Small Business Finance–What Works, What Doesn’t?
May 5-6, 2008, World Bank
Jointly sponsored by DECRG and FPD
Organized by Thorsten Beck and Asli Demirguc-Kunt
Small enterprises face traditionally higher obstacles to accessing external finance than other groups such as large enterprises and even consumers. While previous research has shown the importance of financial and institutional development for leveling the playing field between firms of different sizes in terms of access to finance and the relevance of specific elements of the contractual and information framework, such as credit registries, more analysis is needed in terms of specific government interventions and specific financing products that can help small enterprises.
This conference aims to bring together academics, practitioners and policy makers to discuss (i) lending techniques and products for small enterprises, (ii) market structure and small enterprise financing, (iii) government role’s in fostering small firms’ access to finance and (iv) alternatives to bank finance