IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/empeco/v59y2020i3d10.1007_s00181-019-01709-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Microfinance financial sustainability and outreach: is there a trade-off?

Author

Listed:
  • Sefa Awaworyi Churchill

    (RMIT University)

Abstract

The financial sustainability of microfinance institutions (MFIs) is crucial for the continual existence of the microfinance industry. As a result, emphasis has been placed on the financial sustainability of MFIs over the past few years. However, with the primary goal of the industry being the attainment of social outreach, the emphasis on financial sustainability has raised concerns about a potential adverse effect on outreach. Using data on 1595 MFIs in 109 countries, we examine if there is a trade-off between financial sustainability and outreach. The evidence shows that there is a trade-off between sustainability and outreach depth, but complementarity between sustainability and outreach breadth.

Suggested Citation

  • Sefa Awaworyi Churchill, 2020. "Microfinance financial sustainability and outreach: is there a trade-off?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(3), pages 1329-1350, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:empeco:v:59:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s00181-019-01709-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s00181-019-01709-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00181-019-01709-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s00181-019-01709-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael Delgado & Christopher Parmeter & Valentina Hartarska & Roy Mersland, 2015. "Should all microfinance institutions mobilize microsavings? Evidence from economies of scope," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 193-225, February.
    2. Hudon, Marek & Traca, Daniel, 2011. "On the Efficiency Effects of Subsidies in Microfinance: An Empirical Inquiry," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 966-973, June.
    3. 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.
    4. Valentina Hartarska & Denis Nadolnyak & Roy Mersland, 2014. "Are Women Better Bankers to the Poor? Evidence from Rural Microfinance Institutions," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 96(5), pages 1291-1306.
    5. Gregory G. Dess & Richard B. Robinson, 1984. "Measuring organizational performance in the absence of objective measures: The case of the privately‐held firm and conglomerate business unit," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(3), pages 265-273, July.
    6. Mersland, Roy & Strøm, R. Øystein, 2010. "Microfinance Mission Drift?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 28-36, January.
    7. Jay K. Rosengard, 2004. "Banking on Social Entrepreneurship : The Commercialization of Microfinance," Mondes en développement, De Boeck Université, vol. 126(2), pages 25-36.
    8. 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.
    9. Navajas, Sergio & Schreiner, Mark & Meyer, Richard L. & Gonzalez-vega, Claudio & Rodriguez-meza, Jorge, 2000. "Microcredit and the Poorest of the Poor: Theory and Evidence from Bolivia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 333-346, February.
    10. Kent, Derin & Dacin, M. Tina, 2013. "Bankers at the gate: Microfinance and the high cost of borrowed logics," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 759-773.
    11. Morduch, Jonathan, 1999. "The role of subsidies in microfinance: evidence from the Grameen Bank," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 229-248, October.
    12. Hermes, Niels & Lensink, Robert & Meesters, Aljar, 2011. "Outreach and Efficiency of Microfinance Institutions," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 938-948, June.
    13. Shakil Quayes, 2012. "Depth of outreach and financial sustainability of microfinance institutions," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(26), pages 3421-3433, September.
    14. 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.
    15. Phoebus J. Dhrymes, 1973. "A Simple Proof of the Asymptotic Efficiency of 3SLS Relative to 2SLS Estimators," UCLA Economics Working Papers 034, UCLA Department of Economics.
    16. Robert Cull & Asli Demirguç-Kunt & Jonathan Morduch, 2007. "Financial performance and outreach: a global analysis of leading microbanks," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(517), pages 107-133, February.
    17. Sanju Adhikary & George Papachristou, 2014. "Is there a trade-off between financial performance and outreach in south asian Microfinance institutions?," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 48(4), pages 381-402, October-D.
    18. Ashim Kumar Kar, 2013. "Mission drift in microfinance: are the concerns really worrying? Recent cross-country results," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(1), pages 44-60, January.
    19. Brigit Helms, 2006. "Access for All : Building Inclusive Financial Systems," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6973.
    20. KAI, Hisako, 2009. "Competition and Wide Outreach of Microfinance Institutions," MPRA Paper 17143, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    21. J. D. Von Pischke, 1996. "Measuring the trade-off between outreach and sustainability of microenterprise lenders," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 8(2), pages 225-239.
    22. Galema, Rients & Lensink, Robert & Spierdijk, Laura, 2011. "International diversification and Microfinance," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 507-515, April.
    23. 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.
    24. Marek Hudon, 2010. "Management of microfinance institutions: Do subsidies matter?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(7), pages 890-905.
    25. Sefa Awaworyi Churchill, 2017. "Microfinance and Ethnic Diversity," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 93(300), pages 112-141, March.
    26. Valentina Hartarska & Denis Nadolnyak, 2007. "Do regulated microfinance institutions achieve better sustainability and outreach? Cross-country evidence," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(10), pages 1207-1222.
    27. Samuel Kobina Annim, 2012. "Microfinance Efficiency: Trade-Offs and Complementarities between the Objectives of Microfinance Institutions and Their Performance Perspectives," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 24(5), pages 788-807, December.
    28. D’Espallier, Bert & Hudon, Marek & Szafarz, Ariane, 2013. "Unsubsidized microfinance institutions," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 120(2), pages 174-176.
    29. Hisako Kai, 2009. "Competition and wide outreach of Microfinance Institutions," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 29(4), pages 2628-2639.
    30. 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.
    31. Shufang Xu & James Copestake & Xinman Peng, 2016. "Microfinance Institutions' Mission Drift in Macroeconomic Context," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(7), pages 1123-1137, October.
    32. Khawari, Aliya, 2004. "Microfinance: Does It Hold Its Promises? A Survey of Recent Literature," Discussion Paper Series 26394, Hamburg Institute of International Economics.
    33. Thibaut Dehem & Marek Hudon, 2013. "Microfinance from the Clients' Perspective: An Empirical Enquiry into Transaction Costs in Urban and Rural India," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(sup1), pages 117-132, August.
    34. Gonzalez-Vega, Claudio & Schreiner, Mark & Meyer, Richard L. & Rodriguez-Meza, Jorge & Navajas, Sergio, 1996. "Bancosol: The Challenge Of Growth For Microfinance Organizations," Economics and Sociology Occasional Papers - ESO Series 28333, Ohio State University, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics.
    35. Leonardo Becchetti & Fabio Pisani, 2010. "Microfinance, subsidies and local externalities," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 309-321, April.
    36. Mr. Vadim Khramov & Mr. John Ridings Lee, 2013. "The Economic Performance Index (EPI): an Intuitive Indicator for Assessing a Country's Economic Performance Dynamics in an Historical Perspective," IMF Working Papers 2013/214, International Monetary Fund.
    37. Khawari, Aliya, 2004. "Microfinance: Does it hold its promises? A survey of recent literature," HWWA Discussion Papers 276, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWA).
    38. Tyler Wry & Eric Yanfei Zhao, 2018. "Taking Trade-offs Seriously: Examining the Contextually Contingent Relationship Between Social Outreach Intensity and Financial Sustainability in Global Microfinance," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(3), pages 507-528, June.
    39. Hermes, Niels & Lensink, Robert, 2011. "Microfinance: Its Impact, Outreach, and Sustainability," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 875-881, June.
    40. Conning, Jonathan, 1999. "Outreach, sustainability and leverage in monitored and peer-monitored lending," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 51-77, October.
    41. Copestake, James, 2007. "Mainstreaming Microfinance: Social Performance Management or Mission Drift?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 1721-1738, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xu, Shufang & Zhu, Ning & Copestake, James & Cai, Guiming & Peng, Xinman, 2024. "Is there a trade-off between MFls' financial efficiency and outreach in macroeconomic and institutional context?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    2. Gallego-Losada, María-Jesús & Montero-Navarro, Antonio & García-Abajo, Elisa & Gallego-Losada, Rocío, 2023. "Digital financial inclusion. Visualizing the academic literature," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    3. Indra Gunawan & Nurchasanah, 2024. "Exploring factors influencing the microfinance program sustainability," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(9), pages 1-17, September.
    4. Dawood Ashraf & Muhammad Suhail Rizwan & Barbara L’Huillier, 2022. "Environmental, social, and governance integration: the case of microfinance institutions," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(1), pages 837-891, March.
    5. Md Aslam Mia & Lucia Dalla Pellegrina & Cheng Zhang & Sunil Sangwan, 2022. "Efficiency Wage and Productivity in the Indian Microfinance Industry: A Panel Evidence," IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review, , vol. 11(2), pages 235-252, July.
    6. Lucia Dalla Pellegrina & Damla Diriker & Paolo Landoni & Davide Moro & Mahinda Wijesiri, 2024. "Financial and social sustainability in the European microfinance sector," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(3), pages 1249-1292, October.
    7. Al-Azzam, Moh'd & Mimouni, Karim & Smaoui, Houcem & Temimi, Akram, 2022. "Subsidies vs. deposits and cost inefficiency in microfinance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 212-235.
    8. Md Aslam Mia & Lucia Dalla Pellegrina & Wai‐Yan Wong, 2022. "Female participation and financial performance of microfinance institutions: Evidence from transition economies," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 40(5), September.
    9. Ponce, L. Arturo Bernal & Rocha, Adriana Ramírez & Navarro, Ricardo Pérez, 2021. "A causality approach in the analysis of the trade-off between financial sustainability and outreach," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    10. Maeenuddin & Shaari Abd Hamid & Annuar MD Nassir & Mochammad Fahlevi & Mohammed Aljuaid & Kittisak Jermsittiparsert, 2024. "Measuring the Financial Sustainability and its Influential Factors in Microfinance Sector of Pakistan," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, July.
    11. Emmanuel Ofori & Kenichi Kashiwagi, 2022. "Impact of Microfinance on the Social Performance of Local Households: Evidence from the Kassena Nankana East District of Ghana," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-25, May.

    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. 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).
    3. 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.
    4. Louis, Philippe & Seret, Alex & Baesens, Bart, 2013. "Financial Efficiency and Social Impact of Microfinance Institutions Using Self-Organizing Maps," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 197-210.
    5. Patrick Reichert, 2018. "A meta-analysis examining the nature of trade-offs in microfinance," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(3), pages 430-452, July.
    6. Sefa Awaworyi Churchill, 2018. "Sustainability and depth of outreach: Evidence from microfinance institutions in sub‐Saharan Africa," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S2), pages 676-695, September.
    7. Bibi, Uzma & Balli, Hatice Ozer & Matthews, Claire D. & Tripe, David W.L., 2018. "New approaches to measure the social performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs)," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 88-97.
    8. Widiarto, Indra & Emrouznejad, Ali, 2015. "Social and financial efficiency of Islamic microfinance institutions: A Data Envelopment Analysis application," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1-17.
    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. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. Ashim Kumar Kar & Ranjula Bali Swain, 2018. "Competition, Performance and Portfolio Quality in Microfinance Markets," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(5), pages 842-870, December.
    13. Md Aslam Mia & Lucia Dalla Pellegrina & Patrick Damme & Mahinda Wijesiri, 2019. "Financial Inclusion, Deepening and Efficiency in Microfinance Programs: Evidence from Bangladesh," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 31(4), pages 809-835, September.
    14. 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.
    15. Anastasia Cozarenco & Valentina Hartarska & Ariane Szafarz, 2019. "Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth: The Conflicting Impacts of Subsidies and Deposits on the Cost-Efficiency of Microfinance Institutions," Working Papers CEB 19-001, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    16. Md Aslam Mia & V. G. R. Chandran, 2016. "Measuring Financial and Social Outreach Productivity of Microfinance Institutions in Bangladesh," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 127(2), pages 505-527, June.
    17. 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.
    18. 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.
    19. Janda, Karel & Zetek, Pavel, 2014. "Survey of Microfinance Controversies and Challenges," MPRA Paper 56657, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Dorfleitner, Gregor & Röhe, Michaela & Renier, Noémie, 2017. "The access of microfinance institutions to debt capital: An empirical investigation of microfinance investment vehicles," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 1-15.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Microfinance; Outreach; Sustainability; Profitability;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • L31 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Nonprofit Institutions; NGOs; Social Entrepreneurship

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:spr:empeco:v:59:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s00181-019-01709-1. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.