The chances to obtainsuccessfully a loan are equally high for both genders
Young businesses exclusively managed by women apply more rarely for bank loans than those led by men or mixed-gender teams. However, this is not because they face greater difficulties in obtaining loans. The reason is that they are more likely than their male counterparts to abandon loan applications because they expect that their loan request will be denied (self-rationing).
"The chances of obtaining successfully a loan are fundamentally the same for both genders," reports Dr. Rosemarie Kay, Deputy director of the Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn. Based on the IAB/ZEW Start-up Panel, she and her research team examined the use of various financing sources for young businesses. The study also revealed that women-led companies are more likely than those led by men to rely on public funding or financial support from their private network (friends and family).
"Female entrepreneurs not only use loan financing less frequently than their male colleagues but also rely less on venture capital," says Dr. Rosemarie Kay. "However, they often require only small amounts, which reduces their attractiveness to external equity investors." In her view, the research findings indicate that women still tend to have a somewhat distorted perception of their own entrepreneurial abilities, leading to a greater inclination toward self-rationing compared to male entrepreneurs.
