Six Randomized Evaluations of Microcredit: Introduction and Further Steps

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Banerjee, Abhijit; Karlan, Dean; Zinman, Jonathan
• 署名单位: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Yale University; National Bureau of Economic Research; Dartmouth College
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-APPLIED ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7782
• DOI: 10.1257/app.20140287
• 发表日期: 2015
• 页码: 1-21
• 关键词: credit; decisions

摘要

Causal evidence on microcredit impacts informs theory, practice, and debates about its effectiveness as a development tool. The six randomized evaluations in this volume use a variety of sampling, data collection, experimental design, and econometric strategies to identify causal effects of expanded access to microcredit on borrowers and/or communities. These methods are deployed across an impressive range of locations-six countries on four continents, urban and rural areas-borrower characteristics, loan characteristics, and lender characteristics. Summarizing and interpreting results across studies, we note a consistent pattern of modestly positive, but not transformative, effects. We also discuss directions for future research.