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Does the Grameen Bank exert market power over borrowers?

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  • Subir Bairagi
  • Azzeddine Azzam

Abstract

In this article, we use the recently developed stochastic frontier estimator of market power to test whether or not the Grameen Bank's lending rates are consistent with marginal cost pricing. We find that they are not and, on average, the markup is about 3% above marginal cost. However, the markup is considerably dwarfed when compared to the markups charged by commercial microfinance institutions. Their lending rates are reported to range from 97% to 165% above marginal cost.

Suggested Citation

  • Subir Bairagi & Azzeddine Azzam, 2014. "Does the Grameen Bank exert market power over borrowers?," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(12), pages 866-869, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:apeclt:v:21:y:2014:i:12:p:866-869
    DOI: 10.1080/13504851.2014.894623
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Khandker, S.R. & Khalily, B. & Khan, Z., 1995. "Grameen Bank: Performance and Sustainability," World Bank - Discussion Papers 306, World Bank.
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    9. Harris, Frederick H deB, 1988. "Testable Competing Hypotheses from Structure-Performance Theory: Efficient Structure versus Market Power," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(3), pages 267-280, March.
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    13. repec:bla:devpol:v:21:y:2003:i::p:357-382 is not listed on IDEAS
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    16. Nidhiya Menon, 2006. "Non-linearities in returns to participation in Grameen Bank programs," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(8), pages 1379-1400.
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    1. Dimitrios Panagiotou & Athanassios Stavrakoudis, 2018. "A stochastic frontier estimator of the aggregate degree of market power exerted by the US meat packing industry," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 45(3), pages 387-401, September.
    2. Panagiotou, Dimitrios, 2017. "What does the stochastic frontier estimator of market power really account for? A theoretical analysis with references from the food industry," Agricultural Economics Review, Greek Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 0(Issue 2), July.
    3. Bairagi, Subir, 2014. "Productivity and Efficiency Analysis of Microfinance Institutions (MFIS) in Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 67917, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Dimitrios Panagiotou & Athanassios Stavrakoudis, 2017. "A Stochastic Production Frontier Estimator of the Degree of Oligopsony Power in the U.S. Cattle Industry," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 121-133, March.
    5. Lopez, Rigoberto A. & Zheng, Hualu & Azzam, Azzeddine, 2015. "Oligopoly Power in the Food Industries Revisited: A Stochastic Frontier Approach," Working Papers 39, University of Connecticut, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Charles J. Zwick Center for Food and Resource Policy.
    6. Robert Germeshausen & Timo Panke & Heike Wetzel, 2020. "Firm characteristics and the ability to exercise market power: empirical evidence from the iron ore market," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 58(5), pages 2223-2247, May.
    7. Li, Hongchang & Yu, Kemei & Wang, Kun & Zhang, Anming, 2019. "Market power and its determinants in the Chinese railway industry," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 261-276.
    8. Yuquan Chen & Xiaohua Yu, 2022. "Estimating market power for the Chinese fluid milk market with imported products," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(2), pages 386-401, April.

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