摘要
This study is motivated by the lack of direct empirical research on the relationship between intangible assets （IA） and loan interest rates for small- and medium-sized enterprises （SMEs） in emerging markets. This study uses a multivariate regression to investigate the effects of 1A on loan interest rates by focusing on SMEs. Using a panel sample of 186 publicly-listed SMEs with 952 annual observations in Taiwan from 2001 to 2006, the empirical findings indicate that an SME＇s IA does negatively affect loan interest rates. The main contribution of this study lies in its direct testing of whether IA can affect the loan interest rates for SMEs in an emerging market. The finding provides empirical evidence that an SME with greater IA leads to lower interest rates on bank loans, implying that SMEs should strive to invest in IA and enhance their knowledge management for obtaining more benefits of loan interest rates. Furthermore, the findings may provide empirical evidence for SMEs in emerging markets and can be compared with those for firms in industrialized economies.
