Assessing the impact of financial obstacles on manufacturing firm's capacity utilization: Bayesian approach

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between financial obstacles and the capacity utilization of manufacturing firms. It departs from previous studies by employing a Bayesian linear regression analysis. The results demonstrate the considerable negative effect that financial constraints have on the capacity utilization of manufacturing enterprises, while access to credit lines has a positive ef-fect. The sample consists of 1,494 private manufacturing firms in 31 European and Central Asian countries. Financial obstacles were perceived as a major impediment to business operations by 65% of the enterprises surveyed. Furthermore, 52% of enterprises in the sample have access to loans from financial institutions, while 47% have no access to credit lines. This implies that the manufacturing sector’s capacity to tap into financial market resources and surmount financial barriers both is vital to its survival and presents a significant challenge.