IMPACT OF CREDIT RISK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON MICRO FINANCING THE POOR FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN AFRICA: INSIGHTS FROM GHANA

Published ThesisAlthough Africa has experienced encouraging economic growth over the past decade, the livelihood and living conditions of most on the continent does not reflect this trend. Ghana is no exception. Even though Ghana has made modest gains in economic growth and productivity, livelihoods, unemployment, diseases and above all the number one enemy poverty among the Ghanaian population continue to soar above acceptable limits. In most developing countries like Ghana, microfinancing the poor for them to engage in entrepreneurial activity has been used to fight this number one enemy, poverty. To protect their investment, microfinance institutions (MFIs) apply credit risk management. Although credit risk management is essential to safeguarding the credit portfolio, deposits and improve loan recovery, it is essential that MFIs adopt pro-poor credit risk management practices in order to provide access to entrepreneurial finance to these ‘bottom of the ladder’ who are often marginalised from access to finance from mainstream banks. The problem is that, when credit risk management practices are too stringent, it creates the potential of denying the poor access to entrepreneurial finance, with consequences for poverty reduction. In fact, some commentators strongly suggest that financing the poor to engage in entrepreneurial activity is hampered by less than pro-poor credit risk management practices of lending institutions. This assertion has yet to be tested on MFIs in the developing country context including Ghana where microcredit has become a flourishing business. A knowledge gap therefore exists insofar as the impact of credit risk management practices on poverty alleviation through microfinancing the poor to engage in entrepreneurship is concerned. To bridge this gap, this study investigated the microfinance credit risk management practices of MFIs operating in the Greater-Accra Region of Ghana to assess the extent to which such practices hinder the poor from accessing entrepreneurial finance and impact thereof on poverty alleviation/ reduction. In the study, the Greater Accra Region is used as a test case for Ghana by involving respondents from purposefully selected 141 MFIs in the region comprising of 378 officers of MFIs and 1,235 MFI loan beneficiaries. The results reveal that stringent credit risk management practices exist among MFIs. It was also found that most of the poor who are willing to engage in entrepreneurship are unable to obtain finance due to credit risk management practices that they perceive as are too stringent. Furthermore, it was found that MFIs that adopt pro-poor credit risk management practices attract more poor clients, and such clients become successful in their businesses. Based on the above and other findings, recommendations are made which if carefully implemented can make microcredit risk management pro-poor, while minimising credit risk for MFIs. Recommendations are also made for further research

The emergence and strategy of tech hubs in Africa: Implications for knowledge production and value creation

Do-it-Yourself tech hubs in Africa are challenging the dominance of traditional universities as sites of knowledge production. Adopting the theory of the new production of knowledge, we explore how these hubs' transdisciplinary, hierarchical and boundary-spanning approach enables them to more efficiently generate innovative solutions in direct response to specific industry needs and critical societal challenges. We draw on five case studies of tech hubs in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Uganda. While traditional universities are struggling with resource constraints, inadequate industry engagement, and the limitations imposed by the institutional organisation of disciplinary knowledge, our study shows that tech hubs are leading the way in generating new knowledge and innovative solutions particularly for those at the bottom of the pyramid. They are also more effective in economic and social value creation by generating new jobs, stimulating the entrepreneurial ecosystem and improving the quality of life through technology. We develop a conceptual model to show the constraints underlying hub formation, the strategies used to achieve hub motives and the contingent impact of hub strategies

Does institutional logic matter in microfinance delivery? An empirical study of microfinance clients

PurposeFrom an institutional theory perspective, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the combined impact of financial capital (microcredit) and human capital development (entrepreneurship training) delivered by financial non-governmental organisations (FNGOs) on the performance of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachAdopting a multiple linear regression analysis, the study used primary data collected from 506 Ghanaian MSEs. Microcredit was measured using four main constructs, namely, loan cost, loan amount, the flexibility of loan repayment and loan accessibility. Entrepreneurship training was measured using four main constructs, namely, training content, training efficiency, training frequency and training accessibility. MSE performance was also measured using three main indicators, namely, sales, employment and profitability growth. The study controlled for business age, industry category, manager’s educational level and gender.FindingsThe results of this study show that the combined delivery of financial and human capital development by FNGOs has a significant impact on MSE performance. The social welfare logic adopted by FNGOs seems to be legitimate to the needs and growth of MSEs in Ghana. However, the cost of microcredit remains a drawback, constraining the performance of MSEs in Ghana.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was carried out in the Volta Region, which is one of the ten regions of Ghana. Even though the sample size suffices, the findings from this study could not be generalised to the whole of Ghana. Also, this study is a quantitative study and could benefit from a triangulated method where the qualitative inputs could offer insights into the findings in this study.Originality/valueTheoretically, this study contributes to the understanding of institutions and the type of impact they have on the growth of MSEs. Practically, the provision of a conducive environment and access to financial capital is crucial to the growth of MSEs. Also, the adoption of the social welfare logic in microfinance delivery could be one of the major steps in promoting the performance of MSEs in Ghana.</jats:sec

Examining the Role of Regulation in the Commercialisation of Indigenous Innovation in Sub-Saharan African Economies: Evidence from the Ghanaian Small-Scale Industry

Understanding the factors that drive the successful commercialisation of indigenous innovation in Sub-Saharan African economies is still limited. From both policy and theoretical perspectives, regulation is one factor that remains crucial for the successful commercialisation of innovation. However, the empirical evidence is still unclear regarding its effect on firm performance, urging the need for more evidence from different economies, sectors, and firms. This study, therefore, examined the effects of regulation on the performance of firms engaged in the commercialisation of indigenous innovation in the Ghanaian small-scale industry, a typical low-income economy in Sub-Sahara Africa. From the frugal innovation theoretical perspective, the study assumed that firms engaged in the commercialisation of indigenous innovation in such low-income economies operate in an environment with regulatory gaps and voids. Using a sample survey of 557, it deployed PLS-SEM to test the effects of regulation on key successful commercialisation metrics. The findings show that at a 5% statistical significance level, regulation has significant positive effects on sales, employment, and owners&rsquo; feelings of success. Regulation also positively moderates the influence of finance and organisational factors on overall firm performance. The study provides leading evidence of the effect of regulation on the commercialisation of indigenous innovation from Ghana and adds to the clarification of the impact of regulation. It suggests that in such low-income economies, the policy must consider more balanced and appropriate regulations, not less, or deregulating to promote indigenous innovation

Developing entrepreneurship in Africa: investigating critical resource challenges

Research paperPurpose – By drawing upon institutional theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of four critical resources (credit, electricity, contract enforcement and political governance) in explaining the quality of entrepreneurship and the depth of the supporting entrepreneurship ecosystem in Africa. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative approach based on ordinary least squares regression analysis was used. Three data sources were employed. First, the Global Entrepreneurship Index (GEI) of 35 African countries was used to measure the quality of entrepreneurship and the depth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Africa which represents the dependent variable. Second, theWorld Bank’s data on access to credit, electricity and contract enforcement in Africa were also employed as explanatory variables. Third, the Ibrahim Index of African Governance was used as an explanatory variable. Finally, country-specific data on four control variables (GDP, foreign direct investment, population and education) were gathered and analysed. Findings – To support entrepreneurship development, Africa needs broad financial inclusion and state institutions that are more effective at enforcing contracts. Access to credit was non-significant and therefore did not contribute to the dependent variable (entrepreneurship quality and depth of entrepreneurial support in Africa). Access to electricity and political governance were statistically significant and correlated positively with the dependent variables. Finally, contract enforcement was partially significant and contributed to the dependent variable. Research limitations/implications – A lack of GEI data for all 54 African countries limited this study to only 35 African countries: 31 in sub-Saharan Africa and 4 in North Africa. Therefore, the generalisability of this study’s findings to the whole of Africa might be limited. Second, this study depended on indexes for this study. Therefore, any inconsistencies in the index aggregation if any could not be authenticated. This study has practical implications for the development of entrepreneurship in Africa. Public and private institutions for credit delivery, contract enforcement and the provision of utility services such as electricity are crucial for entrepreneurship development. Originality/value – The institutional void is a challenge for Africa. This study highlights the weak, corrupt nature of African institutions that supposedly support MSME growth. Effective entrepreneurship development in Africa depends on the presence of a supportive institutional infrastructure. This study engages institutional theory to explain the role of institutional factors such as state institutions, financial institutions, utility providers and markets in entrepreneurship development in Africa