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Exploring New Ways to Assess the Impact of Microfinance: What Role for the Capability Approach?

Finance and Economy for Society: Integrating Sustainability

ISBN: 978-1-78635-510-2, eISBN: 978-1-78635-509-6

Publication date: 16 December 2016

Abstract

Purpose

The disagreement over the contribution of microfinance to fight poverty is mainly related to the wide range of methodologies used to study it. The aim of this chapter is to reveal the limitations of these methodologies and explore whether the capability approach may improve impact assessment, especially in the microfinance field.

Methodology/approach

The author’s contribution is based on a comprehensive literature review of the most cited scholarly studies on microfinance impact.

Findings

This contribution has two main findings: It identifies the characteristics of an impact assessment conceptual framework based on the Capability Approach. It also gives a documented justification on why this approach is an interesting way to evaluate the potential effects of microfinance programs.

Originality/value

Applying the capability approach to poverty in microfinance is not new. However, as far as we know this is the first contribution that tries to apply it to the specific issue of impact assessment.

Keywords

Citation

Diani, A. and Brabet, J. (2016), "Exploring New Ways to Assess the Impact of Microfinance: What Role for the Capability Approach?", Finance and Economy for Society: Integrating Sustainability (Critical Studies on Corporate Responsibility, Governance and Sustainability, Vol. 11), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 253-269. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2043-905920160000011011

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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