Stefania Rossi Boeken

Focusing on the significance of social welfare policy, the book emphasizes its role in meeting the needs of individuals and communities through various programs and legislation. It aims to promote well-being and social justice, providing essential concepts and principles for students entering the public policy field. Understanding these foundational elements is crucial for effectively addressing societal challenges and fostering equitable solutions.

This book explores how the global financial and European sovereign debt crises have forced small-and-medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to reassess and adapt their funding strategies. At the heart of the matter is the worsening access to bank credit for such enterprises. Through this discussion we learn how crucial an understanding of SME-financing is to policy makers, in light of the fact that SMEs dominate the business landscape in Europe and are the main drivers of employment, growth and innovation in the European economy. Contributing chapters present expert analysis and investigate many topics including the problems faced by SMEs in accessing bank credit and the cost of funding and its determinants. Particular attention is also given to how credit-constrained enterprises may reformulate their funding strategies by employing alternative, non-bank, financial resources, and how regulators could support SMEs in broadening and improving their funding opportunities.