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Firm dynamics and financial development


Abstract: This paper studies the impact of cross-country variation in financial market development on firms? financing choices and growth rates using comprehensive firm-level datasets. We document that in less financially developed economies, small firms grow faster and have lower debt to asset ratios than large firms. We then develop a quantitative model where financial frictions drive firm growth and debt financing through the availability of credit and default risk. We parameterize the model to the firms? financial structure in the data and show that financial restrictions can account for the majority of the difference in growth rates between firms of different sizes across countries. ; Original title: Contract enforcement and firms' financing

Keywords: Debt management; Contracts;

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Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Part of Series: Staff Report

Publication Date: 2009

Number: 392