This paper uses new panel data on the number of new firm registrations in 109 countries during 2002-2012 to study the relationship between entrepreneurship and economic growth. The data show strong evidence of a pro-cyclical pattern in entrepreneurship. An examination of heterogeneous...

We analyze the relationship between financial development and inter-industry resource allocation in the short- and long-run. We suggest that in the long-run, economies with high rates of financial development will devote relatively more resources to industries with a 'natural' reliance on...

We re-examine the role of financial market development in the intersectoral allocation of resources. Specifically, we propose the use of a new methodology that looks at the co-movement in growth rates across pairs of countries to examine the role of financial development in allowing firms to...

We study stock returns over the period of the global financial crisis of 2007-2008 and identify three crisis "shock factors" related to unique features of the crisis: (1) the collapse of global demand, (2) the contraction of credit supply, and (3) selling pressure on firms' equity. All three of...

We investigate the cost of capital in a model with an agency conflict between inside managers and outside shareholders. Inside ownership reflects the classic tradeoff between incentives and risk diversification, and the severity of agency costs depends on a parameter representing investor...

Researchers have explored the relationship between firms' financial backing and growth levels; however, the ways in which finance impacts growth are still unclear. Thus, this research seeks toclarify: (1) whether finance causes growth, and (2) if so, how it causes growth. A 2004 IFC/World Bank...

Combining multi-year, firm-level surveys with country-level panel data for 53 countries, this paper explores the impact of bank competition on firms' access to finance. We find that low competition, as measured by high values of the Lerner index, diminishes firms' access to finance, while...

This paper uses panel data on the number of new firm registrations in 92 countries to study how the ease of registering a business and the magnitude of registration reforms affect new firm registrations. We find that the costs, days and procedures required for starting a business are important...