Assessing the Relationship between the Economic Feasibility Study and the Guarantees Provided by Small and Medium Enterprises with the Financing Decisions in Kuwait

Abstract

This paper sheds light on the role of Kuwaiti Islamic banks. It addresses banks’ major requirements to access financing sources in the context of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Narrowly, it weighs the impact of two bank requirements: the feasibility studies and the collateral, and pinpoints their effects on easing the process of SMEs borrowing. The study applies the quantitative approach. It aims to assess SMEs internal factors that might affect the Islamic banks’ financing process and decision. The sample consists of 200 employees from the credit department of Kuwaiti Islamic banks. Results indicate a significant and positive association between the feasibility study indicator and the financing decisions on one hand and the collateral indicator and the financing decisions on the other hand. The study recommends Kuwaiti Islamic banks allocate more importance on the feasibility studies as a medium to access adequate financing resources.