Publications

October 2010 (Revised November 2010)
Case

YES BANK: Mainstreaming Development into Indian Banking

By: Michael Chu and Namrata Arora

YES BANK, founded in 2003 and highly successful, has consistently been profitable meeting the Indian government's Priority Sector Lending (PSL) requirements, unlike virtually all other private sector banks, which view PSL activity as a necessary but loss-making part of... View Details

Keywords: Development Economics; Private Equity; Microfinance; Investment; Governing and Advisory Boards; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Environmental Sustainability; Expansion; Banking Industry; India

21 Jan 2013
Research & Ideas

Altruistic Capital: Harnessing Your Employees’ Intrinsic Goodwill

strong force in Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia. Most microfinance groups start with prayer." That said, she acknowledges that coming out as religious can be daunting for any academic, let alone an economist. "To be an academic... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

22 May 2018
First Look

New Research and Ideas, May 22, 2018

this tool to optimize impact and financial performance going forward. This case was designed to be taught alongside Root Capital’s Efficient Impact Frontier Simulation exercise. Purchase this case:https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/218084-PDF-ENG Harvard Business School... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

24 Oct 2012
Research & Ideas

Want People to Save More? Send a Text

real interest rate, compared to the standard 0.3 percent, and was announced as "the best option in the market" for saving. Groups were randomly assigned to one of the three savings options and managed by the Chilean microfinance... View Details

Keywords: by Kim Girard

30 Oct 2007
First Look

First Look: October 30, 2007

Course MaterialsBASIX Harvard Business School Case 207-099 BASIX, an Indian microfinance corporation, must decide whether to continue to sell weather insurance to its clients. A brand-new financial product, weather insurance pays if... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

06 Mar 2007
First Look

First Look: March 6, 2007

http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml?id=907011 Opportunity International: Measurement and Mission Harvard Business School Case 307-067 After a "first career" in business, HBS graduate Christopher Crane becomes CEO of a worldwide View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

January 2025
Case

Untapped Global: Financing Africa's Missing Middle

By: Raymond Kluender and Emanuele Colonnelli

In November 2024, Jim Chu, founder and CEO of Untapped Global, faced mounting internal tensions over the company’s strategic direction. Untapped had developed a data-driven revenue-based financing (RBF) model to address the “missing middle” problem—the $5.2 trillion... View Details

24 Nov 2009
First Look

First Look: Nov. 24

interviewing hundreds of microfinance clients around the globe, the authors were able to identify five tools drawn from management accounting where improved knowledge would have a substantial impact including cost management, throughput... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

05 Dec 2017
Research & Ideas

What We've Learned from 101 Entrepreneurs in Emerging Markets

understanding the factors that govern business growth in emerging markets. Leaders interviewed in 20 countries include Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder and chair, of Bangladesh’s BRAC microfinance company; Rosario Bazan, founder and CEO of... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

17 Aug 2010
First Look

First Look: August 17

School Case 510-104 Founded as a for-profit microfinance company, Equitas had acquired nearly a million clients in the short two years since it was founded. The founder, Vasu, and his management team wished to accelerate the already... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

March 2018
Supplement

Chaudhary Group: Rebuilding Nepal (B)

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

Supplements the (A) case. Having successfully spearheaded relief work in the aftermath of the Nepal earthquake, the Chaudhary Foundation envisions creating a more comprehensive and sustainable development model. They are keen to build a model village that integrates... View Details

10 May 2011
First Look

First Look: May 10

Ashraf, Dean Karlan, and Wesley Yin Publication:World Development 38, no. 3 (March 2010) Abstract Female "empowerment" has increasingly become a policy goal, both as an end to itself and as a means to achieving other development goals. View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

01 Jul 2013
Research & Ideas

Crowdfunding a Poor Investment?

through the crowd to lesser-known microfinance borrowers in developing countries. Nanda puts most current crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo in the equivalent of the donation or lending category. Kickstarter began as... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; 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

02 Oct 2018
First Look

New Research and Ideas, October 2, 2018

remaining four years at the IITA’s helm. Purchase this case:https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/518034-PDF-ENG Harvard Business School Case 213-035 "BASIX (Abridged) BASIX, an Indian microfinance corporation, must decide whether to... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

17 Mar 2009
First Look

First Look: March 17, 2009

Microfinance in particular has often been argued, but not without controversy, to be a tool for empowering women. Here, using a randomized controlled trial, we examine whether access to, and marketing of, an individually held commitment... View Details

Keywords: 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

April 2019
Case

Afterpay U.S.: The Omnichannel Dilemma

By: Antonio Moreno, Donald Ngwe and George Gonzalez

In 2018, Nick Molnar, the founder of the Australia-based online payment service Afterpay began its expansion to the U.S. market. The service had gained a loyal following in Australia by enabling customers to pay for online purchases through four interest-free... View Details