Trade-off between financial sustainability and outreach of microfinance institutions

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mira Nurmakhanova ◽  
Gavin Kretzschmar ◽  
Hassouna Fedhila
Keyword(s):  
Financial Sustainability ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Trade Off

Depth of Outreach and Financial Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions

2020 ◽  
pp. 204-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Zainuddin ◽  
Ida Md. Yasin ◽  
Masnun Mahi ◽  
Shabiha Akter
Keyword(s):  
Research Question ◽  
Financial Sustainability ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Donor Funding ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Social Objective

Microfinance institutions tend to rely on donations and subsidies to achieve their social objective of outreach to the poor. Over the years, the industry has experienced tremendous growth, with donor funding pouring in. The question, however, arises whether microfinance firms can operate and continue to serve the poor clients on cost-covering basis without ongoing subsidies. There has been a growing tendency in the industry, which was traditionally a domain of not-for-profits, to embrace commercialization and pursue profitability to ensure self-sustainability. This chapter makes an empirical revisit to an inconclusive research question: Is there a trade-off between microfinance outreach and sustainability? Based on data for 1,232 microfinance firms from 43 countries, the study confirms the existence of trade-off between the two bottom lines of microfinance.

scholarly journals Profiting from Poverty? A Case Study of UK based Microfinance Institutions

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitin Navin
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Financial Sustainability ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
External Capital

The success of the microfinance movement is beyond doubt. However, as the scope of the sector increased and commercialised, some problems of it became evident. Issue of profitability and sustainability of Microfinance institutions (MFIs) and, use of external capital by them are the two most debatable issues of the microfinance sector. The current study investigates these issues by targeting MFIs and consultants of microfinance sector located in UK. These MFIs and consultants have operations in different poor and developing countries. The study found that believing that MFIs can alone eliminate poverty is a fallacy. Any such belief by the policymakers will make further delay in eradicating poverty. The study also found that financial sustainability of microfinance seems to remain unachievable for most of the MFIs and, that there are fair chances of having trade-off between financial performance and social performance for those MFIs. On this line of thought, the study concludes by arguing that microfinance cannot be treated only as a substitute of the traditional financial services.

scholarly journals Microfinance institutions’ operational self-sufficiency in sub-Saharan Africa: empirical evidence

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laxmi Remer ◽  
Hanna Kattilakoski
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Cost Management ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Financial Sustainability ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Return On Assets ◽  
Industry Development ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Sub Saharan

AbstractThe topic of financial sustainability in microfinance institutions has become more important as an increasing number of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) seek operational self-sufficiency, which translates into financial sustainability. This study aims to identify factors that drive operational self-sufficiency in microfinance institutions. To accomplish this, 416 MFIs in sub-Saharan Africa are studied and several drivers for operational self-sufficiency are empirically analyzed. Results indicate that these drivers are return on assets, and the ratios total expenses/assets and financial revenues/assets. The results imply that MFIs should encourage cost-management measures. They also reveal that there may not be a significant tradeoff in self-sufficiency and outreach. These findings will enable microfinance institutions worldwide to sharpen their institutional capabilities to achieve operational self-sufficiency and also provide policymakers with more focused tools to assist industry development.

Impact of Competition on Efficiency of Microfinance Institutions: Cross Country Comparison of India and Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
pp. 097300522110052
Author(s):  
Joyeeta Deb ◽  
Ram Pratap Sinha
Keyword(s):  
Information Exchange ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Bottom Of The Pyramid ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Social Efficiency ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Social Objective ◽  
Efficient Level ◽  
Potential Impact

Increased competition coupled with commercialisation in the Indian microfinance sector has brought about many major transformations. From an impact-driven development programme, microfinance institutions (MFIs) today emerged as commercially oriented profit-making entities. In addition to bringing their commercial and social objectives into balance, MFIs today are striving for efficient level of operation. Efficiency in the level of operation of MFIs allows them to remain competitive and attain financial sustainability. However, it is also imperative for MFIs to remain socially committed towards the ultimate mission of reaching the poorest at the bottom of the pyramid. Hence, it is of research interest to see the trade-off between MFIs’ social objective of spreading outreach and at the same time remaining financially sustainable. Against this backdrop, this article is devoted to study the potential impact of competition and commercialisation on efficiency of MFIs in India and Bangladesh. The study is carried over 75 MFIs altogether over the period of 8 years from 2009 to 2016. The data have been collected from microfinance information exchange database. Efficiency is measured through technical efficiency (TE) scores as estimated under data envelopment analysis. In order to establish the association between competitions, which is estimated by the Herfindahl–Hirschman index (HHI), tobit regression is used. The study evidenced increasing level of competition in the sector over the years, but it is more pronounced in India as against Bangladesh. In order to analyse the trade-off, TE scores are separately estimated under both financial and social measures. TE score is found to be higher in case of social measures of efficiency as against financial efficiency. Further, under both the measures, competition is found to be having a significant impact on both financial and social efficiency.

scholarly journals The Impact of Information Communication and Technology Utilization on the Financial Performance of Microfinance Institutions in Rwanda Case Study: Reseau Interdiocesain De Microfinance (Rim) Ltd, Rwanda (2011 -2015)

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Jean Bosco Harelimana
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Financial Sustainability ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Information Communication ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
Descriptive Survey ◽  
The Impact

The study analyzed the impact of ICT utilization on the financial performance of microfinance institutions inRwanda with case study of Réseau Interdiocesain de microfinance (RIM) Ltd undertaken within 5 years (2011-2015). The study adopted the use of descriptive survey using both qualitative and quantitative methods for a totalsample size of 132. Purporsive and simple random simpling was used for this purpose. Primary and Secondary datawere collected and thene analyzed using SPSS version 16.00. The study found that ICT has been introduced and usedabout 5 years and above. The study found that ICT impact firstly on financial sustainability and profitability (65.8%),secondly on financial efficiency and productivity (23.7) and finally on portfolio quality (5.3%). ICT utilization havea high influence to the RIM Ltd.’s financial performance compared to the previous situation.The correlation results imply that ICT usage has a positive impact on financial sustainability and profitability as theymove in the same direction (R=0.502). The strength of the impact was found to be low due to the low investments inICT among microfinance institutions.

scholarly journals Revenue diversification and financial sustainability of microfinance institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Nderitu Githaiga
Keyword(s):  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Financial Sustainability ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Revenue Diversification ◽  
Estimation Model ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Method Of Moments Estimation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate whether revenue diversification affects the financial sustainability of microfinance institutions (MFIs).Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a worldwide panel data set of 443 MFIs in 108 countries for the period 2013–2018 and two-step system Generalized Method of Moments estimation model.FindingsThe study finds that revenue diversification has a significant and positive effect on the financial sustainability of MFIs.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study actually offer important managerial and policy lessons on MFIs’ financial sustainability. Microfinance managers and policymakers should consider revenue diversification as a strategy through which MFIs can attain financial sustainability instead of overreliance on donations and government subsidiesOriginality/valueUnlike previous studies that examined revenue diversification in the context of banking firms, this study contributes to literature by examining the impact of revenue diversification of the financial sustainability of MFIs.

scholarly journals Financing and financial sustainability of microfinance institutions (MFIs): a conceptual view

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Innocent Bayai ◽  
Sylvanus Ikhide
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Agency Problems ◽  
Financial Sustainability ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Mission Drift ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Financing Option

Recent evidence shows that MFI financing continues to evolve with an increased inclination towards commercial financing. Taking stock on MFI financing and refocusing on the relationship between financing options and financial sustainability (FS) is unavoidable. The authors consummated a literature review based on complementing the little evidence on the subject with both theoretical and implied evidence from related studies in unpacking the relationship. Though donations are losing grip as a popular MFI financing option, review of literature recommends smart subsidies to spur FS and counter inefficiency, mis-targetting, dependency and distortions. As much as debt addresses agency problems and endorses FS, it has to be kept within limits to curb liquidation and mission drift. Deposit attraction augments FS and outreach, though MFIs must prepare to foot licensing costs, otherwise, mission drift ensues. Equity, though scarce in microfinance, is cheap and additive to FS. The authors suggest that MFIs should consider commercial funding, whilst keeping a check on the downside of each commercial financing option to augment FS and multiply outreach

Literature review on effect of microfinance institutions on poverty in South Asian countries and their sustainability

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Prashant Kumar Gupta ◽  
Seema Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Exclusion Criteria ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effect

PurposeThe authors present a systematic literature review on microfinance institutions’ (MFIs) effect on poverty and how they can ensure their sustainability. The purpose of this article is to review the effect of MFIs on poverty in South Asian countries. The analysis and review of the selected corpus of literature also provide avenues for future research.Design/methodology/approachA total of 95 papers from 49 journals in 4 academic libraries and publishers were systematically studied and classified. The authors define the keywords and the inclusion/exclusion criteria for the identification of papers. The review includes an analysis of the selected papers that give insights about publications with respect to themes, number of themes covered in individual publications, nations, scope, methodology, number of methods used and publication trend.FindingsThe literature indicates the positive effect of microfinance on poverty but with a varying degree on various categories of poor. The relation between poverty and microfinance is, however, dependent on the nation under the scanner. While sustainability and outreach co-exist, their trade-off is still a matter of debate.Originality/valueThis is the first systematic literature review on MFIs’ effect on poverty in South Asian nations. Additionally, the authors discuss the literature on the trade-off between sustainability and outreach for MFIs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document