SME Lending: A Long Term Commitment towards the Development of Industry

Purpose: The basic purpose is to find out the impacts of SME lending on their development. While conducting the research, a clear objective was established in order to explore the relationship between SME lending and its ultimate impact on the development of SME sector in Bahawalpur, considered as SME Concentrated market of the economy. Design/methodology/approach: The research have been conducted utilizing the actual data with the help of a questionnaire based on the literature studies extensively on SME’s lending and the impact on its development to explore the attributes which leads towards the establishment of SME’s lending in Bahawalpur region. A new dimension is added by conducting research on SME’s lending and the impact on its development in Bahawalpur region, taking sample of 100 respondents from 20 banks and their customers. Findings: Factors abstracted from the market concentration, commercial vs. SME’s lending, issues of SME’s lending, Term of loan, size of enterprises, self employment in SME sector that they are significantly associated with SME’s establishment. Research limitations/ implication: The results found are based on available material being studied. A structured questionnaire has been used to collect data from a sample of 100 SMEs being financed by financial institutions of Bahawalpur region. Practical implications: The financial institutions in Pakistan are needed to take initiative in creating awareness about SME’s lending and providing more effective services to their customers. The results can be generalized on over all SME lending practices in Bahawalpur region. The facilities to cottage industry could be made from the effective use of findings in this paper. Originality/ value: This is one of the very first researches on SME’s lending and the impact on its development conducted in Bahawalpur region and could be very useful for countries adopting SME’S lending. Key words: SME lending, SME’s establishment, Cottage industry, SME Financing, Small Loans.