scholarly journals Market Structure and Double Bottom Line Commitments: Are They Aligned in Indian Microfinance Industry?

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Ambika Prasad Pati
Keyword(s):  
Market Structure ◽  
Market Share ◽  
Andhra Pradesh ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Crisis Period ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
Loan Size ◽  
High Degree

This article empirically examines the structure of Indian microfinance market and assesses its relationship with the double bottom line commitments of microfinance institutions. The market is found to be monopolistic in nature with high degree of concentration at the top, though a slow tendency of increased competition during the post-Andhra Pradesh crisis period is observed. Market share is found to be negatively related to average loan size and positively with number of active borrowers, indicating social commitments but with no relationship with profitability and sustainability. However, the post-crisis period portrays a departure from their social mission.

scholarly journals Aid Volatility and Social Performance in Microfinance

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bert D’Espallier ◽  
Marek Hudon ◽  
Ariane Szafarz
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rates ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Mission Drift ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
Signaling Device ◽  
Adjustment Variable ◽  
Donor Agencies ◽  
Loan Size ◽  
Policy Prescription

Uncertainty makes objectives harder to reach. This article examines whether uncertainty in subsidies leads to mission drift in microfinance institutions (MFIs). Using a worldwide sample of 1,151 MFIs active in 104 countries, we find that interest rates increase with aid volatility while average loan size (ALS) is inversely related to aid volatility. These results suggest that MFIs consider ALS as a signaling device for commitment to their social mission, but use interest rates as an adjustment variable to cope with uncertainty. The policy prescription to donor agencies wishing to curtail the rise in interest rates is to deliver subsidies predictably and transparently.

Competition and Commercialisation of Microfinance Institutions: Implications for the Sector

Think India ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Joyeeta Deb
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Development Programme ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Dependent Development ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
Low Income Population ◽  
Development Institutions ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Intensity Of Competition ◽  
Theoretical Standpoint

Until 1990s microfinance was mainly seen as an impact – driven development programme based on the support of government and private donors. However, the failure of many subsidy dependent development institutions advocated for microfinance institutions to be self-sufficient and sustainable. This prompted MFIs to be commercially oriented and profit motivated. Also, with the growing proliferation of new providers of microcredit and influx of commercial investment in the sector, there is an increasing intensity of competition in the sector. Increased competition coupled with commercialisation helped in integrating the low-income population into a more formal financial system. But critics view that, this process has led the MFIs to search for better off clientele, thereby in many cases, departing from their social mission. Increasing competition followed by saturation in the sector has led to the mission drift of MFIs and has become a major cause of concern globally. However, some view this process to be a “win-win’ scenario whereby there exists scope for widening outreach and attaining sustainability. The present paper is devoted to examine the process of commercialisation and gauge the potential impact of competition and commercialisation of microfinance institutions on MFI performance from a theoretical standpoint.

scholarly journals Microfinancing, governance, and performance: a South Asian perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (46) ◽  
pp. 247-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asif Saeed ◽  
Attiya Y. Javed ◽  
Umara Noreen
Keyword(s):  
South Asian ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Bank Regulation ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Board Size ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Urban Market ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Loan Size

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the relationship between microfinance institutions (MFIs) governance and performance. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of 215 MFIs from six South Asian countries over the period from 2005 to 2009, the authors examine the effect of chief executive officer (CEO) duality, board size, female CEO, urban market coverage, bank regulation and lending type on financial and social performance of MFIs. Findings The findings provide evidence that, on the one hand, empowered CEO, large board size and individual lending improve the MFI financial performance and, on another hand, bank regulation and serving in the urban market have a significant association with MFIs’ social performance. In an additional analysis, the authors also test this relationship before, during and after the financial crisis of 2007. During crisis period, MFIs’ individual lending reduces the operational cost and bank regulation increases the average loan size in South Asian MFIs. Originality/value Those studies that are presented in the literature review conclude their result on the bases of global, European, East African and specific to some countries sample. There is no study presented in the whole literature on South Asian sample, in which all countries really face the problem of poverty.

Empirical evaluation of structure-conduct-performance paradigm as applied to the Iranian Islamic banking system

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahdi Ghaemi Asl ◽  
Muhammad Mahdi Rashidi ◽  
Alireza Ghorbani
Keyword(s):  
Market Structure ◽  
Market Share ◽  
Balance Sheet ◽  
Empirical Evaluation ◽  
Banking System ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Simple Regression Model ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of market structure and market share on the performance of the Islamic banks operating in the Iranian banking system based on the structure-conduct-performance (SCP) paradigm. Design/methodology/approach The Iranian Islamic banking system’s market structure is evaluated by using the econometrics method to test the validity of the traditional SCP paradigm. For this purpose, the authors estimate a simple regression model that is consisted of several independent variables, such as the market share, bank size, real gross domestic product, liquidity and Herfindahl-Hirschman index as a proxy variable for concentration and one dependent variable, namely, the profit as a proxy for performance. The panel data includes a data sample of 22 Islamic banks operating from 2006 to 2019. Data are extracted from the balance sheet of Islamic banks and the time-series database of the Central Bank of Iran and World Bank. Findings The study’s findings indicate that both concentration and market share have a positive impact on the performance of banks in the Iranian Islamic banking system. This result is contradicted with both traditional SCP and efficient structure hypotheses; however, it confirms the existence of oligopoly or cartel in the Iranian Islamic banking system that few banks try to gain the highest share of profit and maintain their market share by colluding with each other. This result is in contradiction with other research studies about the market structure in the Iranian banking system that claimed that banks in Iran operate under monopolistic competition. In addition, it shows that the privatization of some banks in Iran does not improve and help competition in the Iranian banking system. Originality/value This paper is a pioneer empirical study analyzing the market structure, concentration and collusion based on the SCP paradigm in Iranian Islamic banking. The results of the study support the existence of collusive behavior among the Islamic bank in Iran that is not aligned with Sharia. This study clearly shows the difference between ideal Islamic banking and Islamic banking in practice in Islamic countries. This clearly indicates that only prohibiting some operations like receiving interest, gambling and bearing excessive risk is not enough. In fact, the Islamic banking system should be based on the Sharia rule in all aspects and much more modification and study have to be done to achieve an appropriate Islamic banking system. These possible modifications to overcome the issues of cartel-like market structure and collusive behavior in the Iranian Islamic banking system include making the Iranian banking system more transparent, letting foreign banks enter the Iranian banking system and minimizing the government intervention in the Iranian banking system.

scholarly journals Social and financial performance of MFIs: complementary or compromise?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitin Navin ◽  
Pankaj Sinha
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Financial Sustainability ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Current Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dynamic Framework ◽  
The Social ◽  
Loan Size ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose With the ongoing transformation of the microfinance sector, questions have been raised on the ability of microfinance institutions (MFIs) to perform financially well without compromising with their social objectives. The current study attempts to analyse the social and financial performance of Indian MFIs with an objective to find the kind of relationship between these two objectives. Design/methodology/approach The dynamic framework of simultaneous equations model is used to find the nature of the relationship which exists between social and financial performance of Indian MFIs. Findings The study finds that depth of outreach enables MFIs to achieve financial sustainability. On the other hand, financially strong MFI lend more as reflected by an increase in their average loan size. Research limitations/implications Many MFIs still receive subsidies to support their operations. Ideally, adjustments should be made to remove the effect of such subsidies on their cost. However, due to non-availability of data, the study fails to make any adjustment for the subsidies. Practical implications The presence of a complementary relationship between social and financial performance in the Indian microfinance sector is quite encouraging for the policymakers during the current time when the sector is becoming less dependent on subsidies. However, the recent upsurge in the average loan size requires attention. Social implications The findings suggest that MFIs can achieve financial sustainability while targeting poor clients. This indicates that MFIs can perform socially good along with their financial performance. Originality/value Such study is vital when the Indian microfinance sector is moving away from subsidies to become self-reliant and commercialised. Few studies have focused on this aspect of Indian microfinance sector.

Factors influencing the borrower loan size in microfinance group lending: a survey from Indian microfinance institutions

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunil Sangwan ◽  
Narayan Chandra Nayak
Keyword(s):  
Size Variation ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Individual Member ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Group Lending ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Loan Size ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of the cost of microfinance intermediation on borrowers’ loan size. The identified transaction cost and credit risk factors tell about what a lender takes into accounts while screening and allocating loan amounts to the borrowers, where the lender has limited information about the client’s ability to repay. Design/methodology/approach The analysis is based on the primary data collected from a sample of 498 microfinance institutions (MFI) linked group clients covering two microfinance leading states of India. Findings Empirical findings suggest that the cost of microfinance intermediation has an impact on borrowers’ loan size. To reduce the cost, the MFIs lend big loans to clients having a high income, assets, land size, lower informal borrowings and having longer loan experiences. In MFI lending, the younger and less educated people are the ones who demand bigger loan amounts. The geographical distance of borrowers’ location from MFI offices, group size and interest rate are the other factors that influence the loan size. Originality/value The past empirical works seem to have not focused on how the cost of microfinance intermediation creates loan size variation among the borrowers in joint liability group lending. The endogeneity problem has not been resolved. The present article thus identifies the factors that influence the individual member loan size by using two-stage least squared regression to tackle the issue of endogeneity.

Market structure-performance hypothesis in Kenyan banking industry

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 697-710 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solomon W. Giorgis Sahile ◽  
Daniel Kipkirong Tarus ◽  
Thomas Kimeli Cheruiyot
Keyword(s):  
Market Structure ◽  
Market Efficiency ◽  
Market Share ◽  
Commercial Banks ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Banking Industry ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Market Concentration ◽  
Bank Performance ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test market structure-performance hypothesis in banking industry in Kenya. Specifically, the structure-conduct-performance (SCP) and market efficiency hypotheses were examined to determine how market concentration and efficiency affect bank performance in Kenya. Design/methodology/approach – The study used secondary data of 44 commercial banks operating from 2000 to 2009. Three proxies to measure bank performance were used while market concentration and market share were used as proxies for market structure. Market concentration was measured using two concentration measures; the concentration ratio of the four largest banks (CR4) and Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, while market share was used as a proxy for efficiency. The study made use of generalized least square regression method. Findings – The empirical results confirm that market efficiency hypothesis is a predictor of firm performance in the banking sector in Kenya and rejects the traditional SCP hypothesis. Thus, the results support the view that efficient banks maximize profitability. Practical implications – The study provides insights into the role of efficiency in enhancing profitability in commercial banks in Kenya. It has managerial implication that profitable banks ought to be efficient and dispels the notion of collusive behavior as a precursor for profitability. Originality/value – The paper fills an important gap in the extant literature by proving insights into what determines bank profitability in banking sector in Kenya. Although this area is rich in research, little work has been conducted in the developing economies and in particular no study in the knowledge has addressed this critical issue in Kenya.

Social Enterprise Law

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Brakman Reiser ◽  
Steven A. Dean
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Benefit Corporation ◽  
Benefit Corporations ◽  
Contingent Convertible Debt ◽  
Legislative Changes

Social Enterprise Law presents a series of audacious legal technologies designed to unleash the potential of social enterprise. Until now, the law has been viewed as an obstacle to social entrepreneurship, too inflexible to embrace for-profit businesses with a social mission at their core. Legislators have poured resources into creating hybrid corporate forms such as the benefit corporation to eliminate barriers to the creation of social enterprises. That first generation of social enterprise law has not done enough. The authors provide a framework for future legislation to do what benefit corporations have not: create durable commitments by social entrepreneurs and investors to balance financial gains and social mission by putting a speed limit on profits. They show how sophisticated investors need not wait for the advent of these legislative changes, outlining a contingent convertible debt instrument that relies instead on financial engineering to build trust between those with capital and those ready to use it to nurture a double bottom line. To allow social enterprises to harness the vast power of the crowd, they develop a tax regime that would provide crowdfunding platforms the means to screen the commitment of for-profit startups. Armed with these tools of social enterprise law 2.0 and the burgeoning metrics of measuring public benefit, entrepreneurs and investors can navigate even the turbulent waters of exit without sacrificing mission, so that a sale need not mean selling out.

Organizational Identity Formation in Alternative Organizations: A Study of Three Benefit Corporations

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 484-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina M. Kopaneva ◽  
George Cheney
Keyword(s):  
Identity Formation ◽  
Organizational Identity ◽  
Profit Maximization ◽  
The United States ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
Benefit Corporation ◽  
Benefit Corporations ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
New Type

The benefit corporation (BC) in the United States is a new type of corporation legally required to generate profit for its shareholders and to pursue public benefit. BCs explicitly work to balance profit maximization and social mission, which is an ongoing challenge for businesses with an expansive view of the bottom line. This multiple case study extends scholarship on identity formation (IF) in nontraditional organizations, such as BCs, by providing empirical evidence of how identities develop in relation to prevailing cultural sentiments. In particular, we demonstrate how BC struggles over organizational identity (OI) reference broader socioeconomic discourses, identify mechanisms through which perceived pressures suppress alternative interpretations of OI at a micro-level of member interaction, and expose tensions between dominant and alternative frames for business enterprise.

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