Access to Long Term Debt and Effects on Firms' Performance: Lessons from Ecuador

Abstract

This paper documents the maturity structure of firms` debt in Ecuador and discusses how it has been affected by government intervention in credit markets and by financial liberalization. Using firm-level panel data, we then investigate the determinants of access to long-term debt. Finally, we provide evidence on the impact of the maturity structure of debt on firms` performance, in particular on productivity and capital accumulation.