The Trade Credit Decision: Evidence of UK Firms
Publication Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
9-2003
Abstract
Trade credit finance and credit management are gradually gaining the research attention an area of such importance merits. One area, still far from resolved, is why trade credit is extended by non-financial firms to customers. This paper seeks to identify the generic forces behind the trade credit offer and to explore the empirical support for 20 propositions on credit motives derived from the literature and the implications of such motives to credit policies.The paper reports findings from a survey of senior finance officers involved in credit management in large UK companies. It assesses the degree to which theoretical explanations for granting trade credit are experienced in practice and whether observed differences attaching to credit motives among firms are associated with variations in credit policies and debtor days.The study found strong empirical support for seven propositions linked to competitiveness, pricing, investment and financing, and weaker support for a number of other theoretically- derived motives for trade credit extension. Factor analysis suggested a more insightful approach to classifying trade credit motives, covering investment in customers, customer’s operating and financial benefits, supplier’s marketing/operational benefits and market pressure to conform. In addition, two factors - customer relations and pricing flexibility - were extracted as motives for varying credit terms. Consistent with our hypothesis average debtor days were found to be significantly higher for those firms emphasising the financing, investment, and pricing flexibility propositions. These findings, and implications for future research, are explored.
Keywords
Trade Credit, Credit Motives, Investment in Customers, Financial Benefits, Marketing Benefits, Customer Relations, Pricing Flexibility
Discipline
Finance and Financial Management
Research Areas
Accounting Information System
Publication
Managerial and Decision Economics
Volume
24
Issue
6-7
First Page
419
Last Page
438
ISSN
0143-6570
Identifier
10.1002/mde.1049
Publisher
Wiley: 24 months
Citation
CHENG, Nam Sang and PIKE, Richard.
The Trade Credit Decision: Evidence of UK Firms. (2003). Managerial and Decision Economics. 24, (6-7), 419-438.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soa_research/1524