Experiences of Countries in Enterprise Formation Through Financing and Its Developments

Abstract

Enterprise formation by banks refers to their role in establishing, growing, and developing businesses, a process that is fundamentally dependent on enterprise financing. However, the global financial crisis of 2007–2008 profoundly transformed the landscape of financing, including enterprise finance. To clarify this issue and examine the direction of these changes based on global experiences, this article evaluates the developments and evolution of various business financing channels before and after the crisis in European Union countries (including bank-based, market-based, and Eastern European countries), the United States, and Japan. The findings indicate that even in bank-based economies, enterprise financing through banks has come under pressure, primarily due to the Basel III requirements implemented after the aforementioned crisis, which obligated banks to shrink their balance sheets. This credit tightening has been particularly severe for small businesses compared to large corporations. Meanwhile, in market-based economies, equity-based financing has declined due to market conditions and has been increasingly replaced by debt-based financing, such as corporate bonds. Furthermore, as both bank-based and equity-based financing channels face growing constraints, alternative financing—although still limited—is gradually increasing, offering a partial solution for the financial needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A more detailed analysis of Germany, the most bank-based economy in Europe, also reveals a shift from a purely bank-based financing system toward strengthening market-based financing. Therefore, although bank financing in Iran—as a bank-based economy—remains the primary option for enterprise creation and growth, it is recommended, based on international experience and the domestic credit constraints caused by quantitative balance sheet controls, that market-based financing should also be developed.