Microfinance in Eastern and WesternEurope: A Comparative Analysis

We assess the experiences of Eastern European Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in order to deriverecommendations for their Western European counterparts. In particular, six dimensions arediscussed: (1) building a supportive stakeholder environment, (2) defining a marketing strategy, (3)using advanced technologies, (4) defining a comprehensive product range, (5) developing screeningmechanisms, and (6) selecting the right staff. We then proceed to propose a detailed action plan thatincorporates these recommendations and define concrete milestones for the completion of eachspecific project step. This might serve as a blueprint for nascent Western European MFIs planning toenter their market...