IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/chi/journl/v1y2012i4p1-20.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Factors enhancing efficiency of microfinance performance in agricultural communities of upper Northern Thailand

Author

Listed:
  • Aree Cheamuangphan

    (Maejo University)

  • Aree Wiboonpongse

    (Chiang Mai University)

  • Songsak Sriboonchitta

    (Chiang Mai University)

Abstract

Efficient savings groups are envisioned to help in improving production capability and livelihoods of the local communities. The present study, thus, has the purposes to evaluate the operational efficiency of savings groups and identity determinants of performance efficiencies of 100 samples of savings groups operating in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces in the upper northern region of Thailand. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method was employed for performance evaluation and the study found the mean efficiency score of all samples to be 0.464. The Tobit regression model application provided the results that the variables having positive relationships at statistically significant level with the operational efficiency of the savings groups were the number of group members, net profit as percentage of total assets, net profit as percentage of share capital, average loan size per member, share capital to total lending ratio, and the financial management capability of the organizational committee; while the deposit-taking to total lending ratio had negative relationship with the performance at statistically significant level. These findings suggest that membership enlargement is imperative for enhancing the efficiency of savings groups due to the economy of scale. It is also recommended that government agencies or public sector entities, in their supports to foster the savings groups operation, place emphasis on providing training on management and administration for the group committee members rather than subsidy.

Suggested Citation

  • Aree Cheamuangphan & Aree Wiboonpongse & Songsak Sriboonchitta, 2012. "Factors enhancing efficiency of microfinance performance in agricultural communities of upper Northern Thailand," The Empirical Econometrics and Quantitative Economics Letters, Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University, vol. 1(4), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:chi:journl:v:1:y:2012:i:4:p:1-20
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.jyoungeconomist.com/images/stories/EEQEL_V1_N4_December_2012_pp_001_020_Cheamuangphan_et_al.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aubert, Cécile & de Janvry, Alain & Sadoulet, Elisabeth, 2009. "Designing credit agent incentives to prevent mission drift in pro-poor microfinance institutions," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 153-162, September.
    2. Hartarska, Valentina M., 2005. "Governance and Performance of Microfinance Institutions in Central and Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States," 2005 International Congress, August 23-27, 2005, Copenhagen, Denmark 24568, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. Thapa, Gopal B. & Rasul, Golam, 2005. "Patterns and determinants of agricultural systems in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 84(3), pages 255-277, June.
    4. Hartarska, Valentina, 2005. "Governance and performance of microfinance institutions in Central and Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(10), pages 1627-1643, October.
    5. Annabel Vanroose, 2008. "What macro factors make microfinance institutions reach out?," Working Papers CEB 08-036.RS, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    6. Berger, Allen N. & Humphrey, David B., 1997. "Efficiency of financial institutions: International survey and directions for future research," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 175-212, April.
    7. Tim Coelli & Sergio Perelman, 2000. "Technical efficiency of European railways: a distance function approach," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(15), pages 1967-1976.
    8. Resti, Andrea, 1997. "Evaluating the cost-efficiency of the Italian Banking System: What can be learned from the joint application of parametric and non-parametric techniques," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 221-250, February.
    9. Shahidur R. Khandker, 2005. "Microfinance and Poverty: Evidence Using Panel Data from Bangladesh," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 19(2), pages 263-286.
    10. Gutiérrez-Nieto, Begoña & Serrano-Cinca, Carlos & Mar Molinero, Cecilio, 2007. "Microfinance institutions and efficiency," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 131-142, April.
    11. Miller, Stephen M. & Noulas, Athanasios G., 1996. "The technical efficiency of large bank production," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 495-509, April.
    12. Unknown, 2005. "Forward," 2005 Conference: Slovenia in the EU - Challenges for Agriculture, Food Science and Rural Affairs, November 10-11, 2005, Moravske Toplice, Slovenia 183804, Slovenian Association of Agricultural Economists (DAES).
    13. Fried, Harold O. & Lovell, C. A. Knox & Yaisawarng, Suthathip, 1999. "The impact of mergers on credit union service provision," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 23(2-4), pages 367-386, February.
    14. Abhiman Das & Saibal Ghosh, 2006. "Financial deregulation and efficiency: An empirical analysis of Indian banks during the post reform period," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(3), pages 193-221.
    15. Hermes, Niels & Lensink, Robert & Mehrteab, Habteab T., 2005. "Peer Monitoring, Social Ties and Moral Hazard in Group Lending Programs: Evidence from Eritrea," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 149-169, January.
    16. Timothy J. Coelli & D.S. Prasada Rao & Christopher J. O’Donnell & George E. Battese, 2005. "An Introduction to Efficiency and Productivity Analysis," Springer Books, Springer, edition 0, number 978-0-387-25895-9, December.
    17. Jonathan Morduch, 1995. "Income Smoothing and Consumption Smoothing," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 9(3), pages 103-114, Summer.
    18. Kevane, Michael & Wydick, Bruce, 2001. "Microenterprise Lending to Female Entrepreneurs: Sacrificing Economic Growth for Poverty Alleviation?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(7), pages 1225-1236, July.
    19. Unknown, 1961. "The Role of Agriculture in Economic Development," International Journal of Agrarian Affairs, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 3(2), pages 1-1, April.
    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. Aree Cheamuangphan & Aree Wiboonpongse & Yaovarate Chaovanapoonphol & Songsak Sriboonchitta, 2013. "Factors enhancing production efficiency of farmer households who are members of saving groups in Upper Northern Thailand," The Empirical Econometrics and Quantitative Economics Letters, Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University, vol. 2(2), pages 71-82, June.
    2. Wijesiri, Mahinda & Yaron, Jacob & Meoli, Michele, 2017. "Assessing the financial and outreach efficiency of microfinance institutions: Do age and size matter?," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 63-76.
    3. Simon Cornée & Gervais Thenet, 2016. "Efficience des institutions de microfinance en Bolivie et au Pérou:une approche data envelopment analysis en deux étapes," Revue Finance Contrôle Stratégie, revues.org, vol. 19(1), pages 65-91, March.
    4. Patrick Van Damme & Mahinda Wijesiri & Michele Meoli, 2016. "Governance and Efficiency of Microfinance Institutions," South Asia Economic Journal, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, vol. 17(2), pages 236-247, September.
    5. Chanita Panmanee & Aree Cheamuangphan & Kasem Kunasri, 2013. "Value perception and consumption of indigenous vegetables," The Empirical Econometrics and Quantitative Economics Letters, Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University, vol. 2(2), pages 101-114, June.
    6. Ather Hassan Dar & Somesh Kumar Mathur & Sila Mishra, 2021. "The Efficiency of Indian Banks: A DEA, Malmquist and SFA Analysis with Bad Output," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 19(4), pages 653-701, December.
    7. Wijesiri, Mahinda & Yaron, Jacob & Meoli, Michele, 2015. "Performance of microfinance institutions in achieving the poverty outreach and financial sustainability: When age and size matter?," MPRA Paper 69821, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. 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.
    9. Hossain, Shahadat & Galbreath, Jeremy & Hasan, Mostafa Monzur & Randøy, Trond, 2020. "Does competition enhance the double-bottom-line performance of microfinance institutions?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    10. Fotios Pasiouras & Aggeliki Liadaki & Constantin Zopounidis, 2008. "Bank efficiency and share performance: evidence from Greece," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(14), pages 1121-1130.
    11. Yimga, Jules, 2018. "Microfinance expansion and its effects on cost efficiency," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 205-216.
    12. Sambracos, Evangelos & Maniati, Marina, 2015. "Technical Efficiency of Shipping Banks: A DEA Approach," MPRA Paper 63131, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Servin, Roselia & Lensink, Robert & van den Berg, Marrit, 2012. "Ownership and technical efficiency of microfinance institutions: Empirical evidence from Latin America," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 2136-2144.
    14. B Gutiérrez-Nieto & C Serrano-Cinca & C Mar Molinero, 2009. "Social efficiency in microfinance institutions," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(1), pages 104-119, January.
    15. Arvind Ashta & Marek Hudon, 2009. "To whom should we be fair? Ethical issues in Balancing Stakeholder Interests from Banco Compartamos Case Study," Working Papers CEB 09-036.RS, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    16. Wijesiri, Mahinda & Viganò, Laura & Meoli, Michele, 2015. "Efficiency of microfinance institutions in Sri Lanka: a two-stage double bootstrap DEA approach," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 74-83.
    17. Bibi, Uzma & Balli, Hatice Ozer & Matthews, Claire D. & Tripe, David W.L., 2018. "Impact of gender and governance on microfinance efficiency," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 307-319.
    18. 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.
    19. Fethi, Meryem Duygun & Pasiouras, Fotios, 2010. "Assessing bank efficiency and performance with operational research and artificial intelligence techniques: A survey," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 204(2), pages 189-198, July.
    20. Hudon, Marek & Périlleux, Anaïs, 2014. "Surplus distribution and characteristics of social enterprises: Evidence from microfinance," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(2), pages 147-157.

    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:chi:journl:v:1:y:2012:i:4:p:1-20. 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: Komsan Suriya (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/fecmuth.html .

    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.