Microfinance Institutions - Publications - Faculty & Research

Research Summary

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Engaged with field work in South Asia and East Africa, Professor Hussam places a focus on exploring questions with strong theoretical motivation in the economics literature as well as relevant downstream policy implications. Her research spans four broad interests.... View Details

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Latin America - Global

2025, in Mexico City, Harvard Business School’s Institute for Business in Global Society (BiGS) and the Latin America Research Center hosted a solutions-driven roundtable, bringing together business leaders, policymakers, and civil... View Details

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Entrepreneurship - Faculty & Research

management of UCCA wondered what they could do to achieve growth and financial viability while continuing to realize their mission. 2014 Discussion Paper The Promise of Microfinance and Women's Empowerment: What Does the Evidence Say? By:... View Details

27 Apr 2023
Cold Call Podcast

Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi: Transforming Lives with Access to Credit

Keywords: Re: Caroline M. Elkins; Banking; Financial Services

March 2018
Case

Chaudhary Group: Rebuilding Nepal

By: Christopher J. Malloy, Lauren H. Cohen and Inakshi Sobti

After the 2015 Nepal earthquake, the Chaudhary Group, a billion-dollar conglomerate in Nepal, decides to play a pivotal role in rebuilding the country. The Group's philanthropic arm (Chaudhary Foundation) works with stakeholders and develops a blue print for short- and... View Details

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Topics - HBS Working Knowledge

Plants (2) Failure (19) Fairness (9) Family Business (26) Family Ownership (6) Family and Family Relationships (10) Film Entertainment (1) Finance (604) Financial Condition (18) Financial Crisis (19) Financial Institutions (41) Financial... View Details

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Globalization - Faculty & Research

demanding than what the minimalist nature of duties of forbearance initially would suggest. 2014 Working Paper Finance and Social Responsibility in the Informal Economy: Institutional Voids, Globalization and View Details

15 Jan 2013
First Look

First Look: January 15

Much of the success of microfinance has been attributed to attempts to overcome the challenges of information asymmetries in uncollateralized lending. However, very little is known about the optimal contract structure of these loans, and... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

November 2022 (Revised October 2024)
Case

'A Marshall Plan for Africa': James Mwangi and Equity Group Holdings

By: Caroline M. Elkins, Debora L. Spar, Zeke Gillman and Julia M. Comeau

Financial Inclusion. Dignity. Trust. These were the core principles driving James Mwangi’s transformation of Equity Building Society, insolvent in 1991, into what is, today, Equity Group Holdings, East and Central Africa’s largest retail banking institution. Raised in... View Details

Keywords: Income Inequality; Micro Finance; Microcredit; Microfinance; Banks and Banking; Equality and Inequality; Mission and Purpose; Business Model; Social Entrepreneurship; Banking Industry; Financial Services Industry; Africa; Kenya

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16 May 2005
Research & Ideas

Nonprofit Networking: The New Way to Grow

management strategy for nonprofits is still relatively uncommon. Wei-Skillern noticed that each unit of Mass Audubon operated quite independently. A new CEO tried to align the units better on a day-to-day basis by instituting a new... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

19 Mar 2013
First Look

First Look: March 19

enterprise for the provision of affordable housing in India. After India's microfinance industry collapses, mHS needs to reposition itself for continued operations and long-term growth. Purchase this... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

03 May 2010
Research & Ideas

What Is the Future of MBA Education?

and management than I did since we began researching and writing this book. Datar: I am looking at how implementation and execution strategies vary across countries. I'm also continuing my research in microfinance. I am particularly interested in understanding how... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Education

01 Mar 2023
News

The Exchange: Micro Management

Image by John Ritter In the 50 years since modern microfinance was introduced as a tool to fight poverty, institutions have distributed hundreds of millions of loans to people in developing countries. Such... View Details

Keywords: Jen McFarland Flint; Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles; Finance

01 Jan 2005
News

Nancy M. Barry, MBA 1975

microfinance institutions and banks in developing countries that make small loans to low-income women-and in some instances, men-so that they can build their own business and move beyond poverty. A customer... View Details

Portrait Project

Ipsita Dasgupta

parents to seek better healthcare and education for their children or a venture philanthropy fund that supports hospitals, schools, and microfinance institutions that provide for the needs of the poor. View Details

04 Apr 2007
Research & Ideas

The Business of Global Poverty

ACCION linked the microfinance field to capital markets through the founding of BancoSol, a microfinance institution that became the nation's most profitable bank.... View Details

Keywords: by Garry Emmons

01 Mar 2013
News

A Healthy Profit

microfinance into an industry. The distinction is important, he argues. While foundations, governments, and NGOs all play significant roles in pioneering social-good organizations, such funding can never equal the dimensions of the... View Details

Keywords: Garry Emmons; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services; Health, Social Assistance

01 Mar 2007
News

The Plight of the Global Poor

In Bolivia, ACCION linked the microfinance field to capital markets through the founding of BancoSol, a microfinance institution that became the nation’s most profitable bank.... View Details

Keywords: Garry Emmons; bottom of the pyramid (BOP); Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services; Social Assistance; Health, Social Assistance

Alvaro Rodriguez Arregui

having served as the Chairman of the Board for Compartamos Banco (Gentera), the largest microfinance institution in the Americas, and Chair of ACCION International, a 65-year-old US non-profit organization.... View Details

Keywords: Financial Services

07 Oct 2008
First Look

First Look: October 7, 2008

challenges of cross-border acquisitions. Purchase this case: http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/ b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml?id=209022 Ujjivan: A Microfinance Institution at a Crossroads (A)... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

Publications