over 16 years ago
The book “Portfolios of the Poor: How the World’s Poor Live on $2 a Day” is almost anthropological, or ethnographic, says co-author Jonathan Morduch. We rarely see the lives of the poor in this great of detail, and similar “financial diaries” are already being used to evaluate development programs, the New York University economics professor and microfinance expert notes.
over 16 years ago
The idea of “social business” is interesting, but it is still in its infancy, says Jonathan Morduch, New York University economics professor and microfinance expert. To prevent it from becoming a fad, an honest discussion must better articulate business models and address potential trade-offs, he argues.
over 16 years ago
The microfinance sector is in need of professionals with financial and other highly technical skills, says New York University economics professor and microfinance expert Jonathan Morduch.
over 16 years ago
The finger-printing technology of “smart cards” in India offers the opportunity to link the poor to their banking data, says New York University economics professor and microfinance expert Jonathan Morduch. It allows residents to move from place to place and establish greater credit-worthiness, he notes.
over 16 years ago
In rural areas, a successful microfinance business model is hard to pin down, says New York University economics professor and microfinance expert Jonathan Morduch. Mobile banking may offer the best solutions on issues such as transaction costs and rural staffing, he notes.
over 16 years ago
Jonathan Morduch, New York University economics professor and co-author of “Portfolios of the Poor,” suggests linking health and microfinance to create a simple insurance program for possible emergencies.
over 16 years ago
New York University economics professor and microfinance expert Jonathan Morduch doubts that most microfinance institutions will be self-sustaining in the future. But he does believe donor money can be put to better use to help institutions diversify their funding sources, as Grameen has done in Bangladesh.
over 16 years ago
Studies show that most microfinance loans are being spent on consumer goods, not the creation of new enterprise. Microfinanciers need to create better consumption loans and couple them with savings and insurance products, suggests Jonathan Morduch, a New York University economics professor.
over 16 years ago
Microfinance has suffered from a lack of impact studies, says New York University economics professor Jonathan Morduch. Part of the problem has been donors who might not want to know the answers, he argues, adding that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has incited a shift in attitude toward the issue.
over 16 years ago
We should be willing to accept the trade-offs that come with the ongoing cleavage between profit-seeking and social advancement, between doing good and doing well, says Jonathan Morduch, New York University economics professor and co-author of “Portfolios of the Poor.”