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Repayment And Exclusion In A Microfinance Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Jean-Marie Baland

    (University of Namur BREAD and CEPR)

  • Lata Gangadharan

    (Monash University)

  • Pushkar Maitra

    (Monash University)

  • Rohini Somanathan

    (Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi, India)

Abstract

Microfinance groups often engage in a variety of collective activities not directly related to credit. Groups can sanction members who default on their loans by excluding them from these activities. Our experiment is designed to explore the effectiveness of such sanctions in improving repayment incentives. Groups of 10 members are provided with joint-liability loans for a specific investment project. If groups repay their loans, contributing members have the option of excluding other members and those that remain play a public goods game. By varying loan sizes across groups and allowing for heterogeneous gains from the public good within groups, we identify the role of incentives in repayment decisions. In line with theoretical predictions, groups with the largest repayment burdens have the highest default rates and within groups, individual decisions to contribute to loan repayment depend on gains from the public good game.

Suggested Citation

  • Jean-Marie Baland & Lata Gangadharan & Pushkar Maitra & Rohini Somanathan, 2013. "Repayment And Exclusion In A Microfinance Experiment," Working papers 227, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:cde:cdewps:227
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    Cited by:

    1. Sugato Chakravarty & S. M. Zahid Iqbal & Abu Zafar M. Shahriar, 2013. "Are Women “Naturally” Better Credit Risks in Microcredit? Evidence from Field Experiments in Patriarchal and Matrilineal Societies in Bangladesh," Working Papers 1019, Purdue University, Department of Consumer Sciences.
    2. Alexandra Baier & Loukas Balafoutas & Tarek Jaber-Lopez, 2023. "Ostracism and theft in heterogeneous groups," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 26(1), pages 193-222, March.
    3. Cornée, Simon & Masclet, David, 2022. "Long-term relationships, group lending, and peer monitoring in microfinance: Experimental evidence," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    4. Pilar López-Sánchez & Elena Urquía-Grande & Cristina Campo & Andrés L. Cancer, 2022. "Delving into the Determinants of Default Risk in Savings Groups: Empirical Evidence from Ecuador," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(6), pages 2625-2650, December.
    5. Gabriele Camera & Lukas Hohl & Rolf Weder, 2023. "Inequality as a barrier to economic integration? An experiment," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 26(2), pages 383-411, April.
    6. Baulia, Susmita, 2019. "Take-up of joint and individual liability loans: An analysis with laboratory experiment," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    7. Astrid Dannenberg & Corina Haita-Falah & Sonja Zitzelsberger, 2020. "Voting on the threat of exclusion in a public goods experiment," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 23(1), pages 84-109, March.
    8. Mohamed, Toka S. & Elgammal, Mohammed M., 2023. "Credit risk in Islamic microfinance institutions: The role of women, groups, and rural borrowers," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    9. Susmita Baulia, 2017. "Take-up of joint and individual liability loans: an analysis with laboratory experiments," Discussion Papers 117, Aboa Centre for Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Microfinance; Joint Liability; Social Exclusion; Public Good; Heterogeneous Pro- ductivity; Laboratory Experiments.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C9 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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