From intention to action: Understanding bank credit access through the lens of the theory of planned behavior

Research background: Bank credit access plays a determining role in enterprises’ financial growth, competitiveness, and internationalization. However, most entrepreneurs are afraid of being rejected from their credit applications due to financial disadvantages that reduce their probability of receiving credits. To minimize credit access concerns, their entrepreneurial behaviors that are included in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), such as personal attitude (PA), perceived behavioral control (PBC), and subjective norm (SN), might be a good solution. However, depending on cultural differences, their attitudes regarding these factors might change, which also causes changes in firms’ probability of receiving credit. Purpose of the article: This research aims to examine whether the impact of PA, PBC, and SN on credit access of enterprises differ depending on the countries where they do their business. Methods: The researchers investigate 1367 enterprises from different countries. These firms are selected using a purposive sampling method, and then an online questionnaire is sent to the survey respondents. Binary Logistic Regression analyses are performed for analysis purposes. Findings & value added: The results indicate that while the impact of PA on bank credit access does not differ depending on the countries where firms are located, international differences exist in the impacts of PBC and SN on the credit access of enterprises. This paper finds international differences in the impact of RBV’s intangible assets (PA, PBC, SN) on a tangible asset of RBV (financial capability) and explains these results with the factors (economic, political, legal systems) included in Institution-based View, and brings all components of both theories RBV and Institution-based View in a unique research. Financial and educational support from governments and universities for fresh graduate individuals can stimulate entrepreneurial attitudes and financing abilities of prospective entrepreneurs to overcome credit access obstacles.