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Journal of Financial Economics Vol. 83 No. 1 2007

Informed finance and technological change: Evidence from credit relationships☆

Ana Maria Herrera; Raoul Minetti1

1 Michigan State University

Abstract

This paper empirically investigates the effect of “informed finance” on technological change. The theoretical literature offers conflicting predictions on whether the information of financiers fosters or inhibits firms’ innovation. Using data from a sample of Italian manufacturing firms, we find that the information of firms’ main banks, proxied by the duration of credit relationships, promotes innovation. This positive effect is economically and statistically more significant for product than for process innovations. Nonetheless, the role of relationship banks in innovation is quite unsophisticated: they do not foster internal research but rather fund the relevant investments that the introduction and acquisition of new technologies entails.

DOI
10.1016/j.jfineco.2005.12.001
Volume
83
Issue
1
Pages
223-269
Language
en
Sources
crossref bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex

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