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The Definition and Causes of Microfinance Over-Indebtedness: A Customer Protection Point of View

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  • Jessica Schicks

Abstract

With over-indebtedness emerging among microfinance customers, the industry's sustainability and social impact are at risk. Filling a void in the literature, this paper develops a definition of over-indebtedness that is appropriate for customer protection purposes. It provides a framework for the causes of over-indebtedness that highlights the role of external influences and the responsibility of lenders. It recognises the role borrowers play in their own over-indebtedness. This paper challenges several misconceptions and oversimplifications about microfinance over-indebtedness. These include the belief that default-based risk management indicators are sufficient to signal concerns in relation to customer protection. Further misconceptions are the undesirability of consumption loans, as well as the benefits of competition, of regular instalment schedules, of a zero-tolerance policy and of annual percentage rates. By enhancing our understanding of microfinance over-indebtedness and its causes, this paper provides the means for measuring over-indebtedness and tailoring solutions to its root causes. The analysis shows that combating over-indebtedness does not automatically mean reducing access to microcredit. Although a soundevaluation of repayment capacity is essential, tailoring products to clients' needs also reduces over-indebtedness.

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  • Jessica Schicks, 2013. "The Definition and Causes of Microfinance Over-Indebtedness: A Customer Protection Point of View," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(sup1), pages 95-116, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:oxdevs:v:41:y:2013:i:sup1:p:s95-s116
    DOI: 10.1080/13600818.2013.778237
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Karlan, Dean S. & Zinman, Jonathan, 2009. "Expanding Microenterprise Credit Access: Using Randomized Supply Decisions to Estimate the Impacts in Manila," Center Discussion Papers 52600, Yale University, Economic Growth Center.
    2. Karlan, Dean & Zinman, Jonathan, 2009. "Expanding Microenterprise Credit Access: Randomized Supply Decisions to Estimate the Impacts in Manila," Working Papers 68, Yale University, Department of Economics.
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    Cited by:

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. Fenton, Adrian & Paavola, Jouni & Tallontire, Anne, 2017. "The Role of Microfinance in Household Livelihood Adaptation in Satkhira District, Southwest Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 192-202.
    4. Felipe Kast & Dina Pomeranz, 2013. "Saving More to Borrow Less: Experimental Evidence from Access to Formal Savings Accounts in Chile," Harvard Business School Working Papers 14-001, Harvard Business School, revised Jun 2014.
    5. Ewura‐Adwoa Ewusie & Samuel Kobina Annim & William Brafu‐Insaidoo, 2021. "The density of microfinance institutions and multiple borrowing in Ghana: Are rural borrowers vulnerable?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(8), pages 1217-1237, November.
    6. Nur Hafidzah Idris* & Melissa Faisal Wee & Shafinar Ismail & Khairunnisa Abd Samad, 2018. "Financial Knowledge, Debt Literacy and Over-Indebtedness," The Journal of Social Sciences Research, Academic Research Publishing Group, pages 22-29:3.
    7. Roberto Alvarez & Alvaro Miranda & Jaime Ruiz-Tagle, 2023. "Whisper Words of Wisdom: How Financial Counseling can Reduce Delinquency in Consumer Loans," Working Papers wp552, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    8. Joaquín Prieto, 2022. "A Multidimensional Approach to Measuring Economic Insecurity: The Case of Chile," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 163(2), pages 823-855, September.
    9. Joana Silva Afonso, 2020. "Impact evaluation, social performance assessment and standardisation: reflections from microfinance evaluations in Pakistan and Zimbabwe," Working Papers in Economics & Finance 2020-14, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Business School, Economics and Finance Subject Group.
    10. Luminita Postelnicu & Niels Hermes & Roselia Servin Juarez, 2015. "Social Capital and the Repayment of Microfinance Group Lending. A Case Study of Pro Mujer Mexico," Working Papers CEB 15-023, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    11. Maryann Bylander & Phasy Res, 2021. "‘If You Fall, Stand Up Again’: The Moral Nature of Financial Literacy in the Global South," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 52(1), pages 26-53, January.
    12. Cesar Leandro, Julio & Botelho, Delane, 2022. "Consumer over-indebtedness: A review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 535-551.
    13. Olga Kondratjeva, 2021. "Borrowing channels, purposes, and household investment and consumption: evidence from Nepal," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(4), pages 1591-1613, December.
    14. Joaquín Prieto, 2021. "A multidimensional approach to measuring economic insecurity: The case of Chile," Working Papers 591, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    15. Shymaa Bedaiwy & Dimity Peter, 2022. "An evaluation of Egyptian microfinance laws and regulations preventing overindebtedness of women," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(7), pages 1318-1333, October.
    16. Sandeep Kandikuppa & Clark Gray, 2022. "Climate change and household debt in rural India," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 173(3), pages 1-27, August.
    17. Barry, Thierno Amadou & Tacneng, Ruth, 2014. "The Impact of Governance and Institutional Quality on MFI Outreach and Financial Performance in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 1-20.
    18. Sydney Chikalipah, 2017. "Institutional Environment and Microfinance Performance in Sub-Saharan Africa," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 29(1), pages 16-27, March.
    19. Prieto, Joaquin, 2021. "A multidimensional approach to measuring economic insecurity: the case of Chile," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 112490, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    20. Marc Labie & Carolina Laureti & Ariane Szafarz, 2016. "Discipline and Flexibility: A Behavioral Perspective on Product Design in Microfinance," Working Papers CEB 15-020, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    21. Prieto Suarez, Joaquin, 2022. "A multidimensional approach to measuring economic insecurity: the case of Chile," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 114623, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    22. Siddiqur Rahman Osmani & Md Abdul Baqui Khalily & Mehadi Hasan, 2024. "The dynamics of overlapping borrowing in the microcredit sector of Bangladesh," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(5), pages 2478-2503, July.
    23. Sharif M. Abu Karsh & Anan Y. Deek, 2019. "Microfinance Institutions: It’s Role in Palestine Economic Development," International Business Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 12(2), pages 165-173, February.
    24. Dorfleitner, Gregor & Oswald, Eva-Maria & Röhe, Michaela, 2020. "The access of microfinance institutions to financing via the worldwide crowd," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 133-146.

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