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| Gine, Xavier; Jakiela, Pamela; Karlan, Dean S.; Morduch, Jonathan. |
| Microfinance has been heralded as an effective way to address imperfections in credit markets. From a theoretical perspective, however, the success of microfinance contracts has puzzling elements. In particular, the group-based mechanisms often employed are vulnerable to free-riding and collusion, although they can also reduce moral hazard and improve selection. We created an experimental economics laboratory in a large urban market in Lima, Peru and over seven months conducted eleven different games that allow us to unpack microfinance mechanisms in a systematic way. We find that risk-taking broadly conforms to predicted patterns, but that behavior is safer than optimal. The results help to explain why pioneering microfinance institutions have been moving... |
| Tipo: Working or Discussion Paper |
Palavras-chave: Financial Economics. |
| Ano: 2006 |
URL: http://purl.umn.edu/28520 |
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| Ashraf, Nava; Gine, Xavier; Karlan, Dean S.. |
| In much of the developing world, many farmers grow crops for local or personal consumption despite export options which appear to be more profitable. Thus many conjecture that one or several markets are missing. We report here on a randomized controlled trial conducted by DrumNet in Kenya that attempts to help farmers adopt and market export crops. DrumNet provides smallholder farmers with information about how to switch to export crops, makes in-kind loans for the purchase of the agricultural inputs, and provides marketing services by facilitating the transaction with exporters. The experimental evaluation design randomly assigns pre-existing farmer self-help groups to one of three groups: (1) a treatment group that receives all DrumNet services, (2) a... |
| Tipo: Working or Discussion Paper |
Palavras-chave: Field Experiment; Export Crop; Food Safety Standards; Agricultural and Food Policy; O12; Q17; F13. |
| Ano: 2008 |
URL: http://purl.umn.edu/46516 |
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| Gine, Xavier; Karlan, Dean S.. |
| Group liability is often portrayed as the key innovation that led to the explosion of the microcredit movement, which started with the Grameen Bank in the 1970s and continues on today with hundreds of institutions around the world. Group lending claims to improve repayment rates and lower transaction costs when lending to the poor by providing incentives for peers to screen, monitor and enforce each others loans. However, some argue that group liability creates excessive pressure and discourages good clients from borrowing, jeopardizing both growth and sustainability. Therefore, it remains unclear whether group liability improves the lenders overall profitability and the poors access to financial markets. We worked with a bank in the Philippines to... |
| Tipo: Working or Discussion Paper |
Palavras-chave: Financial Economics. |
| Ano: 2006 |
URL: http://purl.umn.edu/28413 |
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