A widely recognized paper by Colin Mayer (1988) has led to a profound revision of academic thinking about financing patterns of corporations in different countries. Using flow-of-funds data instead of balance sheet data, Mayer and others who followed his lead found that internal financing is the...

A widely recognized paper by Colin Mayer (1988) has led to a profound revision of academicthinking about financing patterns of corporations in different countries. Using flow-of-funds datainstead of balance sheet data, Mayer and others who followed his lead found that internalfinancing is the...

This paper discusses the so-called commercial approach to microfinance undereconomic and ethical aspects. It first shows how microfinance has developed from a purelywelfare-oriented activity to a commercially relevant line of banking business. Thebackground of this stunning success is the almost...