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Financial constraints and firms' investment: results of a natural experiment measuring firm response to power interruption

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  • Steinbuks, J.
Abstract
This study uses the observed differences between public system failures and private investment as a natural experiment to reveal the effect of financing constraints on firms' ability to substitute specifically for deficient public services and more generally to acquired complementary capital. The analysis of the firm-level data from Sub-Saharan Africa shows that, controlling for other factors, firms with a better access to credit are also more likely to invest into private substitutes when public services are deficient. Consistent with the predictions of the theoretical model these findings indicate that financing constraints have a significant impaction on firms' ability to deal with poor public capital.

Suggested Citation

  • Steinbuks, J., 2008. "Financial constraints and firms' investment: results of a natural experiment measuring firm response to power interruption," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0844, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    • Handle: RePEc:cam:camdae:0844
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    Cited by:

    1. Alby, Philippe & Dethier, Jean-Jacques & Straub, Stéphane, 2011. "Let there be Light! Firms Operating under Electricity Constraints in Developing Countries," IDEI Working Papers 686, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse.
    2. Stephen O'Connell & Allan Collard-Wexler & Hunt Allcott, 2015. "How Do Electricity Shortages A\00ffect Production? Evidence from India," 2015 Meeting Papers 159, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    3. Hunt Allcott & Allan Collard-Wexler & Stephen D. O'Connell, 2016. "How Do Electricity Shortages Affect Industry? Evidence from India," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(3), pages 587-624, March.
    4. Alby, Philippe & Dethier, Jean-Jacques & Straub, Stephane, 2010. "Firms operating under infrastructure and credit constraints in developing countries : the case of power generators," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5497, The World Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financing Constraints; Complementary Capital; Natural Experiment; Sub-Saharan Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D92 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Intertemporal Firm Choice, Investment, Capacity, and Financing
    • H54 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Infrastructures
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance

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