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Geographical Distance And Moral Hazard In Microcredit: Evidence From Colombia

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  • Andrea F. Presbitero
  • Roberta Rabellotti

Abstract

Recent years have seen an intense and critical debate about the impact of microcredit on entrepreneurial activities and poor households' welfare. This paper suggests that information asymmetries in the ex post loan arrangement between the microfinance institution and local borrowers could partially explain the limited impact of microcredit. The physical distance separating borrowers from the microfinance institution could be considered as a proxy of agency costs, increasing the costs of monitoring and easing moral hazard. The estimation of the effect of distance on the borrower's self‐assessed outcome of a microcredit project in Colombia confirms the presence of moral hazard in the microcredit market, with agency costs increasing with geographical distance. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea F. Presbitero & Roberta Rabellotti, 2014. "Geographical Distance And Moral Hazard In Microcredit: Evidence From Colombia," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(1), pages 91-108, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:26:y:2014:i:1:p:91-108
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    Cited by:

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    3. Akib Khan & Atonu Rabbani, 2015. "Assessing The Spatial Accessibility Of Microfinance In Northern Bangladesh: A Gis Analysis," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(5), pages 842-870, November.
    4. Zhuoya Du & Qian Wang, 2025. "Diffusion or polarization: the spatial spillover of digitalization on urban innovation," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 74(2), pages 1-33, June.
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    6. D’Onofrio, Alexandra & Minetti, Raoul & Murro, Pierluigi, 2019. "Banking development, socioeconomic structure and income inequality," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 428-451.
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    8. Michael Dreyfuss & Yahel Giat & Eran Manes, 2024. "More Quality, Less Trust?," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-18, December.
    9. Nargiza Alimukhamedova & Randall Filer & Jan Hanousek, 2015. "The Importance of Geographic Access for the Impact of Microfinance," CESifo Working Paper Series 5433, CESifo.
    10. JJ. Cao-Alvira & LG Deidda, 2013. "Financial liberalization and the development of microcredit," Working Paper CRENoS 201324, Centre for North South Economic Research, University of Cagliari and Sassari, Sardinia.
    11. Nargiza Alimukhamedova & Randall Filer & Jan Hanousek, 2017. "Themed Issue: Cash Transfers and Microfinance," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 35(5), pages 645-657, September.
    12. repec:luc:wpaper:18-04 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Pino, Gabriel & Herrera, Rodrigo & Rodríguez, Alejandro, 2019. "Geographical spillovers on the relation between risk-taking and market power in the US banking sector," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 351-364.
    14. Francis Awuku Darko, 2016. "Is there a mission drift in microfinance? Some new empirical evidence from Uganda," Studies in Economics 1603, School of Economics, University of Kent.
    15. Mejía Cubillos, Javier, 2013. "Perfil económico del Eje Cafetero. Un análisis con miras a la competitividad territorial [Economic profile of Eje Cafetero. An analysis towards territorial competitiveness]," MPRA Paper 43873, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Silva, Cinthya & Pino, Gabriel, 2024. "Financial inclusion and roof quality: Satellite evidence from Chilean slums," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    17. Castellani, Davide & Afonso, Joana Silva, 2021. "Geographic diversification and credit supply in times of trouble: Evidence from microlending," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 848-859.
    18. Cao-Alvira, José J. & Deidda, Luca G., 2020. "Development of bank microcredit," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    19. Chen, Rui & Huang, Qiqing, 2025. "Supply chain finance and soft budget constraints: A nonlinear threshold effect perspective from China's listed companies," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    20. Rafiatul Adlin Hj Mohd Ruslan & Christopher Gan & Baiding Hu & Nguyen Thi Thieu Quang, 2019. "Accessibility to Microcredit by Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Malaysia," International Journal of Business and Economics, School of Management Development, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan, vol. 18(3), pages 287-305, December.
    21. Jianwen Li & Jinyan Hu, 2022. "Migrants and default: Evidence from China," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 22(3), pages 472-505, September.
    22. Li, Wanli & Lai, Yin & Zhong, Yufen, 2024. "The closer the better: Supplier geographic proximity and corporate information disclosure violation," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(PA).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G29 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Other
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance

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