Purpose - This paper examines why farmers self-select out of formal credit markets even though they need external funds. Design/methodology/approach - We use probit and Bayesian probit estimators to detect the determinants of self-selection behavior based on a primary dataset of 2,212 rice...

Purpose - Financial inclusion is a prerequisite for inclusive development. In 2014, the Indian Government introduced the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) with a similar objective. The study aims to analyse the effectiveness of banks in the implementation of financial inclusion policy, i.e....

This paper explores how credit risk management and human capital development sustain financial stability in microfinance institutions. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods allow this study to investigate credit risk management strategies while examining policies for inclusivity...

Purpose - Microfinance institutions (MFIs) are recognised as a niche market where microloans and other financial services are provided to the poor, especially in developing economies. This study examines the relationship between the presence of the Internal Audit (IA) function, loan losses, and...

Achieving a more inclusive financial system is crucial to unlocking economic opportunities, reducing inequality, and ensuring that no person will be excluded from access and usage of financial and banking services. Even if financial services are widely available in some areas, others, especially...

Access to credit remains a universal challenge for firms, particularly for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). While numerous studies have examined the determinants of credit access, focusing primarily on borrower characteristics, lender policies, and formal institutional factors such as...

Microfinance aims to promote financial inclusion among underprivileged individuals, particularly through progressive microcredit, which enables borrowers to access increasing loan amounts over time. This study examines the conditions under which progressive microcredit positively impacts both...

This investigation assessed the influence of formal financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the economic advancement of Nigeria, utilising annual time series data ranging from 1992 to 2022. Employing the Cobb-Douglas framework, control variables, including capital formation...

Amidst the global ascent of financial technologies (FinTech), Argentina presents a critical case for examining how these platforms shape debt relations among marginalized households. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this article draws on quantitative data from the Central Bank of the Republic...

This study explores the role of solidarity finance in promoting local development and the empowerment of marginalized communities through financial inclusion and access to community credits. It focuses on how solidarity-based financial mechanisms provide accessible credit with fewer barriers,...

This study examines the relationship between financial inclusion and financial stability in developing economies, with a focus on the moderating role of digital financial inclusion (DFII) and the identification of threshold effects. Using a dynamic panel analysis with a two-step System GMM...

Business financing involves supplying funds or capital to initiate, expand, or maintain a business. This study investigates entrepreneurial funding in South Africa, emphasizing microloans, venture capital, and gender-sensitive grants as tools to facilitate inclusive business growth. Using a...

This study examines the effectiveness of a digital financial literacy intervention aimed at improving financial knowledge, confidence, and behaviour among rural women in Pakistan. Using a randomized controlled trial conducted in two selected villages in the Rawalpindi district, women were...

This paper examines the effect of Financial Technologies (FinTech) on the social and financial performance of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) and investigates whether the digital infrastructure moderates this relationship. Using a sample of 300 MFIs across 58 countries from 2013 to 2019, a...

The objective of the paper is to measure the gender gap in microcredit programs, considering the dynamics of the local economy and the labor market. We used data from the CrediBahia program in the State of Bahia, Brazil, to carry out the research. The literature indicates that the default rate...

This study examines the efects of individual dimensions of business relationship quality (BRQ), namely trust, respect, and reciprocity, on business customer value (BCV) and customer loyalty (CL) in the microfnance industry. In addition, the study investigates the mediation efects of BCV on the...

Joint liability loans are used in various settings, including business partnerships, agricultural cooperatives, and real estate investment. Most notably, they have been central to the microfinance model since the 1970s. Despite early promises, recent evidence suggests that joint liability has...

This paper examines the relationship between financial inclusion and energy access, leveraging micro-level survey data from Kenya (2016-2018) and employing propensity score matching to establish causal linkages. The analysis reveals that financial inclusion significantly enhances energy access,...

Purpose - The literature review stated that financial inclusion (FI) influences economic growth through different channels. Hence, this paper aims to investigate the underlying process of FI in Egypt theoretically, and to derive some policy implications for promoting the process and achieving...

Purpose - The operations and viability of microfinance institutions (MFIs), crucial for socioeconomic development and poverty reduction, heavily rely on the multilevel relationships among borrowers, loan officers and MFIs. This study examines the relationship between interpersonal and firm-level...

Financial inclusion is an important enabler of economic development and aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In most sub-Saharan African countries, financial inclusion efforts take place in the presence of concentrated and bank-dominated systems. This study...

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are vital to economic growth, innovation, and job creation across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Women entrepreneurs are key contributors to this sector, yet they face persistent barriers to accessing finance, which constrain their business growth and broader...