Women entrepreneurs in rural South Africa face structural and socio-cultural barriers in accessing funding. This study investigated how existing financial structures and support programs influence the sustainability and growth of female-owned businesses in rural areas. Using bibliometric...

This study investigates the impacts of a government-led microcredit program in the People's Republic of China (PRC) which was implemented at scale in poor rural areas, using a randomized controlled trial (RCT). In contrast to recent RCT-based studies that found no evidence of significant...

The impact of microfinance institution (MFIs) activities on household revenue in Northern Ghana is of significant importance, particularly in light of the high levels of poverty in the region. The objective of this research is to explore the factors that influence the amount of loans granted to...

This article highlights the determinants of financial inclusion within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), focusing on the moderating role of the male/female entrepreneurial rate. To this end, we collected quantitative data for the eight member countries from 2010 to 2020 and...

In the decade before the Great Famine, Ireland experienced a boom in microfinance institutions (MFIs). Taking a social enterprise perspective, this paper analyses the institutional context for this boom. It finds evidence linking the boom in MFIs to the development, via the introduction of the...

While results from individual Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) often do not hold beyond their setting, the accumulation of many RCTs can be used to guide policy. But how many studies are required to confidently generalize? Our paper examines construct validity, an often neglected yet...

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of people's credit banks (BPRs), a predominant form of microfinance in Indonesia, in mitigating poverty. Using panel data from 31 provinces in Indonesia, this study employs static panel and panel models with instrument variables. Our findings...

Our paper examines construct validity, an often neglected yet important element affecting the generalizability of individual study results. Construct validity deals with how the operationalization of a treatment corresponds to the broader construct it intends to speak to. The universe of...

This study was conducted in Malaysia to examine the effectiveness of the microfinance programme for urban single mother entrepreneurs in MSMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic and Movement Control Order (MCO). Implemented as a response to the pandemic, the MCO significantly disrupted businesses,...

This study seeks to understand the role of intellectual capital and capital structure in maintaining the financial performance and cultural sustainability of village credit unions in Bali, locally known as lembaga perkreditan desa (LPD), which is crucial in the funding of cultural and religious...

Microfinance institution services are emerging as a potent tool for poverty eradication and aim to decrease poverty and empower women. However, fewer women than men manage and run businesses in many parts of the world. Therefore, this study investigates the role of microfinance services on...

Aim/purpose - This study examines the relationship between staff turnover and performance in the microfinance industry in a dynamic perspective and investigates some contingency factors that moderate this relationship. Design/methodology/approach - We ran random-effects and GMM models based on a...

Microfinance has become one of the most important financing alternatives for business start-ups, especially for vulnerable groups in poor regions. Microfinance provides access to financial products, especially to people who have been excluded from the traditional financial system. However, the...

We exploit novel data collected within a randomized controlled trial of a sanitation microcredit intervention to study how intra-household gender differences in perceptions of costs and benefits of sanitation impact investment decisions. We show that — as long as the wife is involved in...

Poverty reduction and sustainability are the two major issues in achieving sustainable development. Microfinance emerged as an essential catalyst for socioeconomic development and financial inclusion to reduce poverty. MFIs cannot meet their primary objective of poverty reduction if they are not...