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Microcredit Services to Reduce Vulnerabilities in Italy: An Exploratory Study Using Focus Groups

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  • Andrea Calzolari
  • Domenica Federico
  • Antonella Notte
  • Lucia Poletti
  • Giulio Tagliavini

Abstract

The development and promotion of microfinance services has been viewed as a key policy and program intervention for poverty reduction and bottom up economic and social local development. This study aims to analyze critically the role of microcredit in Italy as a tool to facilitate the credit access to vulnerable people and help them establish or expand a business. Using focus groups, the research analyses the mechanisms through which the involvement in microcredit operations results in positive (and negative) effects on people’s lives. During the group discussion, microcredit emerges as a positive instrument representing a great opportunity to allow people to find a form of employment, in the respect of the human rights. The credit seems to be even more important for young and migrants as a way to become independent economically, to start playing a new role in the society. However, the initial support and the following assistance during the loan term emerge as fundamental elements for the success of microloans, not only for the most vulnerable borrowers. These results suggest that effective microcredit policies should support the provision of non-financial services along with microcredit.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Calzolari & Domenica Federico & Antonella Notte & Lucia Poletti & Giulio Tagliavini, 2023. "Microcredit Services to Reduce Vulnerabilities in Italy: An Exploratory Study Using Focus Groups," American Journal of Economics and Business Administration, Science Publications, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:abk:jajeba:ajebasp.2023.1.12
    DOI: 10.3844/ajebasp.2023.1.12
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Grazioli, Riccardo & Pizzo, Giampietro & Poletti, Lucia & Tagliavini, Giulio & Timpano, Francesco, 2020. "The Social Return on Investment (SROI) of four microfinance projects," EIF Working Paper Series 2020/65, European Investment Fund (EIF).
    2. Arbolino, Roberta & Carlucci, Fabio & Cirà, Andrea & Yigitcanlar, Tan & Ioppolo, Giuseppe, 2018. "Mitigating regional disparities through microfinancing: An analysis of microcredit as a sustainability tool for territorial development in Italy," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 281-288.
    3. Glantz, Morton, 2014. "Navigating the Business Loan," Elsevier Monographs, Elsevier, edition 1, number 9780128016985.
    4. Rachael Meager, 2019. "Understanding the Average Impact of Microcredit Expansions: A Bayesian Hierarchical Analysis of Seven Randomized Experiments," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(1), pages 57-91, January.
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