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Microfinance Over-Indebtedness: Understanding its drivers and challenging the common myths

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  • Jessica Schicks

Abstract

The microfinance industry has been celebrated both for its social impact on poverty alleviation and for its profitability. With issues of over-indebtedness emerging among microfinance customers, both achievements are at risk. This paper contributes to the industry's understanding of the definition and causes of over-indebtedness. It reveals why the 5 myths of microfinance over-indebtedness erroneously oversimplify the reality of microfinance customers. The paper works with theoretical and empirical contributions from economics, psychology and sociology, and unites microfinance specific findings with the general consumer finance literature. In addition to external influences, it highlights the responsibility of lenders in driving microfinance customers into over-indebtedness. It also recognises the role that borrowers involuntarily play in over-indebting themselves. Enhancing our understanding of what microfinance over-indebtedness is and how it is caused, the paper provides the basis for tailoring over-indebtedness solutions to the root causes of the phenomenon and addressing the challenge at all suitable levels. Latest version (June 2011) :http://www.solvay.edu/sites/upload/files/CEB_WorkingPapers/LastUpdate/wp10048.pdf

Suggested Citation

  • Jessica Schicks, 2010. "Microfinance Over-Indebtedness: Understanding its drivers and challenging the common myths," Working Papers CEB 10-048, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    • Handle: RePEc:sol:wpaper:2013/64675
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Isabelle Guérin & Marc Roesch & Ophélie Héliès & Govindan Venkatasubramanian, 2009. "Microfinance, Endettement Et Surendettement. Une Étude De Cas En Inde Du Sud," Revue Tiers-Monde, Armand Colin, vol. 0(1), pages 131-146.
    6. Suresh de Mel & David McKenzie & Christopher Woodruff, 2009. "Are Women More Credit Constrained? Experimental Evidence on Gender and Microenterprise Returns," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 1(3), pages 1-32, July.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Microfinance Over-Indebtedness: Naming the beast and nailing the concept
      by Jessica Schicks in CGAP Microfinance Blog on 2011-02-01 05:17:08
    2. Save the Date: Bateman-Roodman Debate
      by philmader in governance across borders on 2012-01-23 20:50:12

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    Cited by:

    1. Jessica Schicks, 2013. "From a Supply Gap to a Demand Gap? The Risk and Consequences of Over-indebting the Underbanked," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Jean-Pierre Gueyie & Ronny Manos & Jacob Yaron (ed.), Microfinance in Developing Countries, chapter 8, pages 152-177, Palgrave Macmillan.
    2. Marion Allet, 2014. "Why Do Microfinance Institutions Go Green? An Exploratory Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(3), pages 405-424, July.
    3. Jessica Schicks, 2013. "The over-indebtedness of microfinance customers: an analysis from the customer protection perspective," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/209525, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    4. Jessica Schicks, 2013. "The Sacrifices of Micro-Borrowers in Ghana -- A Customer-Protection Perspective on Measuring Over-Indebtedness," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(9), pages 1238-1255, September.
    5. Winkler, Adalbert & Wagner, Charlotte, 2013. "Growth patterns of microfinance clients - Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," VfS Annual Conference 2013 (Duesseldorf): Competition Policy and Regulation in a Global Economic Order 79945, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    6. Schicks, Jessica, 2014. "Over-Indebtedness in Microfinance – An Empirical Analysis of Related Factors on the Borrower Level," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 301-324.
    7. Terberger, Eva, 2012. "The Microfinance Approach: Does it Deliver on its Promise?," Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 66(4), pages 358-370.
    8. Nudrat Faria Shreya, 2021. "Are Two Sources of Credit better than One?: Credit Access and Debt among Microfinance Clients in Bangladesh," Studies in Economics 2103, School of Economics, University of Kent.
    9. Khandker, Shahidur R. & Faruqee, Rashid & Samad, Hussain A., 2013. "Are microcredit borrowers in Bangladesh over-indebted ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6574, The World Bank.
    10. Bouyon, Sylvain & Musmeci, Roberto, 2016. "Two Dimensions of Combating Over-Indebtedness: Consumer protection and financial stability," ECRI Papers 11930, Centre for European Policy Studies.
    11. Jebarajakirthy, Charles & Lobo, Antonio C., 2014. "War affected youth as consumers of microcredit: An application and extension of the Theory of Planned Behaviour," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 239-248.
    12. Bert D'Espallier & Marek Hudon & Ariane Szafarz, 2016. "Aid Volatility and Social Performance in Microfinance," Working Papers CEB 16-015, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    13. Godfroid, Cécile & Otiti, Naome & Mersland, Roy, 2022. "Employee tenure and staff performance: The case of a social enterprise," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 457-467.
    14. Maren Duvendack & Philip Mader, 2020. "Impact Of Financial Inclusion In Low‐ And Middle‐Income Countries: A Systematic Review Of Reviews," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(3), pages 594-629, July.
    15. Bos, Jaap W.B. & Millone, Matteo, 2015. "Practice What You Preach: Microfinance Business Models and Operational Efficiency," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 28-42.
    16. Maren Duvendack & Philip Mader, 2018. "PROTOCOL: Impact of financial inclusion in low‐ and middle‐income countries: a systematic review of reviews," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 14(1), pages 1-58.
    17. Abhi Dattasharma & Rajalaxmi Kamath & Smita Ramanathan, 2016. "The Burden of Microfinance Debt: Lessons from the Ramanagaram Financial Diaries," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 47(1), pages 130-156, January.
    18. Md. Nur Alam Siddik, 2017. "The Does Financial Inclusion Promote Women Empowerment? Evidence from Bangladesh," Applied Economics and Finance, Redfame publishing, vol. 4(4), pages 169-177, July.
    19. Matteo Marinangeli & Andrea Filippo Presbitero, 2011. "Can the Poor Save More? Evidence from Bangladesh," Mo.Fi.R. Working Papers 57, Money and Finance Research group (Mo.Fi.R.) - Univ. Politecnica Marche - Dept. Economic and Social Sciences.
    20. Fanny Salignac & Axelle Marjolin & Rebecca Reeve & Kristy Muir, 2019. "Conceptualizing and Measuring Financial Resilience: A Multidimensional Framework," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 145(1), pages 17-38, August.
    21. Maneka Jayasinghe & Eliyathamby A. Selvanathan & Saroja Selvanathan, 2020. "The Financial Resilience and Life Satisfaction Nexus of Indigenous Australians," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 39(4), pages 336-352, December.
    22. Michael Hamp & Carolina Laureti, 2011. "Balancing flexibility and discipline in microfinance: Innovative financial products that benefit clients and service providers," Working Papers CEB 11-044, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    23. Sk. Mahmudul Alam, Mahmud, 2012. "Does Microcredit Create Over-indebtedness?," MPRA Paper 39124, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Microfinance; Microcredit; Over-Indebtedness; Debt; Customer Protection; Consumer Finance; Behavioural Economics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
    • O50 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - General
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages

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