Microfinance has grown into a distinct and impactful industry. It has developed into a large employer, a great platform for policy interventions and a tool for poverty alleviation and financial inclusion. It has also been a subject of debates and discussions across the world. The enormous growth of microfinance as a field of practice and as a body of knowledge has made it a challenging task to comprehend this subject.
This textbook is an attempt to explain the concepts and practices of microfinance. Considering the needs of postgraduate students in the field of management, economics, development studies and social sciences, this book explains the topic through theories, cases and exercises.
- In-depth explanation of topics in an easy-to-understand language
- Written in the context of challenges thrown by the recent emergence of small finance banks
- All important aspects of microfinance – fundamentals, operations, evaluation, policy and strategic issues – are covered
- Box inserts and closing cases in chapters for better understanding of concepts and to encourage critical thinking
- Chapter-end exercises (review question, application-based questions and multiple-choice questions) to test conceptual learning
- Six comprehensive cases at the end of the book illustrating various organisations in microfinance industry and the issues faced by them
- Includes a licence key for our digital learning app, Cengage app, that provides access to flashcards, self-assessments and additional reading material.
Part I Foundations of Microfinance
1. Introduction
2. Basic Concepts of Microfinance
Part II Microfinance Operations
3. Self-Help Groups: Institution Building Operations
4. Microfinance Products and Services
5. Delivery of Products and Services
6. Product Development in Microfinance
Part III Monitoring and Evaluation in Microfinance
7. Impact Assessment and SHG-Grading
8. Ratio Analysis
9. Responsible Finance and Social Performance Management
Part IV Regulatory Environment for Microfinance
10. RBI Guidelines on Microfinance
11. Other Regulatory Issues and Debates
Part V Strategic Issues in Microfinance
12. Crises in Microfinance
13. Governance Issues in Microfinance
14. Technology in Microfinance
15. Transformation of Microfinance Institutions
16. Funding Issues in Microfinance
17. Future of Microfinance
Case Studies
References
Index
Pradeep Kumar Mishra
Pradeep Kumar Mishra is Associate Professor in School of Rural Management, Xavier University, Bhubaneswar. He received his doctorate in Rural Management from Institute of Rural Management, Anand and has about 20 years of experience in government, industry and academics. Dr. Mishra has published numerous articles in several international peer reviewed journals.
