Microfinance accountability in Cameroon: A cure or a curse for poverty alleviation?

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to use empirical findings to identify the different forms of accountability practices existing in Cameroon microfinance institutions (MFIs) and explore how such practices have evolved and institutionalised within the microfinance sector in Cameroon through time. Design/methodology/approach - This study is designed to investigate if the institutionalised accountability practices within the microfinance sector in Cameroon are a cure or a curse for poverty alleviation. This study is based on the new institutional sociology (NIS) and on a case study approach and combines in-depth interviews and secondary data sources. Findings - This study identifies three principal forms of accountability practices common with MFIs in Cameroon: dysfunctional, manipulative and dribbling accountabilities. Originality/value - This paper is novel because it extends the NIS into the microfinance sector and explains how conflicting institutional pressures resulting from differences of accountability practices can be resolved and also exposes the unintended consequences of both resistance and passive actions of local actors on microfinance, the poor and poverty alleviation

Governance of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Cameroon: What lessons can we learn?

The aim of this paper is to find out the effects of the COBAC regulations regulating the microfinance industry on the governance of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Cameroon. The paper is based on 35 in-depth interviews carried out from May to June 2011 and June to July 2012 with managers and accountants from MFIs in Cameroon, MFI clients and non-clients, regulatory authorities in the Ministry of Finance, and accounting professionals. The findings show that the regulations have broken down the governance within the MFIs in Cameroon thus turning MFIs into hybrid organizations with managers striving to meet their shareholders' interests

Predicting creditworthiness in retail banking with limited scoring data

The preoccupation with modelling credit scoring systems including their relevance to predicting and decision making in the financial sector has been with developed countries, whilst developing countries have been largely neglected. The focus of our investigation is on the Cameroonian banking sector with implications for fellow members of the Banque des Etats de L'Afrique Centrale (BEAC) family which apply the same system. We apply logistic regression (LR), Classification and Regression Tree (CART) and Cascade Correlation Neural Network (CCNN) in building our knowledge-based scoring models. To compare various models’ performances, we use ROC curves and Gini coefficients as evaluation criteria and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov curve as a robustness test. The results demonstrate that an improvement in terms of predicting power from 15.69% default cases under the current system, to 7.68% based on the best scoring model, namely CCNN can be achieved. The predictive capabilities of all models are rated as at least very good using the Gini coefficient; and rated excellent using the ROC curve for CCNN. Our robustness test confirmed these results. It should be emphasised that in terms of prediction rate, CCNN is superior to the other techniques investigated in this paper. Also, a sensitivity analysis of the variables identifies previous occupation, borrower's account functioning, guarantees, other loans and monthly expenses as key variables in the forecasting and decision making processes which are at the heart of overall credit policy

Les benzodiazépines et la conduite automobile

LYON1-BU Santé (693882101) / SudocRENNES1-BU Santé (352382103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Tidal influence on the littoral drift of a beach with complex bathymetry: example of the Vougot beach, Guissény (France)

International audienc

Tidal influence on the littoral drift of a beach with complex bathymetry: example of the Vougot beach, Guissény (France)

International audienc

Informal microfinance institutions and development-led tourism entrepreneurship

This paper explores how informal microfinance institutions (IMFIs) support development-led tourism entrepreneurship through providing microcredit and development opportunities to small tourism firms (STFs), as well as undertaking communitarian projects and outreach activities that promote the business activities of STFs. Drawing on resilience and social capital as central concepts, the paper argues that the form of collective action found in IMFIs can be examined to understand their impact on development-led tourism entrepreneurship. Using Cameroon as a case study important policy challenges in destinations where regulatory constrains cause many STFs to become dependent on IMFIs as opposed to formal (regulated) financial institutions in development-led tourism are highlighted

behavior of chromium coated m5tm claddings under loca conditions

International audienc

On-going studies at CEA on chromium coated zirconium based nuclear fuel claddings for enhanced accident tolerant LWRS fuel

International audienceChromium coatings aiming to protect the current zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding materials from high temperature steam oxidation, especially in accidental conditions, are being developed at CEA in the framework of the French Nuclear Institute in partnership with AREVA and EDF. The present paper focuses on recent results obtained on chromium-coated cladding on Zircaloy-4 and substrate. A complementary paper is presented by AREVA. Typical as-fabricated microstructures of chromium coatings are illustrated. Preliminary autoclave oxidation tests at 415°C (steam, 100 bars) have been performed on both uncoated reference materials and on chromium coated Zircaloy-4 based samples, showing very encouraging results for the last generation of Cr coatings fabricated. Additionally, results obtained after High Temperature (HT) oxidation in steam are presented. It is shown that the chromium coatings developed so far may significantly improve the post-HT oxidation clad mechanical properties (i.e. ductility and strength) compared to conventional uncoated materials. As a consequence, the developed chromium coatings provide significant additional margins for loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) and, to some extent, for beyond LOCA conditions