Affiliation:
1. International Food Policy Research Institute , Washington D.C. , USA
2. Department of Economics , Tufts University , Medford , USA
Abstract
Abstract
Not all firms have equal capacity to absorb productive credit. Identifying those with higher potential may have large consequences for productivity. We collect detailed survey data on small- and medium-sized Tanzanian firms who borrow from a large commercial bank, which in turn raises funds via international capital markets. Using machine learning methods to identify predictors of loan growth, we document, first, that we achieve high rates of predictive power. Second, “soft” information (entrepreneurs’ motivations for entrepreneurship and constraints faced) has predictive power over and above administrative data (sector, age, etc.). Third, there is a different and larger set of predictors for women than men, consistent with greater barriers to efficient capital allocation among female entrepreneurs.
Funder
International Growth Center
Subject
General Economics, Econometrics and Finance,Development,Geography, Planning and Development