Digitising microfinance: on the route to losing the traditional ‘human face’ of microfinance institutions

IF 16.4 1区化学 Q1 CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Accounts of Chemical Research Pub Date : 2021-11-22 DOI:10.1080/13600818.2021.1998409

J. Siwale, C. Godfroid

引用次数: 4

Abstract

ABSTRACT Digitising how financial services are accessed in the microfinance industry is considered a magical pathway to increasing financial inclusion. This paper argues that beyond the numerous advantages digitisation is supposed to bring, it may also hinder financial inclusion if it completely replaces the loan officer-client relationship that has been a hallmark of microfinance. Based on questionnaires and on 21 semi-structured interviews with managers and loan officers of four microfinance institutions in Zambia, our research highlights the trade-offs that need to be considered when digitising the lending process. The study argues for a blended approach between digital technologies and flexibility through human touch if microfinance institutions are to retain the competitive advantage, as well as enhance the production and quality of soft information for financial inclusion in less mature markets.

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小额信贷数字化：走在失去小额信贷机构传统“人性化”的道路上

摘要数字化小额信贷行业的金融服务被认为是提高金融包容性的一条神奇途径。本文认为，除了数字化应该带来的众多优势之外，如果数字化完全取代了小额信贷的标志性贷款官-客户关系，它也可能阻碍金融包容性。基于问卷调查和对赞比亚四家小额信贷机构经理和贷款官员的21次半结构化访谈，我们的研究强调了在贷款流程数字化时需要考虑的权衡。该研究认为，如果小额金融机构要保持竞争优势，并提高软信息的生产和质量，以便在不太成熟的市场中实现金融包容性，就需要在数字技术和通过人的接触实现灵活性之间采取混合方法。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Accounts of Chemical Research 化学-化学综合

CiteScore

31.40

自引率

1.10%

发文量

312

审稿时长

2 months

期刊介绍： Accounts of Chemical Research presents short, concise and critical articles offering easy-to-read overviews of basic research and applications in all areas of chemistry and biochemistry. These short reviews focus on research from the author’s own laboratory and are designed to teach the reader about a research project. In addition, Accounts of Chemical Research publishes commentaries that give an informed opinion on a current research problem. Special Issues online are devoted to a single topic of unusual activity and significance. Accounts of Chemical Research replaces the traditional article abstract with an article "Conspectus." These entries synopsize the research affording the reader a closer look at the content and significance of an article. Through this provision of a more detailed description of the article contents, the Conspectus enhances the article's discoverability by search engines and the exposure for the research.