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Efficiency and Productivity of Microfinance: Incorporating the Role of Subsidies

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  • Ahmad Nawaz

Abstract

The social nature of MFIs is mainly financed by subsidies from donors. Therefore, the role of subsidies cannot be under estimated in MFIs efficiency and productivity analysis. This paper is a first attempt to measure the financial efficiency and productivity of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) worldwide taking into account the subsidies received by MFIs by using the non-parametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Towards this aim, a three-stage analysis is carried out. Firstly, technical and pure efficiency scores are calculated by splitting subsidies into input and output and entered into the DEA framework specifications depending on whether they are generating benifits (negative subsidies) or cost (positive subsidies) to the society. Secondly DEA-based Malmquist indices are calculated to analyze the intertemporal productivity change. Thirdly, Tobit Regression analysis are carried out to test a series of hypotheses concerning the relationship between financial efficiency and other indicators related to MFIs productivity, organization, outreach, sustainability and social impact. Overall subsidies contribute to financial efficiency of MFIs albeit marginally. Results uphold the tradeoff between outreach to the poor and financial efficiency. Thus MFIs which cater to the poor tend to bemore inefficient than those with clients relatively well off. Also evident is the fact that lending to women is efficient only in the presence of subsidies. MFIs in South Asia and Middle East & North Africa tend to be less efficient than the others.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahmad Nawaz, 2010. "Efficiency and Productivity of Microfinance: Incorporating the Role of Subsidies," Working Papers CEB 10-009.RS, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    • Handle: RePEc:sol:wpaper:10-009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Marie Briere & Ariane Szafarz, 2015. "Does commercial microfinance belong to the financial sector? Lessons from the stock market," Post-Print CEB, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles, vol. 67, pages 110-125, March.
    2. Janda, Karel & Zetek, Pavel, 2013. "Opportunities in microfinance risk management," MPRA Paper 43960, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. B. Mak Arvin & Byron Lew (ed.), 2015. "Handbook on the Economics of Foreign Aid," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 15762.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. Fahana Ferdousi, 2013. "Determinants of Performance of Microfinance Institutions: Cross Country Analysis," International Journal of Financial Economics, Research Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 1(4), pages 143-151.
    7. Bairagi, Subir, 2014. "Productivity and Efficiency Analysis of Microfinance Institutions (MFIS) in Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 67917, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. repec:dau:papers:123456789/14039 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Hartarska, Valentina & Shen, Xuan & Mersland, Roy, 2013. "Scale economies and input price elasticities in microfinance institutions," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 118-131.
    10. Beatriz Armendariz & Bert D'Espallier & Marek Hudon & Ariane Szafarz, 2011. "Subsidy Uncertainty and Microfinance Mission Drift," Working Papers CEB 11-014, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    11. Justin Bem & Pierre Joubert Nguetse Tegoum & Tatiana Morel Samo Tcheeko & Jacksone Essoh, 2013. "Efficience de production du secteur informel non-agricole et réduction de la pauvreté au Cameroun," Working Papers PMMA 2013-06, PEP-PMMA.
    12. Thomas Bolli & Anh Vo Thi, 2012. "On the Estimation Stability of Efficiency and Economies of Scale in Microfinance Institutions," KOF Working papers 12-296, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    13. repec:dau:papers:123456789/7858 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Muneer Babu M., 2016. "Macroeconomic Determinants of Technological Change in Indian Microfinance Institutions," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 17(5), pages 1179-1195, October.
    15. Marie Briere & Ariane Szafarz, 2011. "Investment in Microfinance Equity: Risk, Return, and Diversification Benefits," Working Papers CEB 11-050, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    16. Efendić Velid & Hadžiahmetović Nejra, 2019. "Productivity Change of Microfinance Institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 14(2), pages 23-33, December.
    17. Muhammad Zubair & Attiya Yasmin Javid, 2015. "The Role of Subsidy Uncertainty in Mission Drift of Microfinance Institutions of Asia," PIDE-Working Papers 2015:123, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
    18. Pankaj Dutta & Aayush Jain & Asish Gupta, 2020. "Performance analysis of non-banking finance companies using two-stage data envelopment analysis," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 295(1), pages 91-116, December.
    19. Bem, Justin & Tegoum, Pierre Joubert Nguetse & Tcheeko, Tatiana Morel Samo & Essoh, Jacksone, 2013. "Efficience de production du secteur informel non-agricole et réduction de la pauvreté au Cameroun," PEP Working Papers 160432, Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Microfinance; Subsidies; Efficiency; Non-paprametric analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General

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