This book presents the findings of a five-year action research programme into how far poverty-oriented microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Africa, Asia, and Latin America are contributing to global poverty reduction, and how they can do so more effectively. Martin Greeley reviews evidence on their success in reaching poorer clients and improving the average income and wealth of their clients (chs 2&3). Naila Kabeer reviews evidence on performance against a wider array of indicators, including women's empowerment, citizenship rights, and social inclusion (chs.4&5). Both authors highlight methodological difficulties associated with assessing impact, but are cautiously positive. Susan Johnson is more cautious, suggesting that the contribution of MFIs to the overall growth of financial services in selected parts of Africa and India remains small (ch.6). James Copestake reviews evidence on the organizational factors that influence achievement of MFIs' social as well as financial goals, as well as progress in routinely monitoring and managing social performance (ch.7&8). He and Anton Simanowitz then make clear and simple suggestions for how this can be done better (ch.9). This covers how MFIs can manage their 'double bottom lines' more effectively, as well as what public and private investors in microfinance can do to help them. The bigger challenge, linking up with the wider movement for corporate social responsibility, is to find ways to do so across the entire financial sector.

This book is written for individuals engaged in formulating and implementing policies, plans, programmes and projects affecting rural areas of poor countries. Recognition of the contribution that qualitative enquiry can make has increased significantly, but a succinct and non-technical introduction to when and why qualitative techniques of enquiry should be favoured has been lacking; and this what this book sets out to provide. The primary concern is how the art of collecting data necessary to inform rural development practice can be improved, taking into account existing organizational and resource constraints. The text defines 'qualitative' in this context; surveys the types of information that practitioners of rural developing communities need to assemble; describes the main general techniques in use; recommends areas of potential improvements; and looks to the future of qualitative enquiry in the light of present trends and likely information needs.