Quality management and cost of education at private universities in Bangladesh: An evaluation

An exploratory survey was conducted to analyze the consumers’ evaluation of private higher education sectors in Bangladesh with particular reference to the quality as well as the cost of education. The sample was taken on a random basis from about ten private universities in Dhaka metropolitan area. The respondents (students) were asked to evaluate the quality and the cost of education at private universities in Bangladesh. Respondents ranked the attributes on a number of itemized seven-point scale ratings bounded at each end by one of two bipolar adjectives. The result of this study shows that faculty credentials, academic calendar, campus facility, research facility and cost of education are associated with quality education and that the consumers feel most of the private universities in Bangladesh provide quality education at reasonable costs

Attitudinal Dynamics for the Rural Poor toward Participation in MFIs in Bangladesh: Implications for Islamic MFIs

The central focus of this study is to explore the attitudes of the rural poor toward participation in MFIs in Bangladesh and examine the effects of development interventions on the livelihoods of local people. The study also highlights the implication of the results for the Islamic microfinance programs as an alternative to conventional MFIs in Bangladesh. In so doing, the study follows the modified TRA framework in analyzing the issues and in looking at how the rural poor in Bangladesh struggle to make a better living using their labor, scanty resources, traditional skills and small capital raised form loans in existing socio-cultural networks of relationships. Specifically, how do lack of education, individual preference, religious values, spousal dislike as female head of household, resource insufficiency and ill-health affect individual attitude toward participation in MFIs? The study uses SEM for analyzing data (n=140) collected from the participating rural poor across Bangladesh. The results suggest that at least four of the attitudinal variables affect the rural poor participation in negative way which implies to explore the possible alternative to the conventional Grameen-style microfinance approach. Based on performance evidence, the study recommends the Islamic microfinance programs as the best option to adopt in order to alleviate rural poverty and improve the living standards of the rural people. Keywords: Participation, Rural Poor, Poverty alleviation, Attitude, MFIs, IMF

The Theory of Planned Behavior and Microfinance Participation: from the Perspective of Nonparticipating Rural Poor in Bangladesh

The main objective of the study is to understand the reasons for low participation in microfinance institutions (MFIs) among the rural poor in Bangladesh by investigating the factors that influence participation behavior of the rural poor in MFIs. The study identified eight belief constructs from the microfinance literature which are modeled together in examining the factors that influence the participation. Data were collected through face to face interview from six major areas of Bangladesh during the period of May, June and July in 2011. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is employed in analyzing data. Among the eight variables only three variables such as fear of getting into risk of loan, individual preference of taking loan, and friends’ negative advice were appeared statistically significant for influencing the poor villagers’ participation in MFIs in rural Bangladesh. Keywords: Microfinance, MFIs, Barriers of participation, Rural poo

Preference Behavior of the Rural Poor Observed in Microfinance Borrowing: Case for Bangladesh

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the potential factors such as fear of getting into risk of borrowing micro loans, knowledge and religious principles that can influence on attitude to affect the intended preference behavior of the rural poor women in the context of participation in MFIs in Bangladesh. In so doing, a theoretical framework using the theory of reasoned action (TRA) as its basis is established. Data are collected through face to face interview with the rural people from six different regions across Bangladesh. The respondents are selected through random sampling procedure. The structural equation modeling (SEM) technique has been used for analyzing data. The results indicate that at least two belief-constructs influence attitude which affect intention toward preference behavior of the rural poor in terms of participation in MFIs in Bangladesh. This outcome would be helpful for the policy-planners in order to formulate further strategy to alleviate rural poverty from society. Keywords: Microfinance, MFIs, rural poor, preference behavior, TR

Demystifying Nonparticipation in Microfinance: Case for Bangladesh

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting nonparticipation of the rural poor in MFIs in Bangladesh. To this aim, the study investigated the measurement and predictive structure of decomposed multiple components of attitudes (fear and preference), subjective norms reference (religious leaders, spouse and friends) and perceived behavioral control (PBC) (resources, knowledge and illness) in the domain of microfinance and its nonparticipation. The study postulated eight factors from the microfinance literature which are modeled together in examining nonparticipation of the rural poor in MFIs in Bangladesh. Data were collected based on stratified random sampling procedure through face to face interview from the respondents of 280 nonparticipating rural poor from six major areas of Bangladesh. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) along with AMOS was employed in analyzing data. Among the eight variables only four variables such as fear of getting into risk of loan, individual preference of taking loan, insufficient resources and ill-health or vulnerability to crises were appeared statistically significant for influencing the poor villagers’ intention to participation in MFIs in rural arena. Besides, intention and all the three constructs of PBC were found statistically significant to directly influence the participation behavior of the rural poor in Bangladesh. Keywords: Microfinance, MFIs, Barriers of participation, Rural poor, Banglades

Uncertainties in Global Warming Temperature-Trend and Their Impacts on Agricultural Production: an Econometric Evaluation

IndonesianMakalah ini membahas kecenderungan dampak pemanasan global yang terjadi akhir-akhir ini. Estimasi dilakukan dengan parameter fraksional dari catatan relatif panjang menggunakan tehnik outlier aditif sebagai pengamatan bebas yang dihasilkan di atmosfer karena pemanasan global. Selanjutnya penelitian ini mengamati secara empiris dampak pemanasan global terhadap aspek tertentu produksi pertanian global. Berdasarkan simulasi Monte Carlo, proses menghasilkan data diterapkan dimana outlier aditif dihasilkan melalui cara discrete atau tidak kontinyu. Hasil observasi menunjukkan bahwa outlier aditif mempengaruhi bias dan MSE parameter fraksional estimasi. Ukuran outlier aditif dalam proses menghasilkan data juga memiliki pengaruh penting terhadap parameter farksional estimasi yang tergantung pada nilai parameter fraksional yang sebenarnya. Hasilnya menunjukkan variabilitas non tren atau siklus alami yang dipengaruhi oleh proses stokastik dalam hal sifat perubahan iklim dengan observasi bebas (outlier) yang menghasilkan outcome berlawanan dari ketidakpastian yang intensif terhadap tren data temperatur dunia pada kondisi riil. Hasil pengamatan empiris menyimpulkan bahwa pada akhir abad 21 secara meyakinkan pemanasan global akan mempunyai dampak negatif terhadap agregat produksi pertanian global dan dampaknya bisa sangat parah jika manfaat fertilizasi karbon (peningkatan hasil dalam lingkungan yang kaya karbon) tidak tampak, terutama jika kelangkaan air membatasi irigasi. Lagi pula, jika pemasan global tidak berhenti pada tahun 2080, tetapi temperatur global terus meningkat pada abad 22, kegagalan produksi pertanian bisa semakin parah. Studi ini juga menunjukkan bahwa akumulasi pengaruh produksi pertanian kemungkinan lebih serius bagi negara berkembang dengan kerugian terbesar di Afrika, Amerika Latin, dan India. EnglishThis paper primarily attempts to detect the trend in the present upshots of global warming temperature data. It has been done through the estimation of the long memory fractional parameter using a simulation technique in the presence of additive outliers which stands as wild observations generated in the atmosphere due to global warming. Then, the study investigates empirically the impact of global warming on the particular aspect of global agricultural production. Based on Monte Carlo simulations, a data generating process is applied where additive outliers are generated in a discrete way. Observed facts reveal that additive outliers affect the bias and the MSE of the estimated fractional parameter. The size of the additive outliers in data generating process has also important effects on the estimated fractional parameter depending on the value of true fractional parameter. The result exhibits a non-trend or a natural cyclical variability influenced by a stochastic process in the case of climate change behavior with wild observations (outliers) that produce a contradictory outcome of profound uncertainties against the case of true world temperature data trend. The results of empirical investigations assert that in the late 21st century unabated global warming would have a negative impact on global agricultural production in the aggregate and the impact could be severe if carbon fertilization benefits (enhancements of yields in a carbon-rich environment) do not materialize, especially if water scarcity limits irrigation. In addition, if warming would not halt in the 2080s, but would continue on a path toward still higher global temperatures in the 22nd century, agricultural damage could be more severe. The study also shows that the composition of agricultural effects is likely to be seriously unfavorable to developing countries with the most severe losses in Africa, Latin America and India

Poverty Alleviation and Identifying the Barriers to the Rural Poor Participation in MFIs: A Case Study in Bangladesh

The main purpose of the study is to identify the barriers of participation of the rural poor in microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Bangladesh. To this aim, data were collected through face to face interview from six different districts of Bangladesh. From the microfinance literature, the study set eight explanatory factors and six demographics which are explored through three separate models in examining the factors that influence the dependent variables such as nonparticipation and drop-out (Model 1), participation (Model 2) and nonparticipant but willing to participate (Model 3) in MFIs. Logistic regression techniques are employed in analyzing data. The results of Model 1 indicate that education, other assets and spousal dislike to female head of households are observed as the significant barriers of participation. The outcome of the Model 2 suggests that there have been six factors that inhibit the rural poor participation in MFIs which are gender, age, yearly income, land, religion and lack of knowledge. And in the Model 3, gender, education, land, insufficient resources and lack of knowledge appear to be the significant barriers to participation of the rural poor in MFIs in Bangladesh. Keywords: Poverty alleviation, rural poor, barriers to participation in MFIs, Banglades

A Probe on Nonparticipation in Microfinance: Case for Bangladesh

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting nonparticipation of the rural poor in MFIs in Bangladesh. To this aim, the study investigated the measurement and predictive structure of decomposed multiple components of attitudes (fear and preference), subjective norms reference (religious leaders, spouse and friends) and perceived behavioral control (PBC) (resources, knowledge and illness) in the domain of microfinance and its nonparticipation. The study postulated eight factors from the microfinance literature which are modeled together in examining nonparticipation of the rural poor in MFIs in Bangladesh. Data were collected based on stratified random sampling procedure through face to face interview from the respondents of 280 nonparticipating rural poor from six major areas of Bangladesh. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) along with AMOS was employed in analyzing data. Among the eight variables only four variables such as fear of getting into risk of loan, individual preference of taking loan, insufficient resources and ill-health or vulnerability to crises were appeared statistically significant for influencing the poor villagers’ intention to participation in MFIs in rural arena. Besides, intention and all the three constructs of PBC were found statistically significant to directly influence the participation behavior of the rural poor in Bangladesh. Keywords: Microfinance, MFIs, Barriers of participation, Rural poor, Banglades

Demystifying Nonparticipation of the Rural Poor in MFIs in Bangladesh: An Empirical Evidence

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting nonparticipation of the rural poor in MFIs in Bangladesh. To this aim, the study investigated the measurement and predictive structure of multiple components of attitudes (fear and preference), subjective norms reference (religious leaders, spouse and friends) and perceived behavioral control (PBC) (resources, knowledge and illness) in the domain of microfinance and its nonparticipation. The study postulated eight factors from the microfinance literature which are modeled together in examining nonparticipation of the rural poor in MFIs in Bangladesh. Data were collected based on stratified random sampling procedure through face to face interview from the respondents of 280 nonparticipating rural poor from six major areas of Bangladesh. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) along with AMOS was employed in analyzing data. Among the eight variables only four variables such as fear of getting into risk of loan, individual preference of taking loan, insufficient resources and ill-health or vulnerability to crises were appeared statistically significant for influencing the poor villagers’ intention to participation in MFIs in rural arena. Besides, intention and all the three constructs of PBC were found statistically significant to directly influence the participation behavior of the rural poor in Bangladesh. Keywords: Microfinance, MFIs, Barriers of participation, Rural poor, Banglades

Fragility of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in Bangladesh and Its Implications for Poverty-Focused Paradigm-Shift: An Exploratory Study

Microfinance initiative is widely acclaimed as a new approach to alleviate poverty and bring about development, but recently the effectiveness of the MFIs has been appeared to be a focus of debate in finance and economics literature. The controversy surrounds mainly on the impact of these MFIs on poverty, ultra-poverty and further overall socioeconomic development. Specific factors, among others, are mainly under scrutiny such as income and living standard, costs of credit, risk of loans, disciplinary imperatives, loan repayment policy, religious restrictions, loan using opportunity etc. An exploratory survey was conducted to analyze the microfinance members’ evaluation about the microfinance schemes adopted by different MFIs in Bangladesh. This study covered only three MFIs such as Grameen Bank (GB), BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) and ASA (Association for Social Advancement). The sample was taken on random basis from the Districts of Gazipur, Savar and Narayanganj. The respondents (clients of those three MFIs) were asked to evaluate their judgments on different objects selected in the questionnaire. Respondents ranked the attributes on a number of itemized five-point scale ratings bounded at each end by one of two bipolar adjectives. The result of this study indicated that overall poverty was not alleviated and the factors such as disciplinary criteria, costs of credit, income and living standard, religious restrictions and risk of loans are not on a satisfactory level which underscores the necessity of alternative paradigm. Otherwise, ineffectiveness of the MFIs would persist and poverty alleviation objective would remain futile. Keywords: Microfinance customers, Safety Net, MFIs, Islamic MFI