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Measuring Microfinance Performance

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  • Roy Mersland

    (UIA - University of Agder)

  • R. Øystein Strøm

Abstract

MFIs are measured according to two dimensions. One is their outreach to poor people, that is, their ability to provide poor families access to financial services. This is the MFIs' social mission. The other dimension is their financial sustainability, that is, their ability to pay their employees, lenders, and other suppliers, in short, their ability to produce a profit from their operations. We set out the main microfinance measures and confirm earlier findings that profitability is rather weak in microfinance, and that operational costs constitute a large part of the total costs. We argue that researchers should put more efforts into identifying the MFI's cost drivers because social outreach is related to high costs and thus difficult to upheld as competition in the industry hardens.

Suggested Citation

  • Roy Mersland & R. Øystein Strøm, 2014. "Measuring Microfinance Performance," Post-Print hal-05222157, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05222157
    DOI: 10.1057/9781137399663_2
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05222157v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Salim, Mir M., 2013. "Revealed objective functions of Microfinance Institutions: Evidence from Bangladesh," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 34-55.
    2. 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.
    3. Hartarska, Valentina & Shen, Xuan & Mersland, Roy, 2013. "Scale economies and input price elasticities in microfinance institutions," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 118-131.
    4. Mark Schreiner, 2002. "Aspects of outreach: a framework for discussion of the social benefits of microfinance," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(5), pages 591-603.
    5. Jonathan Morduch, 1999. "The Microfinance Promise," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 37(4), pages 1569-1614, December.
    6. Beisland, Leif Atle & Mersland, Roy, 2013. "Earnings Quality in the Microfinance Industry," EconStor Open Access Book Chapters, in: Microfinance in Developing Countries: Issues, Policies and Performance Evaluation, pages 83-106, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    7. Valentina Hartarska & Christopher F. Parmeter & Denis Nadolnyak & Beibei Zhu, 2010. "Economies Of Scope For Microfinance: Differences Across Output Measures," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(4), pages 464-481, October.
    8. Mersland, Roy & Randøy, Trond & Strøm, Reidar Øystein, 2011. "The impact of international influence on microbanks’ performance: A global survey," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 20(2), pages 163-176.
    9. Villalonga, Belen & Amit, Raphael, 2006. "How do family ownership, control and management affect firm value?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(2), pages 385-417, May.
    10. Mersland, Roy & Strøm, Reidar Øystein, 2009. "Performance and governance in microfinance institutions," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 33(4), pages 662-669.
    11. Copestake, James, 2007. "Mainstreaming Microfinance: Social Performance Management or Mission Drift?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 1721-1738, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Stephen Zamore & Leif Atle Beisland & Roy Mersland, 2023. "Excessive focus on risk? Non‐performing loans and efficiency of microfinance institutions," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(2), pages 1290-1307, April.
    2. Zamore, Stephen, 2018. "Should microfinance institutions diversify or focus? A global analysis," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 105-119.
    3. D’Espallier, Bert & Goedecke, Jann & Hudon, Marek & Mersland, Roy, 2017. "From NGOs to Banks: Does Institutional Transformation Alter the Business Model of Microfinance Institutions?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 89, pages 19-33.
    4. Abidemi C. Adegboye*, 2023. "Financial Market Environment And Efficiency Of Microfinance Banks In Nigerial," Ilorin Journal of Economic Policy, Department of Economics, University of Ilorin, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14.

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