The purpose of this chapter is to focus on how the use of microfinance schemes by persons with disabilities relates to, and possibly improves, employment rates and economic activities. We seek to describe existing knowledge, lessons learned, limitations, challenges, and future potential

In this chapter, we discuss transparency challenges in the global microfinance industry. The issue of transparency not only is on the agenda of listed companies and regulated banks in mature markets but is also hotly debated in regard to firms operating in emerging markets and development...

Microfinance institutions (MFIs) are typical examples of hybrid organizations, meaning organizations pursuing both a financial and social logic. This study examines the question of whether financial and social performance improves when an MFI’s chief executive officer (CEO) has a business...

This study addresses the simultaneous and diverse effects of differences in informal and formal institutions on cross-border alliances’ financial performance. We utilize data from 405 microfinance institutions (MFIs), based in 74 developing countries, that have alliances with partners from...

The purpose of this chapter is to give an overview of the internationalization of the industry and to suggest relevant theories when studying cross-border microfinance partnerships. Moreover, we present initial statistical evidence of how internationalization can influence MFIs’ performance...

This paper examines whether it pays to be green in the microfinance industry. Environmental issues are important for all businesses around the world, and thus many microfinance institutions (MFIs) started embracing them as an additional objective alongside their traditional social and financial...

Microfinance is a banking market in which operating costs are high while non-performing loans (NPLs) rates are low. While the existing literature tends to explain that the high operating costs arise from the provision of small loans, we argue that excessive efforts to control loan losses can...

Social enterprises in the microfinance industry need to adhere to both financial and social demands. Critics argue that there is a mission drift away from the social mission, and this has motivated the introduction of social rating agencies to strengthen the business ethics of microfinance...

This study specifically addresses the call for more research on regulation and other corporate governance mechanisms of banks in emerging markets. Thus far, the scarce existing microbank research has focused on regulations and performance. Therefore, in this study, we focus on the impact of...

Microfinance institutions need improved access to debt capital to cover a huge and increasing world demand for microfinance services. More experienced CEOs may be more aligned with the microfinance institution’s mission and they may have a better understanding of the business model of...