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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of external financing needs on both firm value and corporate governance mechanisms within the UK SME context. This framework is of importance because of the limited external financial resources SMEs might face.

The authors consider the endogeneity problem between corporate governance mechanisms and firm value, and hence, the three stages least squares and the instrumental variables based on two stages least squares estimation methods are employed.

The authors find a positive relationship between external financing needs and firm value. In addition, the authors detect that size and profitability are positively associated with firm value in the sample. Concerning the corporate governance index (CGI), the authors detect that big SMEs and those with low-debt levels have better corporate governance structures.

The authors employ a CGI for the sample which is constructed using ten corporate governance variables. The authors also examine different factors that affect SMEs 2019 governance by applying different models including logistic analysis.

Despite the fact that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in strengthening the financial sector within developing and emerging economies through providing employment opportunities to the rural and urban population, capacity building in the form of skills training and economic empowerment, they still face a plethora of challenges that continue to threaten their existence, performance and growth. Access to operational and administrative funds needed to execute their activities effectively is a significant challenge and detrimental to the growth of SMEs in Uganda. Conversely, Islamic microfinance has been noted as a panacea to the challenges of financial inaccessibility among SMEs, especially in developing countries. The purpose of this paper is therefore to investigate how the adoption of Islamic microfinance can play a fundamental role in enhancing the sustainability of microfinance institutions (MFIs) while meeting the financing challenges of SMEs in Uganda.

In this study, a review of existing literature was carried out to critically examine relevant information (literature sources) and empirical studies on SMEs, their performance and challenges. The study being conceptual tries to understand how Islamic microfinance could be adopted as an alternative scheme of financing to bridge the gap and mitigate the financial challenges facing SMEs.

The study finds that the existing MFIs have failed to achieve their objectives of providing financial services to the poor and SMEs while remaining sustainable. This has left the majority of SMEs within Uganda's informal sector financially handicapped, thus leading to their failure in meeting their expectations and eventually collapsing even before celebrating their third or fourth birthdays. However, the enactment into law of the Financial Institutions Amendment Act 2016 that paved the way for the introduction of Islamic finance in Uganda, and the Tier 4 Microfinance Institutions and Money Lenders' Act, 2016 that incorporated the aspects of Islamic microfinance within the existing microfinance framework as seen and is perceived as a key factor in addressing the financial challenges faced by MFIs and the SMEs if fully adopted.

This study is conceptual with no empirical investigation and discussion of key theories. On the contrary, it will be imperative and useful when carrying out more extensive hypothetical studies by future researchers, specifically in the area of Islamic microfinance that is relatively new in Uganda.

Practically, this paper will serve as a guide to policymakers and practitioners in the field of microfinance by adding a flair that could enable in bridging the challenges associated with inadequate financing of SMEs in Uganda.

Socially, the social aspects of charity (Zakah and Sadaqah) will help to improve the livelihood of the poorest of the poor who cannot engage in active business through meeting their basic needs of life without begging thereby preventing them from being social outcasts.

The study establishes Islamic microfinance (IMF) as a promising and unexplored viable option potentially needed in intensifying the financing needs of SMEs in Uganda. The paper provides an entirely new dimension in nature and way microfinance products should be structured with a view of ensuring that there is sustainable provision of financial services to SMEs. The paper adds real value to the existing conventional microfinance products and services in Uganda, given the ethical and moral attributes of Islamic microfinancing practices that are assumed to efficiently and effectively motivate SME owners and other small entrepreneurs to thrive.

The purpose of this paper aims to investigate micro enterprises financing in Indonesia and examines how this financing differs, depending on the enterprise’s development stage. This research also identifies some structural problems related to micro-financing and provides workable solutions.

This research uses the entrepreneurial network model of Schutjens and Stam (2003) to examine how Indonesian micro and small enterprises (MSEs) evolve even before they become regular small businesses. Content analysis is used on 10 micro-enterprises from Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia and its surroundings. Financing issues at each stage of enterprise development are identified and deeply examined.

This research not only confirms the significant financing problems micro-enterprises face but also clarifies that these problems are unique to each stage of the MSEs’ development. One insight is that most micro-enterprises do not use funding from formal institutions. That is, business owners rely more on funding from non-formal institutions. This is because these enterprises’ managers generally cannot prepare loans application and/or they are lack of knowledge/training on financing matters. They hesitate to borrow from formal financial institutions, as the rates are high but the processing time is longer than those of the loan sharks.

This research contributes to the field of entrepreneurial finance by identifying the structural problems inherent in micro-finance and providing workable solutions for overcoming these problems.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between public transport services and the financial needs. Cities require to be equipped with public transport networks as they are primarily responsible for creation of wealth for countries and to ensure sustainability of urbanization. Once decisions have been taken to design, build and operate such networks, it is equally important to set rules for urban transport financing. Depending on the city size and other factors, authorities allocate resources. Nonetheless, is there a relationship between the size of the city and its public transport financial needs? This paper develops a model to explain such relationships.

The study develops a spatial model, while providing intuition through the use of graphs, to solve the question of the amount of resources allocated for financing the transport services.

It is verified that those financial needs are more than proportional to the size of the city; when a city grows in its number of boroughs, economic funds needed to support public transport have to increase in a greater proportion in comparison to the growth of boroughs growth. The model states a formula valid for explaining the financial needs.

The model is interesting as it explains why large metropolitan areas need special financial aid from authorities. Real life shows that big cities like Paris, Berlin or Madrid need extraordinary funds for this purpose, and in most of the cases, specific national laws are required for financing public transport networks in these large metropolitan areas.

The purpose of the study presented in this paper is to assess determinants of financial innovations in infrastructure using a system‐of‐systems approach, and to demonstrate this approach in the context of the US highway transportation sector.

A system‐of‐systems approach is adopted for systemic assessment. Data obtained from a case‐based research approach and a survey deployed to the state Departments of Transportation in the US is utilized in parallel with a network analysis to explore the status quo, key players and interactions, and the drivers of financial innovations for infrastructure.

The findings include constructs regarding the players, practices, and activities and also a conceptual model relating to the drivers of financial innovations.

The model along with the constructs provides an analytical tool for understanding the dynamics of financial innovations. Such understanding would lead to expansion of the creation and diffusion of financial innovation practices in the highway transportation infrastructure globally.

The study presented in this paper is the first of its kind to identify the determinants of financial innovations in infrastructure based on a systemic approach.

This paper aims to study Qard-al-Hasan (QH) (good loan) from the stand point of its possible application to agricultural farming with a view to augmenting the sources of Riba (interest)-free agricultural financing for Muslim farmers of Islamic countries like Pakistan.

This paper is a study of QH (good loan) from the stand point of its possible application to agricultural farming with a view to augmenting the sources of Riba (interest)-free agricultural financing for Muslim farmers of Islamic countries like Pakistan.

The study reports that Riba-free financing is essentially needed by poor Muslim farmers who, owing to prohibition of Riba, do not rely on interest (Riba)-based financing. The study also shows that QH is a viable option for fulfilling this need and is beneficial for the farmers as well as for the Islamic banks or financial institutions.

The case of QH as a potential mode of agricultural financing, as presented in this paper, is based on a theoretical or conceptual framework. The findings need to be further substantiated with empirical evidence. A future study, based on reliable empirical data would certainly add value to the subject.

Islamic banks and financial institutions typically rely on Musharakah (partnership), Murabaha (sale with profit), Ijarah (leasing), Salam (advance payment sale), Istisna’ (manufacturing contract), etc., and they rarely use QH as a mode of financing. Despite its huge utility, QH is practically non-existent in its application as an agricultural financing instrument. This paper presents a case for QH that can be adopted by Islamic banks or financial institutions for provision of the much needed financing for the small farmers of Islamic countries, as well as those living in non-Islamic countries.

Sees the objective of teaching financial management to be to help managers and potential managers to make sensible investment and financing decisions. Acknowledges that financial theory teaches that investment and financing decisions should be based on cash flow and risk. Provides information on payback period; return on capital employed, earnings per share effect, working capital, profit planning, standard costing, financial statement planning and ratio analysis. Seeks to combine the practical rules of thumb of the traditionalists with the ideas of the financial theorists to form a balanced approach to practical financial management for MBA students, financial managers and undergraduates.

Studies real cases of export development to examine the challenges which face small‐sized firms in financing their export activities and to identify new services which financial institutions can provide further to support export financing. Details data obtained during interviews conducted with the export financing executives of various financial institutions, and with entrepreneurs and managers of several companies in various stages of export activities and representing many industries. Aims to offer insights on the evolving export financing needs of small firms and to identify new opportunities towards which financial institutions can target their services and marketing strategies. Results indicate that several growth areas exist and banks which will lead in developing these opportunities will position themselves for good profits and growth.

This paper aims to examine whether from a factual standpoint, it is sufficiently reasonable to address the suppression of terrorist financing by analogy with money laundering.

The process of terrorist financing will be examined in regard to the funding requirements of terrorists and the methods and tools that terrorists use to raise, move and store their funds. The process of money laundering will be compared with terrorist financing. The role of money laundering in terrorist financing will be discussed. In the core part of this paper, the assumptions justifying the inclusion of anti-money laundering measures to terrorist financing will be challenged.

What terrorist financing and money laundering share in common is money. However, there are fundamental differences between them with regard to the sources of funds and the direction of financial flows. None of the elements –“accumulation” and “legitimization”– involved in money laundering are necessarily engaged in the process of terrorist financing. This questions the authenticity of the assumptions which underlie the adopted approach. It also requires further investigation on the effectiveness of the integrated counter-terrorist regime, which will not be covered by this paper.

This paper provides a comprehensive introduction for those dealing with the greater question of whether the terrorist financing can and should be tackled by anti-money laundering measures.

The purpose of this paper is to indicate an innovative solution to address the financing issues faced by “Micro-, Small and Medium Enterprises” (MSME) in emerging economies.

Islamic Financial Institutions (IFIs) especially Islamic banks are competing for high net worth individuals, whereas the MSME sector is largely untapped. A collaborative model for IFIs is suggested, to explore the MSME sector. Islamic Non-Banking Financial Institutions (NBFIs) are operating in these markets through their extensive gross route networks. The multistep collaborative model proposes “Special Purpose Entity (SPE)” partially owned by a single Islamic Bank or consortium and NBFI/s. SPEs can be incorporated with a defined scope, focus areas, risk profile, budget and shareholding patterns.

Risk and profit sharing instruments also known as Musharakah and Mudarabah have less than 6 percent share within total financing offered by Islamic banks globally. Risk sharing products offered by Islamic banks are not targeting this sector due to the underdevelopment of instruments, lack of knowledge and resources. Proposed SPEs can operate regionally with a concentration on specific business sectors.

The SPE model would enable Islamic banks to enter the huge MSME market while mitigating risk. On the contrary, it would enable the large segments of emerging economies (bottom 40 percent population of developing nations) to get involved and actively play their role to attain long-term development goals.