Posted in Research Papers on May 9th, 2011
Author(s): Agnes R. Quisumbing, International Food Policy Research Institute (Senior Research Fellow, Poverty, Health, and Nutrition Division) & Bob Baulch, Chronic Poverty Research Centre (Coordinator, Poverty Dynamics and Economic Mobility Theme) & Neha Kumar, International Food Policy Research Institute (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Poverty, Health, and Nutrition Division) Abstract: This paper provides an overview of [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on May 6th, 2011
Author: Ana Pantelic (Boston University) Abstract: Microfinance and conditional cash transfer programs provide immediate assistance to people living in poverty, and are useful tools for reaching the first Millennium Development Goal of poverty eradication. This is an important topic for research because nearly half the world currently lives in poverty, as does nearly forty percent [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on May 5th, 2011
Author: S. Scott Gaille (Managing Director of the Sequent Group & Adjunct Professor at Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business) Synopsis: The “natural resource curse” is the phenomenon whereby a country that is rich in natural resources may experience less economic growth than countries lacking natural resources. This occurrence has been blamed [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on May 4th, 2011
Author(s): Mahmoud ElGamal, Mohamed ElKomi, Dean Karlan and Adam Osman Abstract: Microfinance institutions (MFIs) have continued to grow over the past few decades, both in numbers of clients and portfolio sizes. The growth of these MFIs has enabled greater access to credit in many of the world’s less developed nations. However, recent studies have shown [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on May 3rd, 2011
Author: Chuck Waterfield (CEO & President MFTransparency) Conclusion: As shown, microfinance prices are exceedingly difficult to understand and can result in prices that are far higher than they appear. As a result, consumers make poor choices. In fact, all stakeholders involved in microfinance make worse choices than they would if they had accurate pricing information. [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on May 2nd, 2011
Author: Mark Napier (Development Fellow CSFI) Conclusion: As we have seen, financial inclusion is about much more than traditional microfinance. The advent of mobile payments has disrupted the established order, and financial institutions of all kinds are wondering what happens next. On the one hand, they are worried about where they will fit in the [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 30th, 2011
Author(s): Mark Flaming, Alexander Owino, Katharine McKee, Nicola Jentzsch, Simone di Castri, Bilha Maina, Moses Ochieng, Daryl Collins and Brendan Ahern. (N.B. – This report was commissioned by FSD Kenya. The findings, interpretations and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of FSD Kenya, its Trustees and partner development agencies.) [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 29th, 2011
Author(s): Luz Gomez & Elaine L. Edgcomb Conclusion: With the debate raging on the international side around the role of for-profit MFIs, it is timely to examine what for-profit companies are already doing domestically. Clearly, the market for microloans has shifted over the course of the last three to five years as credit access from [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 28th, 2011
Author(s): Jaime Ruiz-Tagle (Centro de Microdatos Departament of Economics, University of Chile) and Francis Vella (Department of Economics, University of Georgetown) Abstract: This paper investigates the determinants of credit demand in the presence of borrowing constraints for the Chilean economy using a recently collected detailed and innovative data set, the Households Financial Survey. The estimation [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 27th, 2011
Author(s): Salim Rashid (University of Illinois), Youngeun Yoon (Ministry of Finance, Govt of South Korea) and Shakil Bin Kashem (University of Illinois) Abstract: Recent empirical results have cast doubt on the value of Microfinance as a tool for reducing poverty. The difficulty lies in evaluating the impact of Microfinance in a world where the Microfinance [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 26th, 2011
Author(s): Jonathan Conning (Hunter College and The Graduate Center City, University of New York) & Jonathan Morduch (Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and the Financial Access Initiative, New York University) Abstract: This paper puts a corporate finance lens on microfinance. Microfinance aims to democratize global financial markets through new contracts, organizations, and technology. We [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 25th, 2011
Author(s): Julie Abrams (Microfinance Analytics) & Jerome Prieur (MFX Solutions) Executive Summary: Currency risk is an everyday fact of life in microfinance in many parts of the world. However, because of lack of systematic reporting by microfinance institutions (MFIs) and the multifaceted nature of currency risk, understanding of this topic to date has been largely [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 22nd, 2011
Author(s): William Jack (Georgetown University) and Tavneet Suri (MIT Sloan) Conclusions: As the developed world begins to rebuild the recently collapsed global financial system, the financial architecture in parts of the developing world is being rapidly transformed. As the costs of mobile phone technology have fallen, and as the technology has been adapted to support [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 21st, 2011
Author: H. I. Latifee, Managing Director, Grameen Trust, Bangladesh Conclusion: Microfinance has come a long way despite doubts expressed and criticism launched about its viability, impact, and poverty fighting capacity. The pioneers in the field and the practitioners at large with their commitment, determination, and innovations have not only demonstrated its power and success, but [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 20th, 2011
Author(s): Florencia Devoto (Paris School of Economics and J-PAL), Esther Duflo (MIT and NBER), Pascaline Dupas (UCLA and NBER), William Pariente (Universite Catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales) & Vincent Pons (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Abstract: We study the demand for household water connections in urban Morocco, and the effect of such [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 19th, 2011
Author(s): Leonardo Becchetti (Associazione Italiana per la Cultura della Cooperazione e del Non Profit) & Pierluigi Conzo (Associazione Italiana per la Cultura della Cooperazione e del Non Profit) Abstract: Microfinance institutions are used to claim that their impact goes beyond money since rescuing from exclusion uncollateralized poor borrowers significantly affects their dignity, self-esteem, social recognition [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 18th, 2011
Author(s): Adewale Abideen (International Islamic University Malaysia) & Mustafa Daud (Department of Economics, Universiti Utara Malaysia and Graduate Assistant with Kolej Universiti Insaniah, Malaysia) Abstract: Nigeria is one of the countries having over 50 percent of her population suffering from poverty. Obviously, there have been serious efforts on the part of the government and other [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 15th, 2011
Author(s): Thi Minh-Phuong Ngo & Zaki Wahhaj Abstract: In the past 30 years, microfinance has carried many promises of social and economic transformation, with the shift towards targeting women being seen as a major strategic move through which the promise of social development could be most effectively delivered. However, ethnographic studies have shown that many [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 14th, 2011
Author(s): Isidore Ekpe, Norsiah Binti Mat, & Razli Che Razak, (College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia) Abstract: Women play a crucial role in the economic development of their families and communities but certain obstacles such as poverty, unemployment, low household income and societal discriminations mostly in developing countries have hindered their effective performance of that [...]
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Posted in Research Papers on Apr 13th, 2011
Author: Douglas Pearce & the Research Support Team Abstract: The paper provides an assessment of the state of financial inclusion in the MENA region, and identifies constraints, opportunities, and priorities for significantly improving access to finance. Practical recommendations for improving financial inclusion are outlined. Firstly, governments could agree a Financial Inclusion Strategy that is underpinned [...]
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