Microenterprise, global poverty and social development

Abstract

English Microenterprise and microfinance are widely promoted today as comprising an important anti-poverty strategy. While they have a role to play, this article shows that claims about their successes are exagge rated. It concludes that these programmes are most effective when incorporated into a wider set of social development policies and programmes specifically designed to address the problem of global poverty. French Micro-entreprise et micro-finance sont généralement présentées aujourd'hui comme faisant partie d'une importante stratégie anti-pauvreté. Bien qu'elles jouent effectivement un rôle, ce papier montre que leurs prétentions aux succés en la matiére sont exagérées. L'article conclut sur le fait que ces méthodes sont le plus efficaces lorsqu'elles sont intégrées dans un ensemble plus large de politiques de développement social et de programmes visant spécifiquement à résoudre le probléme de la pauvreté mondiale. Spanish Hoy se promueve ampliamente la pequeña empresa y el pequeño crédito como estrategia importantes en contra de la pobreza. Aunque dichas estrategias tienen un papel que cumplir, este ensayo muestra que se exageran sus éxitos. Se concluye que tales programas son más efectivos cuando se les incorpora a un conjunto más amplio de políticas sociales y programas específicamente diseñados para bregar con el problema de pobreza global.

Human Security and Philanthropy

“…It refl ects the recognition that poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon requiring multipronged efforts, with simultaneous action on multiple fronts (Ohri, 2004 ). Using a human security paradigm to reorient microfi nance movements would put microfi nance in proper perspective as a valid tool to alleviate poverty when incorporated into a wider set of development policies and programs designed specifi cally to address the problem of global poverty (Midgley, 2008 ). At its root, human security is about protecting and empowering all people and guaranteeing basic necessities, freedoms and dignity (Goldsworthy, 2010 ).…”

Environmental Orientation of Small Enterprises: Can Microcredit-Assisted Microenterprises be “Green”?

“…As defined by Midgley [32], microenterprises are small businesses owned and operated by poor people with the support of sponsoring organizations. They may be owned and/or operated by individuals or small groups, though family members are often involved in day-to-day operations and the number of participants is usually small.…”

Measuring the Benefits of Smallholder Farmer Membership in Producer-Controlled Vertical Value Chains: Survey Findings From a Development Project in East Africa

“…In addition, empirical evidence suggests that despite the widely cited successes of micro‐enterprises, their total impact on poverty alleviation is, at best, quite modest (Kempner, ). One reviewer who is sympathetic to micro‐enterprises concludes that “their contribution should be put in proper perspective and viewed as a valid antipoverty resource which is most effective when incorporated into a wider set of social development policies and programs designed specifically to address the problem of global poverty” (Midgley, ).…”

“…While much is written about smallholder involvement, especially of women, in micro‐finance (Counts, ; Kempner, ) and micro‐enterprise (Midgley, ) organizations, much less is known about what motivates smallholder households to join and maintain their involvement in more complex producer‐owned commercial entities. Using survey data, we examine the incentives for households to become members in four vertically coordinated dairy cooperatives, three in Kenya and one in Uganda.…”