IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pep/journl/v9y2004i1p1-28.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Microfinance: A Comprehensive Review of the Existing Literature

Author

Listed:
  • James C. Brau

    (Brigham Young University)

  • Gary M. Woller

    (Brigham Young University)

Abstract

Although the word finance is in the term microfinance, and the core elements of microfinance are those of the finance discipline, microfinance has yet to break into the mainstream or entrepreneurial finance literature. The purpose of this article is to introduce the finance academic community to the discipline of microfinance and microfinance institutions (MFIs). We provide a comprehensive review of over 350 articles and address the issues of MFI sustainability, products and services, management practices, clientele targeting, regulation and policy, and impact assessment.

Suggested Citation

  • James C. Brau & Gary M. Woller, 2004. "Microfinance: A Comprehensive Review of the Existing Literature," Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance, Pepperdine University, Graziadio School of Business and Management, vol. 9(1), pages 1-28, Spring.
    • Handle: RePEc:pep:journl:v:9:y:2004:i:1:p:1-28
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://jefsite.org/RePEc/pep/journl/jef-2004-09-1-b-brau.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jonathan Morduch, 1999. "The Microfinance Promise," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 37(4), pages 1569-1614, December.
    2. Craig Churchill, 2002. "Trying to understand the demand for microinsurance," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(3), pages 381-387.
    3. Buckley, Graeme, 1997. "Microfinance in Africa: Is it either the problem or the solution?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(7), pages 1081-1093, July.
    4. Navajas, Sergio & Schreiner, Mark & Meyer, Richard L. & Gonzalez-vega, Claudio & Rodriguez-meza, Jorge, 2000. "Microcredit and the Poorest of the Poor: Theory and Evidence from Bolivia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 333-346, February.
    5. Van Tassel, Eric, 1999. "Group lending under asymmetric information," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 3-25, October.
    6. Kimanthi Mutua & Pittayapol Nataradol & Maria Otero & Beth R. Chung, 1996. "The view from the field: Perspectives from managers of microfinance institutions," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 8(2), pages 179-193.
    7. Morduch, Jonathan, 2000. "The Microfinance Schism," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 617-629, April.
    8. Rafael Gomez & Eric Santor, 2001. "Membership has its privileges: the effect of social capital and neighbourhood characteristics on the earnings of microfinance borrowers," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 34(4), pages 943-966, November.
    9. Kevane, Michael & Wydick, Bruce, 2001. "Microenterprise Lending to Female Entrepreneurs: Sacrificing Economic Growth for Poverty Alleviation?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(7), pages 1225-1236, July.
    10. J. D. Von Pischke, 1996. "Measuring the trade-off between outreach and sustainability of microenterprise lenders," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 8(2), pages 225-239.
    11. Lynn Bennett & Carlos E. Cuevas, 1996. "Sustainable banking with the poor," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 8(2), pages 145-152.
    12. Schuler, Sidney Ruth & Hashemi, Syed Mesbahuddin & Riley, Ann P., 1997. "The influence of women's changing roles and status in Bangladesh's fertility transition: Evidence from a study of credit programs and contraceptive use," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 563-575, January.
    13. Woolcock, Michael, 2001. "Microenterprise and social capital:: A framework for theory, research, and policy," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 193-198, March.
    14. Baydas, Mayada M. & Meyer, Richard L. & Aguilera-Alfred, Nelson, 1994. "Discrimination against women in formal credit markets: Reality or rhetoric?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 22(7), pages 1073-1082, July.
    15. J. Copestake & S. Bhalotra & S. Johnson, 2001. "Assessing the Impact of Microcredit: A Zambian Case Study," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(4), pages 81-100.
    16. Gary Woller, 2002. "From market failure to marketing failure: market orientation as the key to deep outreach in microfinance," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(3), pages 305-324.
    17. Hyman, Eric L. & Dearden, Kirk, 1998. "Comprehensive impact assessment systems for NGO microenterprise development programs," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 261-276, February.
    18. Park, Albert & Ren, Changqing, 2001. "Microfinance with Chinese Characteristics," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 39-62, January.
    19. Bruce Wydick, 2002. "Microfinance among the Maya: Tracking the Progress of Borrowers," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 33(3), pages 489-509, June.
    20. Fiona Steele & Sajeda Amin & Ruchira Naved, 2001. "Savings/credit group formation and change in contraception," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 38(2), pages 267-282, May.
    21. Philip Lowe & Hilary Talbot, 2000. "Policy for Small Business Support in Rural Areas: A Critical Assessment of the Proposals for the Small Business Service," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(5), pages 479-487.
    22. Hollis, Aidan & Sweetman, Arthur, 1998. "Microcredit in Prefamine Ireland," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 347-380, October.
    23. Beatriz Armendáriz de Aghion & Jonathan Morduch, 2000. "Microfinance Beyond Group Lending," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 8(2), pages 401-420, July.
    24. Conning, Jonathan, 1999. "Outreach, sustainability and leverage in monitored and peer-monitored lending," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 51-77, October.
    25. Smith, Stephen C., 2002. "Village Banking and Maternal and Child Health: Evidence from Ecuador and Honduras," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 707-723, April.
    26. Hulme, David, 2000. "Impact Assessment Methodologies for Microfinance: Theory, Experience and Better Practice," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 79-98, January.
    27. Elizabeth Dunn, 2002. "It pays to know the customer: addressing the information needs of client-centered MFIs," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(3), pages 325-334.
    28. Nitin Bhatt & Shui–Yan Tang, 2002. "Determinants of Repayment in Microcredit: Evidence from Programs in the United States," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(2), pages 360-376, June.
    29. Goldmark, Lara, 2001. "Microenterprise development in Latin America:: Towards a new flexibility," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 145-149, March.
    30. Rafael Gomez & Eric Santor, 2001. "Membership has its privileges: the effect of social capital and neighbourhood characteristics on the earnings of microfinance borrowers," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 34(4), pages 943-966, November.
    31. Adams, Dale W & Von Pischke, J. D., 1992. "Microenterprise credit programs: Deja vu," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 20(10), pages 1463-1470, October.
    32. Mark M. Pitt & Shahidur R. Khandker, 1998. "The Impact of Group-Based Credit Programs on Poor Households in Bangladesh: Does the Gender of Participants Matter?," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 106(5), pages 958-996, October.
    33. weijland, Hermine, 1999. "Microenterprise Clusters in Rural Indonesia: Industrial Seedbed and Policy Target," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(9), pages 1515-1530, September.
    34. Richard Montgomery, 1996. "Disciplining or protecting the poor? Avoiding the social costs of peer pressure in micro-credit schemes," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 8(2), pages 289-305.
    35. Patten, Richard H. & Rosengard, Jay k. & Johnston, Don JR., 2001. "Microfinance Success Amidst Macroeconomic Failure: The Experience of Bank Rakyat Indonesia During the East Asian Crisis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 1057-1069, June.
    36. Anderson, C. Leigh & Locker, Laura & Nugent, Rachel, 2002. "Microcredit, Social Capital, and Common Pool Resources," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 95-105, January.
    37. Grosh, Barbara & Somolekae, Gloria, 1996. "Mighty oaks from little acorns: Can microenterprise serve as the seedbed of industrialization?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(12), pages 1879-1890, December.
    38. Hollis, Aidan & Sweetman, Arthur, 2001. "The life-cycle of a microfinance institution: the Irish loan funds," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 291-311, November.
    39. Schreiner, Mark & Woller, Gary, 2003. "Microenterprise Development Programs in the United States and in the Developing World," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(9), pages 1567-1580, September.
    40. Hollis, Aidan & Sweetman, Arthur, 1998. "Microcredit: What can we learn from the past?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 26(10), pages 1875-1891, October.
    41. Coleman, Brett E., 1999. "The impact of group lending in Northeast Thailand," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 105-141, October.
    42. Shahidur Khandker & Hussain Samad & Zahed Khan, 1998. "Income and employment effects of micro-credit programmes: Village-level evidence from Bangladesh," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(2), pages 96-124.
    43. P. Mosley, 2001. "Microfinance and Poverty in Bolivia," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(4), pages 101-132.
    44. Petersen, Mitchell A & Rajan, Raghuram G, 1994. "The Benefits of Lending Relationships: Evidence from Small Business Data," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 49(1), pages 3-37, March.
    45. Ghatak, Maitreesh, 1999. "Group lending, local information and peer selection," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 27-50, October.
    46. Pramod K. Mishra, 1994. "Crop insurance and crop credit: Impact of the comprehensive crop insurance scheme on cooperative credit in Gujarat," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 6(5), pages 529-567, September.
    47. Berger, Allen N & Udell, Gregory F, 1995. "Relationship Lending and Lines of Credit in Small Firm Finance," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 68(3), pages 351-381, July.
    48. Marguerite S. Robinson, 1996. "Addressing some key questions on finance and poverty," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 8(2), pages 153-161.
    49. Goetz, Anne Marie & Gupta, Rina Sen, 1996. "Who takes the credit? Gender, power, and control over loan use in rural credit programs in Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 45-63, January.
    50. Mark Wenner, 1995. "Group credit: A means to improve information transfer and loan repayment performance," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(2), pages 263-281.
    51. Pretes, Michael, 2002. "Microequity and Microfinance," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(8), pages 1341-1353, August.
    52. Evans, Timothy G. & Adams, Alayne M. & Mohammed, Rafi & Norris, Alison H., 1999. "Demystifying Nonparticipation in Microcredit: A Population-Based Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 419-430, February.
    53. Mark Schreiner, 2001. "Seven Aspects of Loan Size," Development and Comp Systems 0109001, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    54. Lisa J. Servon, 1997. "Microenterprise Programs in U.S. Inner Cities: Economic Development or Social Welfare?," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 11(2), pages 166-180, May.
    55. Beverly, Sondra G. & Sherraden, Michael, 1999. "Institutional determinants of saving: implications for low-income households and public policy," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 457-473.
    56. Cole, Rebel A., 1998. "The importance of relationships to the availability of credit," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 22(6-8), pages 959-977, August.
    57. Mosley, Paul & Hulme, David, 1998. "Microenterprise finance: Is there a conflict between growth and poverty alleviation?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 26(5), pages 783-790, May.
    58. Alex Eyiah, 2001. "An integrated approach to financing small contractors in developing countries: A conceptual model," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(5), pages 511-518.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gutiérrez-Nieto, Begoña & Serrano-Cinca, Carlos, 2019. "20 years of research in microfinance: An information management approach," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 183-197.
    2. B Gutiérrez-Nieto & C Serrano-Cinca & C Mar Molinero, 2009. "Social efficiency in microfinance institutions," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(1), pages 104-119, January.
    3. Raj Aggarwal & John Goodell, 2013. "Lending to women in microfinance: influence of social trust and national culture Lending to women in microfinance: influence of social trust and national culture," Working Papers (Old Series) 1317, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    4. Namayengo., Faith & van Ophem, Johan A.C. & Antonides, Gerrit, 2016. "Women And Microcredit In Rural Agrarian Households Of Uganda: Match Or Mismatch Between Lender And Borrower?," APSTRACT: Applied Studies in Agribusiness and Commerce, AGRIMBA, vol. 10(2-3), pages 1-12, October.
    5. Hisaki KONO & Kazushi TAKAHASHI, 2010. "Microfinance Revolution: Its Effects, Innovations, And Challenges," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 48(1), pages 15-73, March.
    6. Simon Zaby, 2019. "Science Mapping of the Global Knowledge Base on Microfinance: Influential Authors and Documents, 1989–2019," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-21, July.
    7. Coleman, Brett E., 2006. "Microfinance in Northeast Thailand: Who benefits and how much?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(9), pages 1612-1638, September.
    8. Gloria K. Q. Agyapong, 2015. "Sustainability of Microfinance in Ghana: A Theoretical Perspective," Journal of Empirical Economics, Research Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 4(3), pages 127-137.
    9. Louis, Philippe & Seret, Alex & Baesens, Bart, 2013. "Financial Efficiency and Social Impact of Microfinance Institutions Using Self-Organizing Maps," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 197-210.
    10. Bos, Jaap W.B. & Millone, Matteo, 2015. "Practice What You Preach: Microfinance Business Models and Operational Efficiency," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 28-42.
    11. Ozgur Emre Ergungor, 2010. "Bank Branch Presence and Access to Credit in Low‐ to Moderate‐Income Neighborhoods," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(7), pages 1321-1349, October.
    12. Hulme, David, 2000. "Impact Assessment Methodologies for Microfinance: Theory, Experience and Better Practice," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 79-98, January.
    13. Kangogo, Daniel & Lagat, Job & Ithinji, Gicuru, 2013. "The Influence of Social Capital Dimensions on Household Participation in Micro-Credit Groups and Loan Repayment Performance in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya," MPRA Paper 48624, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Al-Azzam, Moh'd & Mimouni, Karim & Smaoui, Houcem & Temimi, Akram, 2022. "Subsidies vs. deposits and cost inefficiency in microfinance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 212-235.
    15. Chliova, Myrto & Brinckmann, Jan & Rosenbusch, Nina, 2015. "Is microcredit a blessing for the poor? A meta-analysis examining development outcomes and contextual considerations," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 467-487.
    16. Aggarwal, Raj & Goodell, John W. & Selleck, Lauren J., 2015. "Lending to women in microfinance: Role of social trust," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 55-65.
    17. Hollis, Aidan & Sweetman, Arthur, 2004. "Microfinance and Famine: The Irish Loan Funds during the Great Famine," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(9), pages 1509-1523, September.
    18. Tchakoute-Tchuigoua, Hubert, 2012. "Active risk management and loan contract terms: Evidence from rated microfinance institutions," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(4), pages 427-437.
    19. Ulrike Vogelgesang, 2001. "The Impact of Microfinance Loans on the Clients' Enterprises: Caja Los Andes, Bolivia," GK working paper series 2001-03, Post Graduate Programme "Allocation on Financial Markets", University of Mannheim, revised Nov 2001.
    20. Janda, Karel & Zetek, Pavel, 2014. "Mikrofinanční Revoluce: Aktuální Kontroverze A Výzvy [Microfinance Revolution: Recent Controversies And Challenges]," MPRA Paper 54098, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Microfinance; Microcredit;

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
    • L31 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Nonprofit Institutions; NGOs; Social Entrepreneurship
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pep:journl:v:9:y:2004:i:1:p:1-28. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Craig Everett (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/bapepus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.