IKMAS SEMINAR SERIES 3/15

IKMAS SEMINAR SERIES NO.3/2015

The Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia cordially invites YBhg. Prof/Sir/Madam to the IKMAS Seminar Series  stated as follows:

Presenter    :       Professor M. Jahangir Alam Chowdhur

                                  Center for Micro finance and Development, 

                                  University of Dhaka

Title               :        Microcredit and Women Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Bangladesh

Date               :        13 March  2015 (Friday)

Venue           :        IKMAS Seminar Room

Time              :        10.00am

Abstract:

This paper intends to assess the impact of access to microcredit on women entrepreneurship in Bangladesh. The study uses Household Income and Expenditure survey (HIES) 2010 data set (N=12,240). Considering the endogeneity in the microcredit program participation, the study uses instrumental variable technique for achieving the objective of the paper. Only around 3 per cent of women compared to 27 per cent of men of households with access to microcredit are entrepreneurs. After the adjustment of the endogeneity, the results indicate that access to microcredit has a significant positive impact on women entrepreneurship. It has also a significant positive impact on men entrepreneurship and the marginal effects of access to microcredit are more on men entrepreneurship than women entrepreneurship. Against the backdrop of the information that 93 percent of microcredit programs members in Bangladesh are women, these results highlight that the majority of these women members do not use their microcredit loans for owning businesses. Rather, they pass those loans on to their household male members.

Keywords: Access to Credit, Women Entrepreneurship, Bangladesh

Biodata:

M. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury is Professor in the Department of Finance and the Executive Director of the Center for Microfinance and Development, University of Dhaka. He received his M.Com in Finance and Banking from the University of Dhaka and PhD in Banking and Finance from the University of Stirling. Prof. Chowdhury’s research focuses on microfinance, poverty and entrepreneurship. His research has been funded by the Association of Commonwealth Universities, SANDEE, University of Stirling, Royal Economic Society, Asian Scholarship Foundation, Government of Japan, Bureau of Business Research, Partnership for Economic Policy, and Grand Challenges Canada. Professor Chowdhury has published in various scholarly journals, including Progress in Development Studies, Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Journal of Business Studies, and Journal of Finance and Banking. Prof. Chowdhury has acted as a consultant to national and international agencies including the World Bank, CIDA, DFID, FAO, UNDP and PKSF.

We look forward to your participation in this seminar. Confirmation of your attendance is greatly appreciated.

 For further information please call 03-8921-5487 / 3782.