"This paper analyzes data from a randomized experiment on mean returns to capital in Sri Lankan micro-enterprises. The findings show greater returns among men than among women; indeed, returns were not different from zero for women. The authors explore different explanations for the lower...

SME investment opportunities depend on the level of financing constraints that firms face. Earlier research has mainly focused on the controversial argument that cash flow-investment correlations increase with the level of these constraints. We focus on bank loans rather than cash flow. Our...

In a recent randomized experiment we found mean returns to capital of between 5 and 6 percent per month in Sri Lankan microenterprises, much higher than market interest rates. But returns were found to be much higher among men than among women, and indeed were not different from zero for women....

The coronavirus epidemic has severely affected the small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which are more financially constrained compared with large companies. Waking up to this challenge, various countries employed short-run and long-run policies to support SMEs. Using rich firm-level data from...

Theoretical perspectives and empirical literature -- Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) access to finance and policy initiatives -- Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India: their characteristics and evolution over time -- Access to credit and small firm growth -- Gender,...