Access to Finance Sources and Export Performance of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: Evidence from an Emerging Economy

This study aim is to find out how access to finance– more precisely access to internal, external, and total (internal and external) finance – impacts the export performance of small and medium-sized firms in India. This study is based on the data of 9376 small and medium sized enterprises; the data were collected by World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) between December 2021 and October 2022 in India. This study employs a quantitative research design utilising logistic regression. The dichotomous character of the dependent variable necessitated the application of logistic regression, while the analysis conducted using STATA software. The empirical results of the study shows that the impact of internal finance on the export performance of SMEs is negatively significant, indicating that SMEs relying on internal finance are less likely to export. The impact of external finance and export is positively significate which indicate that credit, loans, and other external finance sources has a significate role in enabling SMEs to engage in international trades. The impact of access to total finance (internal and external) finance is negatively significant with export activities of firms. The industry wise result does not vary. The research findings possess significant policy implications for enhancing SME export by improving their access to financial resources. the World Bank enterprise survey data gave this opportunity to do this study.