IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jecomi/v11y2023i3p78-d1085074.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Effect of Financial Development and MFI’s Characteristics on the Efficiency and Sustainability of Micro Financial Institutions

Author

Listed:
  • Mário Nuno Mata

    (ISCAL-Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Avenida Miguel Bombarda 20, 1069-035 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Sayyed Sadaqat Hussain Shah

    (Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Department of Commerce and Finance, Government College University Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Nida Sohail

    (Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Department of Commerce and Finance, Government College University Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Anabela Batista Correira

    (ISCAL-Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Avenida Miguel Bombarda 20, 1069-035 Lisbon, Portugal)

Abstract

The Micro Financial Institutions (MFIs) have been touted as development strategies for Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs) which merits research into the effect of financial development on the efficiency and sustainability of the MFIs. The Efficient and sustainable MFIs significantly paved the way for the economic development of a country particularly in developing countries. Surprisingly there are very rare studies that examine the nexus of financial development, MFIs efficiency, and sustainability. Also, these studies are confined to the impact of financial development either on the efficiency or sustainability of MFIs. Addressing this gap, the study attempts to explore the country-specific and MFIs-specific factors which significantly affect the efficiency and sustainability of the MFIs. For this purpose, the study first determines whether financial development contributes to the efficiency and sustainability of MFI. Secondly, the effect of MFIs’ specific characteristics such as credit risk, market risk, liquidity risk, lending strategy, Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) funds management, financial outreach, and poverty alleviation on the efficiency and sustainability of MFIs. The study has been conducted for Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan consisting of a panel data set of 12 MFIs over a period spanning from 2008–2018 using Stochastic Frontier Analysis and Cobb Douglas production function regression analysis. Overall empirical analysis reveals that financial development has significantly affected the efficiency and sustainability of the MFIs. While specific characteristics such as poverty alleviation and DFIs funds management have been shown to improve MFIs efficiency whereas an increase in credit risk, lending strategy, and market risk decrease MFIs sustainability and liquidity risk along with an increase in financial outreach leads to a decrease in MFIs efficiency. The directions and magnitudes of the findings suggest the stakeholders for all three countries for the significant direction leads to the efficiency and sustainability of MFIs. Moreover, future research could strive to understand the aspects of financial development which negatively correlate with the MFIs’ efficiency and sustainability such as stringent tax policies, creditor rights protection, and implementation of rules and regulations.

Suggested Citation

  • Mário Nuno Mata & Sayyed Sadaqat Hussain Shah & Nida Sohail & Anabela Batista Correira, 2023. "The Effect of Financial Development and MFI’s Characteristics on the Efficiency and Sustainability of Micro Financial Institutions," Economies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jecomi:v:11:y:2023:i:3:p:78-:d:1085074
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7099/11/3/78/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7099/11/3/78/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mutarindwa, Samuel & Siraj, Ibrahim & Stephan, Andreas, 2021. "Ownership and bank efficiency in Africa: True fixed effects stochastic frontier analysis," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    2. Pasquale Marcello Falcone, 2018. "Green investment strategies and bank-firm relationship: a firm-level analysis," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 38(4), pages 2225-2239.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. Lei, Jin & Qiu, Jiaping & Wan, Chi, 2018. "Asset tangibility, cash holdings, and financial development," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 223-242.
    6. Wu, Hong, 2022. "Trade openness, green finance and natural resources: A literature review," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    7. 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.
    8. Mira Nurmakhanova & Gavin Kretzschmar & Hassouna Fedhila, 2015. "Trade-off between financial sustainability and outreach of microfinance institutions," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 5(2), pages 231-250, December.
    9. Hermes, Niels & Lensink, Robert & Meesters, Aljar, 2011. "Outreach and Efficiency of Microfinance Institutions," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 938-948, June.
    10. Roberts, Peter W., 2013. "The Profit Orientation of Microfinance Institutions and Effective Interest Rates," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 120-131.
    11. Pasquale Marcello Falcone, 2020. "Environmental regulation and green investments: the role of green finance," International Journal of Green Economics, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 14(2), pages 159-173.
    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. Niels Hermes & Marek Hudon, 2018. "Determinants Of The Performance Of Microfinance Institutions: A Systematic Review," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(5), pages 1483-1513, December.
    2. N’Guessan, Marie Noëlle & Hartarska, Valentina, 2021. "Funding for BOP in Emerging Markets: Organizational Forms and Capital Structures of Microfinance Institutions," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    3. Sefa Awaworyi Churchill, 2020. "Microfinance financial sustainability and outreach: is there a trade-off?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(3), pages 1329-1350, September.
    4. 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.
    5. Hermes, Cornelis & Hudon, M., 2018. "Determinants of the Performance of Microfinance Institutions: A Systematic Review," Research Report 2018008, University of Groningen, Research Institute SOM (Systems, Organisations and Management).
    6. 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.
    7. Maxime LEBOVICS & Niels HERMES & Marek HUDON, 2016. "Are Financial And Social Efficiency Mutually Exclusive? A Case Study Of Vietnamese Microfinance Institutions," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 87(1), pages 55-77, December.
    8. Janda, Karel & Zetek, Pavel, 2014. "Survey of Microfinance Controversies and Challenges," MPRA Paper 56657, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. 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.
    10. Moez Bennouri & Anastasia Cozarenco & Samuel Anokye Nyarko, 2024. "Women on Boards and Performance Trade-offs in Social Enterprises: Insights from Microfinance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 190(1), pages 165-198, February.
    11. Chen, Minju & Wang, Chengbin, 2024. "How business model innovation facilitates microcredit in balancing social mission with commercial performance - evidence from local commercial banks," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    12. Begoña Gutiérrez-Nieto & Carlos Serrano-Cinca & Beatriz Cuéllar-Fernández & Yolanda Fuertes-Callén, 2017. "The Poverty Penalty and Microcredit," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 133(2), pages 455-475, September.
    13. Delaram Najmaei Lonbani & Bram De Rock, 2020. "The performance of microfinance institutions: An analysis of the local and legal constraints," Working Papers CEB 20-011, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    14. Djibril Faye & Zaka Ratsimalahelo, 2022. "Dynamic analysis of the interest rate determinant in microfinance institutions," Working Papers 2022-09, CRESE.
    15. Carlos Serrano-Cinca & Begoña Gutiérrez-Nieto & Beatriz Cuéllar Fernández & Yolanda Fuertes-Callén, 2013. "Poverty penalty and microfinance," Working Papers CEB 13-029, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    16. Nyarko, Samuel Anokye, 2022. "Gender discrimination and lending to women: The moderating effect of an international founder," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(4).
    17. 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.
    18. Manojit Chattopadhyay & Subrata Kumar Mitra, 2017. "Applicability and effectiveness of classifications models for achieving the twin objectives of growth and outreach of microfinance institutions," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 451-474, December.
    19. Fan, Yaoyao & John, Kose & Liu, Frank Hong & Tamanni, Luqyan, 2019. "Security design, incentives, and Islamic microfinance: Cross country evidence," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 264-280.
    20. Solomon Bizuayehu Wassie & Hitoshi Kusakari & Masahiro Sumimoto, 2019. "Performance of Microfinance Institutions in Ethiopia: Integrating Financial and Social Metrics," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-13, April.

    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:gam:jecomi:v:11:y:2023:i:3:p:78-:d:1085074. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.