Title: Do lenders value firm reputation? Evidence from SMEs in Ghana

Authors: Abraham Ansong; Samuel Kwaku Agyei; Edward Marfo-Yiadom

Addresses: Department of Management, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana ' Department of Finance, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana ' School of Business, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana

Abstract: Our paper examined the effects of firm reputation on access to external funding among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana by controlling for firm specific variables such as firm size, firm performance, leverage and managerial competence. It contributes to our knowledge on how firm reputation, especially organisation identity, assists firms in accessing external funding. We analysed primary data of 423 SMEs registered in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana using regression analysis. Even though, we documented positive relationship between firm reputation and access to finance, only firm image was significant. This denotes that firm reputation could assist SMEs in accessing external financing if SME managers develop and improve their information and communication practices to highlight tangible evidences of firm success. This could be achieved by keeping proper books of accounts on firm operations, which could reduce lenders' perception of risk and thus, facilitate easier access to external funding.

Keywords: access to finance; firm reputation; organisational identity; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; emerging economy.

DOI: 10.1504/EMJM.2017.085874

EuroMed Journal of Management, 2017 Vol.2 No.2, pp.152 - 163

Received: 28 Mar 2017
Accepted: 04 Apr 2017
Published online: 16 Aug 2017 *

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