. This study uses the accelerated failure time model for survival analysis and tests the relationships based on a large set of new manufacturing SMEs in China over the period from 1999 to 2007.
Findings
The main finding is that inventory stickiness has an inverted U-shaped impact on the likelihood of survival. However, the inflection point of this inverted U-shaped relationship lies at the end of the sample. Further moderation analysis indicates that environmental dynamism positively moderates the inverted U-shaped relationship between inventory stickiness and venture survival, while financial constraints negatively moderate this relationship.
Practical implications
Most new SMEs have great potential to increase the likelihood of survival by improving inventory stickiness before achieving effective lean inventory management. Sticky inventory management can help new SMEs achieve better survival in a dynamic environment. However, new SMEs that are financially constrained should prudently implement sticky inventory management.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the existing understanding about the likelihood of SMEs survival by addressing the role of sticky inventory management. It may be the first study to empirically demonstrate the moderating effect of environmental dynamism and financial constraints on the inverted U-shaped relationship between inventory stickiness and venture survival.
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Moncef Guizani and Ahdi Noomen Ajmi
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the sensitivity of investment to cash flow varies with exogenous financial conditions.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the sensitivity of investment to cash flow varies with exogenous financial conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
A dynamic model of investment based on the Euler equation approach is employed to investigate the impact of macro-financial factors on the sensitivity of investment to cash flow. The sample comprises data from 84 non-financial firms listed on Saudi stock market over the period 2007–2018.
Findings
The results show that the sensitivity of investment to cash flow is positive, implying the presence of financing constraints for Saudi firms. Evidence also reveals that better financial conditions relax firms' financing constraints. However, contractionary monetary policy, poor financial development and liquidity crisis strengthen the dependence of firms on internally generated funds when undertaking new investment projects.
Practical implications
The empirical results have useful policy implications. First, policymakers should pay attention to the importance of policymaking based on the monetary demand of microeconomic entities. In monetary contraction periods, firms face greater challenges in accessing external finance. These firms are likely to experience under-investment which at a macro level would translate into lower investments and economic growth for the country. Second, policymakers are encouraged to implement complementary measures that, coupled with existing financial reforms, may promote efficiency, competitiveness and transparency in firms' operations. Finally, managers and investors should consider financial structure and condition as important factors in their investment decision.
Originality/value
This study extends previous research by investigating whether the widely reported positive investment and cash flow relationship can be observed using data from an emerging market, specifically Saudi Arabia. It also sheds light on the investment-cash flow debate under a macroeconomic perspective and provides further evidence on the impact of financial crisis on the investment-cash flow (ICF) sensitivity.
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Ghulam Ayehsa Siddiqua, Ajid ur Rehman and Shahzad Hussain
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the asymmetric adjustment of cash holdings in Pakistani firms for above and below target firms.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the asymmetric adjustment of cash holdings in Pakistani firms for above and below target firms.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs generalized method of moments (GMM) to investigate the adjustment of cash holdings.
Findings
The study found that the firms which hold cash above the optimal level of cash holdings have higher speed of adjustment than the firms which hold cash below the optimal level. Financially constrained (FC) firms also adjust their cash holdings faster than financially unconstrained (FUC) firms but high speed of downward adjustment does not remain persistent after financial constraints are controlled. Findings of this study reveal this asymmetric adjustment in above and below target firms and extend these results in FC and FUC Pakistani listed firms, respectively.
Research limitations/implications
The conclusion of this study has been derived under certain limitations. There is a vast space to extend this study in different dimensions. Firms operating in capital-intensive industries may provide different results for financial constraints because their policy designing would be quite different from other firms.
Originality/value
This study contributes to cash holdings research in Pakistan by exploring the adjustment behavior of cash holdings across Pakistani non-financial firms using econometric modeling. Downward adjustment rate is supposed to be higher than upward adjustment rate and this rate is tested using dynamic panel data model. Similarly, it is inferred that this relationship holds for above target firms even after including the financial constraints in the presented model.
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Jin Ho Park, Kwangwoo Park and Ronald Andrew Ratti
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of controlling shareholders’ ownership of firms on the firms’ financial constraints in 22 economies for the 1982-2009 period.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of controlling shareholders’ ownership of firms on the firms’ financial constraints in 22 economies for the 1982-2009 period.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors employ a generalized method of moments-based instrumental variables estimator to estimate empirical models.
Findings
It found that the overinvestment propensity of controlling shareholders becomes less severe with an increase in cash-flow rights. It further indicates that a higher deviation between the control rights and cash-flow rights of controlling shareholders lower their overinvestment propensity, thereby lowering the firm’s financial constraints.
Originality/value
The results suggest that a higher protective legal environment for minority shareholders blocks the entrenchment of controlling shareholders and thus benefitting the firm with slackened financing constraints in the given legal origin.
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