IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/intman/v29y2023i6s1075425323000650.html

Expanding Inclusive Markets through Corruption Control: A Multilevel Modeling Analysis for a Grand Challenge

Author

Listed:
  • Sun, Sunny Li
  • Ding, Zhujun
  • Joseph, George

Abstract

To tackle the grand challenge of poverty alleviation, we investigate the role of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in fostering inclusive markets amid the influence of corruption. Corruption hampers MFI's efforts to reach out to women and the poor, leading to increased costs and resource wastage. Specifically, corruption negatively impacts financial inclusivity by affecting service costs, female borrower inclusion, and loan officer effectiveness. By adopting an institution-based view, we propose that corruption control can counteract this negative effect by enhancing information transmission and stakeholder cooperation within microfinance, thereby promoting inclusivity. Corruption control also moderates the effects of three firm-level factors, namely service cost, female borrowers, and loan officers on expanding inclusive markets. Leveraging a panel data set of 618 MFIs across 30 developing countries from 2005 to 2011, we employ multilevel modeling and find a positive association between corruption control and the breadth of MFIs' outreach.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun, Sunny Li & Ding, Zhujun & Joseph, George, 2023. "Expanding Inclusive Markets through Corruption Control: A Multilevel Modeling Analysis for a Grand Challenge," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 29(6).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intman:v:29:y:2023:i:6:s1075425323000650
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intman.2023.101068
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1075425323000650
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.intman.2023.101068?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. La Porta, Rafael & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert, 1999. "The Quality of Government," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(1), pages 222-279, April.
    2. Niels Hermes & Robert Lensink, 2007. "The empirics of microfinance: what do we know?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(517), pages 1-10, February.
    3. Ivan Montiel & Bryan W. Husted & Petra Christmann, 2012. "Using private management standard certification to reduce information asymmetries in corrupt environments," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(9), pages 1103-1113, September.
    4. Luminita Postelnicu & Niels Hermes, 2018. "Microfinance Performance and Social Capital: A Cross-Country Analysis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(2), pages 427-445, December.
    5. Kit-Chun Lam & Guicheng Shi & Guicheng Shi, 2008. "Factors Affecting Ethical Attitudes in Mainland China and Hong Kong," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 77(4), pages 463-479, February.
    6. Rafael La Porta & Andrei Shleifer, 2014. "Informality and Development," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 28(3), pages 109-126, Summer.
    7. Safavian, Mehnaz S. & Graham, Douglas H. & Gonzalez-Vega, Claudio, 2001. "Corruption and Microenterprises in Russia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(7), pages 1215-1224, July.
    8. Hudon, Marek & Sandberg, Joakim, 2013. "The Ethical Crisis in Microfinance: Issues, Findings, and Implications," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 23(4), pages 561-589, October.
    9. Ute Stephan & Lorraine M Uhlaner & Christopher Stride, 2015. "Institutions and social entrepreneurship: The role of institutional voids, institutional support, and institutional configurations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(3), pages 308-331, April.
    10. Ranjan Vaidya, 2019. "Corruption, Re-corruption and What Transpires in Between: The Case of a Government Officer in India," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(3), pages 605-620, May.
    11. Cuervo-Cazurra, Alvaro, 2016. "Corruption in international business," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 35-49.
    12. Gerard George & Anita M. McGahan & Jaideep Prabhu, 2012. "Innovation for Inclusive Growth: Towards a Theoretical Framework and a Research Agenda," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(4), pages 661-683, June.
    13. Margarethe F. Wiersema & Harry P. Bowen, 2009. "The use of limited dependent variable techniques in strategy research: issues and methods," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(6), pages 679-692, June.
    14. Ahlin, Christian & Lin, Jocelyn & Maio, Michael, 2011. "Where does microfinance flourish? Microfinance institution performance in macroeconomic context," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(2), pages 105-120, July.
    15. Robert Cull & Asli Demirguç-Kunt & Jonathan Morduch, 2007. "Financial performance and outreach: a global analysis of leading microbanks," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(517), pages 107-133, February.
    16. Annabel Vanroose & Bert D’Espallier, 2013. "Do microfinance institutions accomplish their mission? Evidence from the relationship between traditional financial sector development and microfinance institutions’ outreach and performance," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(15), pages 1965-1982, May.
    17. Subrata Chakrabarty & A. Bass, 2014. "Institutionalizing Ethics in Institutional Voids: Building Positive Ethical Strength to Serve Women Microfinance Borrowers in Negative Contexts," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 119(4), pages 529-542, February.
    18. Michael Breen & Robert Gillanders & Gemma Mcnulty & Akisato Suzuki, 2017. "Gender and Corruption in Business," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(9), pages 1486-1501, September.
    19. Valentina Hartarska & Denis Nadolnyak, 2007. "Do regulated microfinance institutions achieve better sustainability and outreach? Cross-country evidence," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(10), pages 1207-1222.
    20. Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra, 2006. "Who cares about corruption?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 37(6), pages 807-822, November.
    21. Sunny Li Sun & Junyon Im, 2015. "Cutting Microfinance Interest Rates: An Opportunity Co–Creation Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(1), pages 101-128, January.
    22. Safavian, Mehnaz S. & Sheldon, Ian M. & Graham, Douglas H. & Gonzalez-Vega, Claudio, 2001. "The Differential Impact Of Corruption On Microenterprises In Russia," 2001 Annual meeting, August 5-8, Chicago, IL 20495, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    23. Junyon Im & Sunny Sun, 2015. "Profits and outreach to the poor: The institutional logics of microfinance institutions," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 95-117, March.
    24. Yu Hao & Wei Wei & Chun-Ping Chang, 2018. "Are women more likely than men to oppose corruption in China? Not yet," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(3), pages 152-157, February.
    25. Mohammad I. Azim & Ron Kluvers, 2019. "Resisting Corruption in Grameen Bank," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(3), pages 591-604, May.
    26. Jingtao Yi & Shuang Meng & Craig D. Macaulay & Mike W. Peng, 2019. "Correction to: Corruption and foreign direct investment phases: The moderating role of institutions," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 2(3), pages 272-274, September.
    27. Peter Rodriguez & Donald S Siegel & Amy Hillman & Lorraine Eden, 2006. "Three lenses on the multinational enterprise: politics, corruption, and corporate social responsibility," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 37(6), pages 733-746, November.
    28. Hermes, Niels & Lensink, Robert & Meesters, Aljar, 2011. "Outreach and Efficiency of Microfinance Institutions," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 938-948, June.
    29. 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.
    30. DeanS. Karlan, 2007. "Social connections and group banking," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(517), pages 52-84, February.
    31. Karhunen, Päivi & Ledyaeva, Svetlana, 2012. "Corruption Distance, Anti-corruption Laws and International Ownership Strategies in Russia," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 196-208.
    32. Bryan W. Husted & Dima Jamali & Walid Saffar, 2016. "Near and dear? The role of location in CSR engagement," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(10), pages 2050-2070, October.
    33. Johanna Mair & Ignasi Marti & Marc Ventresca, 2012. "Building Inclusive Markets in Rural Bangladesh : How Intermediaries Work Institutional Voids," Post-Print hal-02312706, HAL.
    34. Branisa, Boris & Klasen, Stephan & Ziegler, Maria, 2013. "Gender Inequality in Social Institutions and Gendered Development Outcomes," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 252-268.
    35. Sun, Sunny Li & Liang, Hao, 2021. "Globalization and affordability of microfinance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(1).
    36. Hongbin Cai & Hanming Fang & Lixin Colin Xu, 2011. "Eat, Drink, Firms, Government: An Investigation of Corruption from the Entertainment and Travel Costs of Chinese Firms," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 54(1), pages 55-78.
    37. Johann Graf Lambsdorff, 2003. "How Corruption Affects Productivity," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(4), pages 457-474, November.
    38. Per Davidsson & Johan Wiklund, 2007. "Levels of Analysis in Entrepreneurship Research: Current Research Practice and Suggestions for the Future," Springer Books, in: Álvaro Cuervo & Domingo Ribeiro & Salvador Roig (ed.), Entrepreneurship, pages 245-265, Springer.
    39. Ulf Andersson & Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra & Bo Bernhard Nielsen, 2014. "From the Editors: Explaining interaction effects within and across levels of analysis," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(9), pages 1063-1071, December.
    40. Jingtao Yi & Shuang Meng & Craig D. Macaulay & Mike W. Peng, 2019. "Corruption and foreign direct investment phases: The moderating role of institutions," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 2(2), pages 167-181, June.
    41. Christian Ahlin & RobertM. Townsend, 2007. "Using Repayment Data to Test Across Models of Joint Liability Lending," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(517), pages 11-51, February.
    42. Mauro, Paolo, 1998. "Corruption and the composition of government expenditure," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 263-279, June.
    43. Charles JP Chen & Yuan Ding & Chansog (Francis) Kim, 2010. "High-level politically connected firms, corruption, and analyst forecast accuracy around the world," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(9), pages 1505-1524, December.
    44. Islam, Asadul & Nguyen, Chau & Smyth, Russell, 2015. "Does microfinance change informal lending in village economies? Evidence from Bangladesh," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 141-156.
    45. Ahlin, Christian & Pang, Jiaren, 2008. "Are financial development and corruption control substitutes in promoting growth?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(2), pages 414-433, June.
    46. Joshua K. Ault & Andrew Spicer, 2014. "The institutional context of poverty: State fragility as a predictor of cross-national variation in commercial microfinance lending," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(12), pages 1818-1838, December.
    47. Joshua K Ault, 2016. "An institutional perspective on the social outcome of entrepreneurship: Commercial microfinance and inclusive markets," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(8), pages 951-967, October.
    48. Joshua K. Ault & Andrew Spicer, 2020. "State fragility as a multi-dimensional construct for international entrepreneurship research and practice," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 981-1011, December.
    49. Cassandra E DiRienzo & Jayoti Das & Kathryn T Cort & John Burbridge, 2007. "Corruption and the role of information," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(2), pages 320-332, March.
    50. Hartarska, Valentina & Mersland, Roy, 2012. "Which Governance Mechanisms Promote Efficiency in Reaching Poor Clients? Evidence from Rated Microfinance Institutions," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 18(2), pages 218-239.
    51. Luo, Yadong, 2005. "An Organizational Perspective of Corruption1," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(1), pages 119-154, March.
    52. Stiglitz, Joseph E, 1990. "Peer Monitoring and Credit Markets," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 4(3), pages 351-366, September.
    53. Weilei (Stone) Shi & Sunny Li Sun & Daying Yan & Zhu Zhu, 2017. "Institutional fragility and outward foreign direct investment from China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(4), pages 452-476, May.
    54. Sun, Sunny Li & Chen, Victor Z. & Sunny, Sanwar A. & Chen, Jie, 2019. "Venture capital as an innovation ecosystem engineer in an emerging market," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 1-1.
    55. Marc J. Epstein & Kristi Yuthas, 2011. "The Critical Role Of Trust In Microfinance Success: Identifying Problems And Solutions," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 16(04), pages 477-497.
    56. Fisman, Raymond & Svensson, Jakob, 2007. "Are corruption and taxation really harmful to growth? Firm level evidence," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(1), pages 63-75, May.
    57. Garry D Bruton & Susanna Khavul & Helmuth Chavez, 2011. "Microlending in emerging economies: Building a new line of inquiry from the ground up," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(5), pages 718-739, June.
    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. Sun, Sunny Li & Liang, Hao, 2021. "Globalization and affordability of microfinance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(1).
    2. 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.
    3. Junyon Im & Sunny Sun, 2015. "Profits and outreach to the poor: The institutional logics of microfinance institutions," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 95-117, March.
    4. Sunny Li Sun & Junyon Im, 2015. "Cutting Microfinance Interest Rates: An Opportunity Co–Creation Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(1), pages 101-128, January.
    5. Sommeno, Tigist Woldetsadik & Mersland, Roy & Randøy, Trond, 2025. "The impact of debt: International versus local debt in microfinance organizations," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    6. Godfred Adjapong Afrifa & Joseph Amankwah-Amoah & Adolf Acquaye & Fred A Yamoah & Fredah G Mwiti, 2024. "Small sums, big impact: Corruption and microfinance institutions," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 45(1), pages 164-199, February.
    7. Karel Janda & Pavel Zetek, 2015. "Mikrofinanční revoluce: kontroverze a výzvy [Microfinance Revolution: Controversies and Challenges]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2015(1), pages 108-130.
    8. Dilruba Khanam & Muhammad Mohiuddin & Asadul Hoque & Olaf Weber, 2018. "Financing micro-entrepreneurs for poverty alleviation: a performance analysis of microfinance services offered by BRAC, ASA, and Proshika from Bangladesh," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 8(1), pages 1-17, December.
    9. Chengguang Li & Jeffrey J. Reuer, 2022. "The impact of corruption on market reactions to international strategic alliances," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(1), pages 187-202, February.
    10. Katarzyna Burzynska & Olle Berggren, 2015. "The Impact of Social Beliefs on Microfinance Performance," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(7), pages 1074-1097, October.
    11. Sutter, Christopher & Bruton, Garry D. & Chen, Juanyi, 2019. "Entrepreneurship as a solution to extreme poverty: A review and future research directions," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 197-214.
    12. Aluko, Bukola & Garri, Myropi & Owalla, Beldina & Kim, Jae-Yeon & Pickernell, David, 2024. "Informal institutions’ influence on FDI flows: A configurational fsQCA analysis of corruption as part of the MNEs’ FDI motivation system," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(6).
    13. 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.
    14. 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.
    15. Peter Simmons & Nongnuch Tantisantiwong, 2018. "Evaluation of Individual and Group Lending under Asymmetric information," Discussion Papers 18/01, Department of Economics, University of York.
    16. Janda, Karel & Zetek, Pavel, 2014. "Survey of Microfinance Controversies and Challenges," MPRA Paper 56657, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Nyarko, Samuel Anokye, 2022. "Gender discrimination and lending to women: The moderating effect of an international founder," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(4).
    18. Fall, François & Akim, Al-mouksit & Wassongma, Harouna, 2018. "DEA and SFA research on the efficiency of microfinance institutions: A meta-analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 176-188.
    19. Peter J. Simmons & Nongnuch Tantisantiwong, 2022. "The Socially Optimal Loan Auditing with Multiple Projects," Discussion Papers 22/07, Department of Economics, University of York.
    20. Dorfleitner, Gregor & Röhe, Michaela & Renier, Noémie, 2017. "The access of microfinance institutions to debt capital: An empirical investigation of microfinance investment vehicles," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 1-15.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:eee:intman:v:29:y:2023:i:6:s1075425323000650. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/601266/description#description .

    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.