Strategic Alliances to Scale Up Financial Services in Rural Areas


Book Description

"Business firms have employed strategic alliances with other firms to effectively manage costs, overcome resource and technology constraints, and enhance competitive position. The principle and practice of strategic alliances can be applied as well for productive and beneficial institutional collaborations in rural financial markets to expand the array of financial products and to scale up access of rural households and micro-businesses to financial services. Strategic alliances comprise a new theme in rural finance. The institutions in the study used strategic alliances to tap new capital resources, manage transaction costs, access banking technology and infrastructure and acquire new skills to provide an expanding array of financial services to wider markets. The authors carefully examine the experiences of selected rural finance institutions and their strategic allies or development partners in Guatemala, the Philippines, Ghana and India to draw out the main findings and share the lessons that may be gainfully applied in other country settings. The study addressed a number of key questions: - What motivated the rural finance institution to structure its alliance or partnership with a bank, commercial or development organization? - How are gains from and costs of alliances and partnerships shared between collaborating institutions? - What are the key elements that make partnerships or alliances successful, and which conditions lead to unproductive ones? - Which financial products and services are best introduced through strategic alliances?"




Strategic Alliances to Scale Up Financial Services in Rural Areas


Book Description

Business firms have employed strategic alliances with other firms to effectively manage costs, overcome resource and technology constraints, and enhance competitive position. The principle and practice of strategic alliances can be applied as well for productive and beneficial institutional collaborations in rural financial markets to expand the array of financial products and to scale up access of rural households and micro-businesses to financial services. Strategic alliances comprise a new theme in rural finance. The institutions in the study used strategic alliances to tap new capital resources, manage transaction costs, access banking technology and infrastructure and acquire new skills to provide an expanding array of financial services to wider markets. The authors carefully examine the experiences of selected rural finance institutions and their strategic allies or development partners in Guatemala, the Philippines, Ghana and India to draw out the main findings and share the lessons that may be gainfully applied in other country settings.




Expanding Bank Outreach Through Retail Partnerships


Book Description

"This paper explores the extent to which formal, regulated financial institutions such as banks have been able to partner with "correspondents"- commercial entities whose primary objective and business is other than the provision of financial services. The paper illustrates the case of Brazil, where banks recently have developed extensive networks of such correspondents. Such arrangements result in lower costs and shared risks for participating financial institutions, making these arrangements an attractive vehicle for outreach to the underserved. Correspondent banking requires an enabling environment to emerge, and poses some regulatory challenges and some increase in risk. While there are reasons why this model was particularly successful in Brazil, it may be replicable elsewhere if appropriate regulatory adjustments are undertaken."




Expanding the Frontier in Rural Finance


Book Description

Conroy and Iketut Budastra 9 Self-reliance vs.




The World Bank Research Program, 2005-2007


Book Description

This pocket-sized reference on key environmental data for over 200 countries includes key indicators on agriculture, forestry, biodiversity, energy, emission and pollution, and water and sanitation. The volume helps establish a sound base of information to help set priorities and measure progress toward environmental sustainability goals.




Publications Catalog


Book Description




Making Microfinance Work


Book Description

This is a textbook for a course designed for middle and senior managers in microfinance institutions (MFIs). It is relevant for institutions that have already diversified and are looking for ways to manage their diversification more effectively, as well as institutions that have not yet diversified and are looking for guidance on where and how to begin. This course is also useful to funding agencies and technical assistance providers that are trying to support MFIs diversification efforts. This second volume builds on the highly acclaimed Making Microfinance Work: Managing for Improved Performance. The content includes chapters on various product options, including savings, insurance, leasing, money transfers and even grants and non-financial services. It also explores how to combine different product menus to serve specific market segments, such as the ultra-poor, youth, women, SMEs and persons in rural areas and post-crisis environments. The book concludes with discussions about managing partnerships to enable MFIs to expand their product offerings and strategies to overcome the challenges of delivering a diverse product portfolio. It provides specific suggestions for managing diversification, including adapting the institutional culture, redistributing responsibilities, empowering staff, communicating with clients, reengineering systems and managing change.




OECD Regional Development Studies Urban-Rural Linkages in Poland


Book Description

The OECD report Urban-Rural Linkages in Poland analyses the potential of urban and rural territories for development and improved well-being. Urban and rural areas have different yet often complementary assets, and their better integration is important for socio-economic and environmental performance.




New Partnerships for Innovation in Microfinance


Book Description

Microfinance has experienced dynamic development. Today, microfinance providers reach close to 100 million clients worldwide and are growing fast. New partnerships expand the impact of microfinance even further. Three types of partnerships are examined in this book, each consisting of a thematic pillar. Pillar I focuses on equity investments in microfinance, especially the possibilities for engaging private investors through structured microfinance investment funds. Rating agencies are involved in providing more transparency in this emerging fund industry. Pillar II focuses on collaboration among microfinance providers, governments, private investors and technology companies which help microfinance institutions to integrate new technologies into their business models, reducing cost and increasing outreach to clients. Pillar III covers micropensions, microinsurance and the role of securitisation for the future of microfinance.




The Oxford Companion to the Economics of Africa


Book Description

Africa is a diverse continent. But is there a pattern to the diversity? Are there commonalities across the countries? And what does economics tell us about the diversity and the commonalities? The Oxford Companion to the Economics of Africa is a definitive and comprehensive account of the key issues and topics affecting Africa's ability to grow and develop. It includes 53 thematic and 48 country perspectives by a veritable who's who of more than 100 leading economic analysts of Africa. The contributors include: bright new African researchers based in Africa; renowned academics from the top Universities in Africa, Europe and North America; present and past Chief Economists of the African Development Bank; present and past Chief Economists for Africa of the World Bank; present and past Chief Economists of the World Bank; African Central Bank governors and finance ministers; and four Nobel Laureates in Economics.