Vol 3 Issue 2 April 2016-June 2016
Edwin Kimtai Kiboi, Dr. Willy Muturi
Abstract: There has been an increased concern over high credit risk for small and medium enterprise loan in financial institutions. High interest rates, credit rating, recovery mechanisms and business experience play an important role in influencing credit risk for small and medium enterprise loans. The main objective of this study was to investigate factors influencing credit risk for small and medium enterprise loans a survey of banks in Kitale Town, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were: To establish the influence of interest rates on credit risk of small and medium enterprise loans in banks, bto find out the influence of credit rating in credit risk of small and medium enterprise loans in banks, to establish the influence of recovery mechanism in credit risk of small and medium enterprise loans in banks, and to assess the influence of business experience in credit risk of small and medium enterprise loans in banks. Credit management theory, trade-off theory, modern portfolio theory were used to underpin the study. Explanatory research design was used in this study. The study targeted 331 employees from 11 Commercial Banks in Kitale. The study used stratified sampling technique. Interest rates, credit rating, recovery mechanism and business experience were taken as the independent variables while credit risk was the dependent variable. Pilot study was used to test the validity and reliability of the research instrument. Interest rates showed a positive and significant effect on credit risk (β= 0.153, ρ<0.05). Also credit rating showed a positive and significant effect on credit risk (β= 0.256, ρ<0.05). Further, recovery mechanism showed a positive and significant effect on credit risk (β= 0.243, ρ<0.05). While business experience showed a positive and significant effect on credit risk (β= 0.233, ρ<0.05). In conclusion, the study has established that whenever there are high short-term interest rates, there is an increase in credit risk. In addition, interest rate shifts are heterogeneous across the firm and have different implications for leverage and default in the short run than in the longer run. Hence the study recommends for need for a comprehensive risk management process that ensures the timely identification, measurement, monitoring, and control of risk.
Keywords: Business Experience, Credit Risk, Credit Rating, Interest Rate & Recovery Mechanism.
Title: Factors Influencing Credit Risk For Small And Medium Enterprise Loans: A Survey Of Banks In Kitale Town, Kenya
Author: Edwin Kimtai Kiboi, Dr. Willy Muturi
ISSN 2349-7807
International Journal of Recent Research in Commerce Economics and Management (IJRRCEM)
Paper Publications