nep-mfd New Economics Papers
on Microfinance
Issue of 2015‒08‒19
four papers chosen by
Aastha Pudasainee and Olivier Dagnelie


  1. Self-help groups, savings and social capital : evidence from a field experiment in Cambodia By Ban,Radu; Gilligan,Michael J.; Rieger,Matthias
  2. Microfinance and credit rationing in Ghana: Does the microfinance type matter? By Díaz Serrano, Lluís; Sackey, Frank G.
  3. Access to Finance: Microfinance Innovations in the People’s Republic of China By Asian Development Bank (ADB); Asian Development Bank (ADB); Asian Development Bank (ADB); Asian Development Bank (ADB)
  4. Le microcredit en France et en Europe en 2030 la création d’emploi par la promotion de l’entrepreneuriat By Balkenhol, Bernd; Gloukoviezoff, Georges

  1. By: Ban,Radu; Gilligan,Michael J.; Rieger,Matthias
    Abstract: This paper studies how self-help groups?village-based organizations designed to encourage savings, household production and social cohesion among the poor?can promote economic and social capital. The paper uses survey data and a wide array of social capital measures to assess the impact of a pilot program that was randomly rolled out in rural villages in Cambodia. The study finds that the program encouraged savings and associations via self-help groups. However it did not improve social capital measured by household and network surveys and lab activities that gauge trust, trustworthiness and the willingness to contribute to public goods. The findings contradict recent work that has found significant positive impacts of such groups on social capital. This paper evaluates community-wide impacts while most previous studies focus on program participants. In addition, the empirical strategy is based on a broader array of social capital measures, including behavioral indicators, suggesting that finding impacts of such programs on social capital is sensitive to the measurement strategy.
    Date: 2015–07–29
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:7382&r=all
  2. By: Díaz Serrano, Lluís; Sackey, Frank G.
    Abstract: This study sets out to examine the extent to which access to credit and credit rationing are influenced by the microfinance type based on the major factors determining micro, small and medium enterprises’ access to credit from microfinance institutions in the era of financial liberalization. The data for the study were gleaned from the microfinance institutions’ credit and loan records consisting of the various pieces of information provided by the borrowers in the application process. Our results are puzzling and show that credit rationing is not influenced by the microfinance types but by the individual microfinance institutions. Keywords: Microfinance, Ghana, Credit Rationing. JEL codes: G21
    Keywords: Microfinances, Crèdit, Ghana, 336 - Finances. Banca. Moneda. Borsa,
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:urv:wpaper:2072/247802&r=all
  3. By: Asian Development Bank (ADB); Asian Development Bank (ADB) (East Asia Department, ADB); Asian Development Bank (ADB) (East Asia Department, ADB); Asian Development Bank (ADB)
    Abstract: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has adopted a more market-oriented approach by promoting rural microfinance, pursuing bottom-up innovations such as group lending, various forms of guarantees, new financial products based on purchase orders and insurance policies, and better incentives for agriculture funding from financial institutions. In 2009, the PRC sought the assistance of the Asian Development Bank to study how to optimize policy choices in rural finance using both top-down and bottom-up approaches. This report presents the findings of that rural microfinance study, including valuable lessons learned from several pilot microlending programs conducted in selected provinces in the PRC. It then analyzes outstanding issues in the country’s rural and microfinance markets that need to be addressed more vigorously.
    Keywords: People's Republic of China, Microfinance, Rural Finance, Financial Innovation, Rural Financial Market, Rural Financial Institution, Rural Financial Supervision, MSE Finance, Rural Financing Difficulty, Chanyeyuan, Value Chain, Cooperative Financing, Mutual Aid Fund, Microfinance Development, Agriculture Loan, Poverty Reduction
    Date: 2015–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:asd:wpaper:rpt135633-2&r=all
  4. By: Balkenhol, Bernd; Gloukoviezoff, Georges
    Keywords: 1, 2
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ilo:ilowps:488350&r=all

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