Moderating Effect of Financial Accessibility on the Relationship between Creditworthiness and the Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Construction Industry

• Main Author: Huan Huan, Liaw
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English; English; English
• Published: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak 2024
• Subjects: HB Economic Theory; HG Finance
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/45900/3/DSVA%20Liaw%20Huan%20Huan.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/45900/4/Liaw%20Huan%20Huan%20%2824pgs%29.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/45900/7/Liaw%20Huan%20Huan%20Fulltext.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/45900/

This study aims to determine the relationship between creditworthiness and the performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within the dynamic context of the Sarawak Construction Industry. Creditworthiness is a crucial factor for SMEs in determining financial accessibility. Severe cash flow constraints have impacted SMEs' ability to meet their debt obligations. Drawing on the established 5Cs credit model comprising character, collateral, condition, capacity, and capital as independent variables, this study extends the model by introducing an additional dimension "Credibility" to comprehensively assess creditworthiness. The study also examines the moderating effects of financial accessibility on the identified relationships. The research was conducted through a questionnaire distributed to 150 SMEs in the Sarawak Construction Industry. The data collected was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 29.0) and SmartPLS 3.0 software. The study identified credibility, capital, and capacity as key predictors of SME performance, underscoring their fundamental roles in shaping business outcomes. The results indicate that credibility is the most influential factor, with the highest path coefficients among the creditworthiness dimensions. Capital and capacity also showed strong associations with both financial and non-financial performance, highlighting that a firm's financial robustness and its ability to meet business demands through available resources are essential for overall success. Keywords: Creditworthiness, SMEs; Financial Accessibility; Financial Performance; Non-Financial Performance