Microfinance institutions (MFIs) are often seen by aid practitioners as a manifestly effective means of improving the position of the poor. Despite this widely held view, detailed research studies have been much more guarded about the impact of MFIs. In particular, several studies have raised...

Summary The current emphasis in the microfinance industry is a shift from donor-funded to commercially sustainable operations. This article evaluates the impact of access to microloans from the Khushhali Bank--Pakistan's first and largest microfinance bank which operates on commercial...

Following a comprehensive overview by the editor, this book offers a detailed assessment of the results of directly channelling resources to the poor and extensively discusses the experience of five Asian countries – India, Indonesia, the People’s Republic of China, the Philippines...

Industry and development -- Engine of growth -- Trade and efficiency -- Globalisation and industrialisation -- Technology and industrialisation -- Small scale industry : sink or seedbed? -- Industrial policy and the East Asian miracle -- Giants awakened : India and China.