scholarly journals MICROFINANCE; A POVERTY REDUCTION TOOL, SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROSPECTIVE

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
ADA JAFFERY ◽  
DAWOOD MAMOON
Keyword(s):  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Institutional Design ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Efficient Tool ◽  
Joint Liability ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Better Than

This paper aims to critically evaluate the microfinance approach in social and economic perspective. Critical analysis reveals that microfinance can be used as an efficient tool to reduce poverty, thus contributing towards economic as well as social development. Moreover, paper highlights the role of institutional design and indicates that microfinance institutions working on the lines of non government organizations and following the double bottom line approach performs better than the other institutional frameworks. Joint liability and the role of group leader are eminent in enhancing the performance of these institutions. Poverty can be decreased if microfinance institutions are driven in a more systematic manner keeping in mind primarily the well being of society.

Promotion of Sustainable Livelihood through Skill Development Among Rural Youth - Role of Micro-Finance in Developmental Paradigm

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikram Singh
Keyword(s):  
Skill Development ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Rural Youth ◽  
Inclusive Development ◽  
Sustainable Livelihood ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Policy Shift ◽  
Development Paradigm

The present paper attempts to analyze the process of sustainable livelihood through skill development and its conceptual and theoretical understanding in India with reference to rural youth. In India skill development is demanded for economic growth and inclusive development, hence rural population cannot be overlooked. It also tries to highlight that employable skills alone have not been able to sufficiently generate employment among rural youth despite it wont address/promote the well-being process and sustainable livelihood. It is also based on the assumption that various frameworks associated with skill development leave scope for reforms as the gaps prevails that weaken implementation addressed by various policy shift in rural development paradigm and government/non-government organizations. The paper also aspires to look into the process of skill development towards rural youth through establishments of institutions, launch of policy/programmes and their linkages with micro-finance. It also look into the distinctive nature/features of micro-finance against the dominant forces of societal structure, social relationships, social interactions leading towards collective interests and norms that shape the quality and quantity of lives of individuals. Lastly analysis and conclusion have been made on the basis of discussion.

The Role of Livelihood Diversification and Social Capital in the Movement of Households: A Case Study from Central Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 27-50
Author(s):  
Saroj Pokharel ◽  
Dipak Tharu ◽  
Yagya Murti Pandey
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Urban Policy ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Livelihood Diversification ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Central Nepal ◽  
Qualitative Approaches

The study aims to investigate the role of livelihood diversification and social capital for the households’ movement, and also to explore the identity and bond of social capital and livelihood diversification to achieve an improved lifestyle. Human relations significantly create a network society, impalpable resource of community, shared values and trust which we draw upon in our daily lives. Livelihood diversification is a community-practised strategy for managing economic and income diversity in poverty reduction. It has highly emphasized income and well-being to diversify livelihood. It also turns the likely norms and networks with the households from exploiting new economic opportunities even in the future. This study responds to why people are migrating from the surrounding and the long distance of Kathmandu, and largely dependent on direct cash incomes from informal activities. It used qualitative approaches such as ethnography, case studies, participant observation, etc. to study the relationship between households and social capital level and livelihood diversification. Hence, the effects of social capital and livelihood diversification were found protecting households’ income. The major findings also show the social supportive network index which has significant effects on the households’ ability to learn a new livelihood. Income generations similarly affect the household capacity to secure a home and the socio-economic condition of households. This study can be advantageous for making both local and urban policy to diversify household livelihoods and social capital as well as applicable for new researchers in social sciences. Most importantly, it helps readers perceive new ways of promoting livelihood diversification and social capital and as a whole social advancement in Central Nepal.

The role of entrepreneurship in reducing poverty in agricultural communities

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 665-683
Author(s):  
Mufaro Dzingirai
Keyword(s):  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
The Body ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agricultural Communities ◽  
Agricultural Entrepreneurship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Entrepreneurship has increasingly become a subject of interest for scholars and policymakers in an attempt to reduce poverty in agricultural communities across the world, especially in Africa. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to examine the role of entrepreneurship in reducing poverty in agricultural communities of Lower Gweru, Zimbabwe. Design/methodology/approach Exploratory research design informed the data collection and analysis in this study. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 owners of agribusinesses from various socio-economic backgrounds. The collected data from the field were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings The results revealed that entrepreneurship plays a catalytic role in poverty reduction in agricultural communities through food security, skill transfer, employment creation, income generation and a decrease in food costs. Research limitations/implications This study focused on four agricultural communities in Lower Gweru which can limit the generalizability of the results to other contexts. Furthermore, this inquiry is a cross-sectional study that did not capture the longitudinal factors that can affect entrepreneurship and poverty reduction in agricultural communities. Practical implications The research outcomes have some practical implications for the Zimbabwean government and microfinance institutions in designing policies and programs to reduce poverty in marginalized agricultural communities. The findings are also useful for non-governmental organizations in designing, monitoring and evaluating poverty reduction programs in agricultural communities. Originality/value This study advances, contextualizes and enriches the body of knowledge concerning agricultural entrepreneurship and poverty reduction in the under-researched setting of agricultural communities. Notably, this study captures the African flavor in the agricultural entrepreneurship and poverty reduction discourse by focusing on the unique Zimbabwean context.

When organizational support yields both performance and satisfaction

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 1410-1428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lincoln Jisuvei Sungu ◽  
Qingxiong (Derek) Weng ◽  
Johari Abdu Kitule
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Job Performance ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Performance Ability

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the underlying mechanism through which perceived organizational support (POS) influences job performance and job satisfaction. Specifically, the study aims at examining the contingent role of performance ability in the associations of POS and affective organizational commitment (AOC) with job performance and job satisfaction, thus highlighting the pivot role of ability in the social exchanges. Design/methodology/approach The sample of the present study included 269 employees of a University in Kenya. The data were analyzed with Mplus to test the hypotheses. Findings POS enhances AOC that, in turn, positively influences job performance and job satisfaction. Importantly, the results indicate that performance ability moderates both the direct and indirect (via AOC) effects of POS on job performance and job satisfaction. Thus, employees’ abilities for tasks are not only significant for reciprocating resources that organizations invest in employees, but also enhances employee well-being. Research limitations/implications Although satisfaction with employee reciprocation was implied based on performance levels, it was not directly tested in the supervisor–employee social exchange. It is possible that even with intentions to deliver (high AOC), the resultant reciprocation may be less satisfactory to the organization. Future research would benefit from investigating the role that reciprocity norm could have in the model, specifically, whether employer satisfaction would be a function of employee performance ability. Practical implications Most often, the bottom line goal of organizations is employee performance, whereas AOC indicates employees’ intentions and efforts to reciprocate the organization with high performance, such intentions can only go as far as the ability for such desired outcomes. Consequently, efforts should be made to ensure employee’s capabilities align with specific job tasks to enhance both organizational (job performance) and employee well-being (job satisfaction). During the employee selection process, therefore, a focus on ability cues would be more advantageous than commitment when the bottom line goal is to enhance well-being. Originality/value This is the first study that tests the moderating role of the employee’s performance ability in both the POS and AOC relationships with job performance and job satisfaction. Moreover, this is the first study to examine the relationship between POS and AOC with job satisfaction. The study opens a potential avenue to examine the micro-mechanisms that regulate reciprocity in social exchanges, and thus presents the boundary conditions for the predictions of the social exchange theory.

The Role of Zakat to Alleviate Poverty of Refugees in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
pp. 47-66
Author(s):  
Nur Amirah Mohd Razin ◽  
Romzie Rosman
Keyword(s):  
State Government ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Adoption Of Technology ◽  
Government Organization ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Muslim Countries ◽  
High Commissioner ◽  
Development Goals

Zakat plays an important role as part of the Islamic socio-economic system. Zakat is said to be one of the financial tools to alleviate poverty apart from micro financing and micro credit. However, it is found that most of the benefits are only offered to the citizens of Malaysia and not the other untapped communities from other countries especially the refugees that seeks our government's protection. Hence, if the existing zakat recipients who are the citizens still unable to avoid from the unruly poverty, let alone the untapped group, especially the refugees. With the majority of refugees hailing from Muslim countries, Muslims around the world fulfilling zakat, a major pillar of their faith, can play an important role in alleviating their suffering and restoring their dignity as human beings. The realization of the incredible philanthropic Islamic social finance such as zakat, which can potentially exceed $300 billion a year, has driven United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to launch a Zakat Program in late 2016, namely Refugee Zakat Fund. Currently, the approach by zakat institution to help refugees are less proactive, given that most of the approach are made by the non-government organization (NGO) such as UNHCR Malaysia and local non-government organizations. The issues are very important to be solved as Islamic social finance has a huge potential mechanism to reduce poverty. Hence, the objectives of this study are (1) to explain the role of zakat in eradicating poverty among refugees for improving their socio-economic well-being, (2) to explore the issues and challenges of zakat administration in Malaysia especially in helping refugees, and (3) to explore the issues and challenges of UNHCR in managing refugees' zakat funds. This study adopted qualitative approach by conducting interview with five experts in relation to Islamic social finance especially on the issues of zakat management. These experts have vast experience in Islamic finance and in Shariah. In general, the findings suggest that (1) zakat can play a crucial role in providing assistance to those in need without exception to fulfil both Maqasid Shariah and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); (2) one of the challenges facing the zakat institution is their managements are inefficient and a lack of transparency in terms of how the funds are collected, managed, and distributed, and hence, the adoption of technology is important for effective and efficient zakat system; (3) UNHCR must take important care on governance aspects in order to manage and administer zakat funds for refugees to improve the trust of zakat payers and recipients. This study may contribute to the enhancement policies in relation to both zakat and refugees made by both federal and state government by harmonizing the policies to solve the issues on poverty of the refugees, especially in Malaysia.

scholarly journals Gender and Poverty Reduction in Ghana: The Role of Microfinance Institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Bibiana K. Batinge ◽  
Hatice Jenkins
Keyword(s):  
Health Education ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Gender Disparity ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Living Standards ◽  
Standard Of Living ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Access To Finance

Inequality between men and women is widely acknowledged across many parts of the globe. For example, among paid employees in Ghana, women’s average hourly earnings were around 67% of men. The disparity in earnings perpetuates poverty. Access to financial resources is widely regarded as crucial machinery to addressing this gender disparity and reducing poverty among women. Microfinance is a conduit to increasing access to finance among poor urban and rural women who usually lack the collateral to access loans from traditional financial institutions. Notwithstanding the vital role microfinance institutions play, there is no consensus on the assertion that its impact is generally favourable. Therefore, this study investigated the role of microfinance on health, education, and standard of living, as dimensions of poverty reduction in the Techiman Municipality of Ghana. The results indicate that access to microfinance services positively correlates to health, education, living standards and poverty reduction. Therefore, it is essential to extend the reach of microfinance services to increase access further to finance and, consequently, accelerate the rate of poverty reduction within the Municipality.

scholarly journals The Centrality of Women in Moral Teaching in Yoruba Family System

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yetunde A. Aluko ◽  
Oluwasegun D. Onobanjo ◽  
Nurudeen Alliyu
Keyword(s):  
Social Order ◽  
Family System ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Law And Order ◽  
Feminine Gender ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Feminine ◽  
Better Than

Social order and peaceful co-existence are some of the primary goals in every human society. Central to maintenance of law and order in traditional Yoruba societies is the family. Culturally among the Yoruba people, women are socialized differently from men. This paper, rather than focus on the oppression of women in Yoruba cultural setting, examines the series of significant contributions of women to the maintenance of social order and ethical well-being of families. The feminine gender is not always synonymous with oppression and domination rather family well-being is mediated by the principle of complementarily between males and females. As a result, women have privileged relationship with their children better than men. Women are the pedagogues to lead their children, and this requires them to live a life worthy of emulation. The paper avers that the argument is not that men are totally left out of the moral upbringing of their children; most times they provide supportive roles. But the fact that women spend more time with the children calls for examination of their roles in the moral standing of children in Yoruba family system. Given the central role of women in the home and society, social order can be attained where women are committed to the moral upbringing of their children, rather than being marginalized in any aspect of the society.

Can We Improve the Impact of Microfinance?

2019 ◽  
pp. 403-430
Author(s):  
Robert Lensink ◽  
Erwin Bulte
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
End Users ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Group Lending ◽  
Business Training ◽  
Joint Liability ◽  
Credit Contracts ◽  
The Impact

By surveying the latest literature, this chapter aims to contribute to the recent discussion on the successes and failures of microfinance. We argue that the question “does microfinance work?” is neither important nor informative. What matters is knowing when, and in which conditions, microfinance works—and for whom. We claim that the answers to these questions depend on the details of the microcredit contract as well as on the range of services that microfinance institutions provide (including non-financial ones). We point at two important reasons why the impact of several microcredit programs is lower than expected: (1) the rigidness of credit contracts, and (2) the human capital of end-users. As reforming contract terms and building human capital via business training and technical assistance are costly, we argue that perhaps subsidies are needed. We focus on studies dealing with end-users, and pay specific attention to the evolving discussion on group lending and the role of joint liability to reduce asymmetric information problems and improve repayment rates. We also discuss the literature focusing on the recent shift of several microfinance institutions to individual lending, and the related trend toward commercialization of microfinance.

Joint Liability Lending, Entrepreneurial Development, and Poverty Reduction

2019 ◽  
pp. 222-240
Author(s):  
Christopher Boachie
Keyword(s):  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Joint Liability ◽  
Entrepreneurial Development ◽  
And Training

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the effect of joint liability lending on micro businesses in Madina municipality. Joint liability lending has become a popular and fashionable word in financial and development circles. It is a cross-sectional survey study and used both primary and secondary data on joint liability lending. The study reveals that joint liability lending improves entrepreneurship and reduces poverty. There exists a significant relationship between joint liability lending and a high repayment rate. The implications are that individual within the group are encouraged to continue saving and microfinance institutions should continue investing in educating and training clients to improve upon their micro businesses.

Analyzing the Role of Micro-Entrepreneurship and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Women Empowerment and Development

2022 ◽  
pp. 213-226
Author(s):  
Veer P. Gangwar ◽  
Shad Ahmad Khan
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Recent Decade ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Women Empowerment ◽  
Self Help ◽  
Bottom Of Pyramid ◽  
Self Help Groups

In India, societal development is a cynosure, and thus, it is not a truism but a reality. Women's entrepreneurship emerging through self-help groups (SHGs) contributes to the economic well-being, sustainability, and in poverty reduction. The growth of SHGs is evidence in itself. In the recent decade, micro enterprises and SHGs have come up as prominent solutions to the entrepreneurial crisis existing in the country, and their role in empowering women and their development needs to studied. This study uses a descriptive statistic, reliability, and correlation analysis through SPSS and structural equation modeling (SEM) as an analytical tool to explore linkages between empowerment effected by SHG and micro-entrepreneurship. The research study results show that the contributory role of women entrepreneurs to the society is considerably worth appreciation. The causal relationship has also surfaced demonstrating the connection between women empowerment and development brought about by SHG and micro-entrepreneurship from a bottom-of-pyramid perspective.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document