Abdulai Mohammed Gbanja, Dary Stanley Kojo, Domanban Paul Bata
Department of Economic Studies/School of Economics, University of Cape Coast, Ghana.
Department of Economics, SDD-University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Ghana.
Heliyon. 2024 May 31;10(11):e32302. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32302. eCollection 2024 Jun 15.
This study investigates the relationship between the utilisation of digital payment platforms and the decision of informal firms to engage in the demand for or supply of trade credit. Recognizing the pivotal role of trade credit in alleviating financial constraints for informal enterprises, our research employs a recursive bivariate probit model to assess the impact of digital payment platform usage on both the demand for and supply of trade credit among informal firms in Ghana. Leveraging data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey, we find that 13.83 % of informal firms receive trade credit from suppliers, while 26.89 % extend trade credit to customers. Additionally, 49.6 % of firms use digital payment platforms for their business transactions. The study finds that digital payment platforms increase the probability of firms engaging in the demand and supply of trade credit. It argues that digital payments enhance transaction efficiency, convenience, and security, potentially reducing associated transaction costs and facilitating business interactions across distant locations. Various factors, including firm age, maintenance of accounting records, sales volume, owner experience, credit facilities, internet use for social media marketing, and operating hours, significantly influence the decision to engage in trade credit activities. The robustness of our results is confirmed through alternative estimation techniques. Recommendations include policy interventions aimed at promoting the digitalization of informal firms, supported by government investments in digital infrastructure. It is recommended that firms and their suppliers and customers should adopt these digital payment platforms in order to facilitate their use of trade credit in business transactions. A regulatory environment fostering business trust and responsible use of digital payment platforms is crucial, necessitating measures to ensure data protection, security, and ethical conduct within the digital payments' ecosystem.
本研究调查了数字支付平台的使用与非正规企业参与贸易信贷需求或供应决策之间的关系。认识到贸易信贷在缓解非正规企业财务约束方面的关键作用，我们的研究采用递归双变量概率模型来评估数字支付平台使用对加纳非正规企业贸易信贷需求和供应的影响。利用世界银行企业调查的数据，我们发现13.83%的非正规企业从供应商处获得贸易信贷，而26.89%的企业向客户提供贸易信贷。此外，49.6%的企业在其商业交易中使用数字支付平台。该研究发现，数字支付平台增加了企业参与贸易信贷需求和供应的可能性。研究认为，数字支付提高了交易效率、便利性和安全性，可能降低相关交易成本，并促进远距离的商业互动。包括企业年龄、会计记录维护、销售额、所有者经验、信贷便利、用于社交媒体营销的互联网使用情况以及营业时间等各种因素，对参与贸易信贷活动的决策有重大影响。我们通过替代估计技术证实了结果的稳健性。建议包括旨在促进非正规企业数字化的政策干预措施，并得到政府对数字基础设施的投资支持。建议企业及其供应商和客户采用这些数字支付平台，以便在商业交易中便利地使用贸易信贷。营造促进商业信任和负责任使用数字支付平台的监管环境至关重要，需要采取措施确保数字支付生态系统内的数据保护、安全和道德行为。
