Unlike conventional finance institutions, Microfinance institutions (MFIs) strive for financial sustainability but also empowerment of the poor. This social nature of MFIs is mainly financed by subsidies from donors. This paper measures the extent of subsidization in MF sector for the years 2005...

The social nature of MFIs is mainly financed by subsidies from donors. Therefore, the role of subsidies cannot be under estimated in MFIs efficiency and productivity analysis. This paper is a first attempt to measure the financial efficiency and productivity of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs)...

The social nature of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) is mainly financed by subsidies received from the donors. This paper investigates the relationship between the sustainability and the efficiency of microfinance. Using Yaron’s Subsidy Dependence Index (SDI) as a measure of sustainability, a...

Microfinance (MF) has grown over the last two decades into an important sub-field of development studies. This special issue of <italic>Oxford Development Studies</italic> explores the contributions of MF, drawing particularly on research conducted in India. After a brief overview of the emergence of MF as a...

Microfinance institutions (MFIs) are alternative financial providers offering financial services to people typically excluded from the standard banking sector. While most MFIs are active in developing countries, there is also a young and developing microfinance sector in Europe; however, very...

This paper starts from the observation that 23% of the world’s microfinance institutions (MFIs) manage without subsidies. We examine how unsubsidized institutions cope with their social mission. Overall, the lack of subsidies worsens social performances. However, our results show that...

Community or complementary currency systems have spread all around the world. Most often, they have been promoted as tools to foster sustainable development albeit they differ in terms of specific objectives. While many case studies have tried to assess the actual impact of these systems, there...

This study explores the social entrepreneurial potential of the rule-breaking practices of microfinance programs’ beneficiaries. We empirically apply the positive theory of social entrepreneurship that views social entrepreneurship as a pursuit of neglected positive externalities. Using the...

Purpose – The paper aims to study the role of norms and values in the microfinance sector. Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a combination of narrative with argument and analysis. Findings – A classification of the sector is proposed, mapping the institutions along two axes:...