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Heterogeneous effects of microcredit: Evidence from large-scale programs in Bangladesh

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  • Islam, Asadul

Abstract

This paper evaluates the effects of microcredit on household consumption using a large dataset from Bangladesh. Village fixed effects and instrumental variable strategies are used to estimate the causal effects of microcredit program participation. Overall, the results indicate that the effects of microcredit on consumption vary across different groups of poor household borrowers. The groups that benefit the most include the poorest of the poor participants. The benefits are low for households that are marginal to the participation decision. The effects of participation are generally stronger for female borrowers than for male borrowers.

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  • Islam, Asadul, 2015. "Heterogeneous effects of microcredit: Evidence from large-scale programs in Bangladesh," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 48-58.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:asieco:v:37:y:2015:i:c:p:48-58
    DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2015.01.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Asadul Islam & Chandana Maitra & Debayan Pakrashi & Russell Smyth, 2016. "Microcredit Programme Participation and Household Food Security in Rural Bangladesh," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(2), pages 448-470, June.
    2. Thanh-Tung Nguyen & Trung Thanh Nguyen & Ulrike Grote, 2020. "Credit and Ethnic Consumption Inequality in the Central Highlands of Vietnam," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 148(1), pages 143-172, February.
    3. Conrad Murendo & Gamuchirai Murenje & Pepukai Prince Chivenge & Rumbidzai Mtetwa, 2021. "Financial Inclusion, Nutrition and Socio‐Economic Status Among Rural Households in Guruve and Mount Darwin Districts, Zimbabwe," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(1), pages 86-108, January.
    4. R. Khandker, Shahidur & Khalily, M. A. Baqui & A. Samad, Hussain, 2015. "Who Benefits Most from Microfinance in Bangladesh?," Bangladesh Development Studies, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), vol. 38(4), pages 1-30, December.
    5. Khan, Md Faisal Abedin & Uddin, Md Sazib & Giessen, Lukas, 2021. "Microcredit expansion and informal donor interests: Experiences from local NGOs in the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, Bangladesh," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 21(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Microcredit; Program evaluation; Consumption; Bangladesh;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure

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