"Promoting Microfinance: Challenge and Innovations in Developing Countries and Countries in Transition" brings together essays and empirical work by leading researchers and practitioners in the field of microfinance. The book covers key issues currently facing the microfinance industry. These include the following topics: challenges and innovations in microfinance policies, design and regulation; the role of microfinance institutions and apex organizations in natural disaster mitigation; achieving the balance between public support and external aid in helping the microfinance industry dealing with natural or man-made hazards affecting both them and their clients; and performance and impact assessment of microfinance institutions. In addition, the book provides an overview of the microfinance industry in selected countries/regions and provides lessons learned from cases spanning countries in Latin America, Africa, Europe and Asia. Together, the collection of essays and studies presented in this volume highlight the challenges faced by the microfinance industry and its future direction.

Microfinance in developing countries: Issues, policies and performance evaluation is a collection of studies by leading researchers in the field of microfinance. It discusses key issues that the rapidly growing microfinance industry currently faces. It offers interesting views and innovative analysis of topical matters concerning impact, performance, challenges and innovations in the microfinance realm. Issues relating to impact include measurement problems; the debate of multiple versus single assessment criteria; and the question of whether microfinance institutions are effective in delivering the microfinance promise. Issues relating to performance include the ongoing debate over the balance between social and financial performance; performance measures; and the controversy over mission drift. Issues relating to the challenges faced by the microfinance industry include the problem of over-indebtedness; improving agricultural microfinance; and assessing the role of local culture in the design of an effective microfinance sector. Lastly, topical issues relating to innovations include assessment of technological and financial innovations and the application thereof as well as the continued expansion of microfinance beyond microcredit in developing countries. Together these issues provide an overview of microfinance as it stands today and point to the direction in which it is heading.

Promoting Microfinance brings together essays and empirical work by leading researchers and practitioners in the field of microfinance. It covers key issues currently facing the microfinance industry and provides an overview of the microfinance industry in selected countries/regions, pointing to the direction in which it is heading.