Replication data for: Credit Elasticities in Less-Developed Economies: Implications for Microfinance

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Dean S. Karlan; Jonathan Zinman

Version:  View help for Version V1

Name File Type Size Last Modified
LICENSE.txt text/plain 14.6 KB 10/12/2019 04:20:AM
kz_demandelasts_aer08.dta application/octet-stream 10 MB 10/12/2019 04:20:AM
kz_demandelasts_aer08_maturity_first.do text/plain 2.3 KB 10/12/2019 04:20:AM
kz_demandelasts_aer08_maturity_second.do text/plain 2.3 KB 10/12/2019 04:20:AM
kz_demandelasts_aer08_onebutton_tables.do text/plain 797 bytes 10/12/2019 04:20:AM
kz_demandelasts_aer08_price_attention.do text/plain 2.1 KB 10/12/2019 04:20:AM
kz_demandelasts_aer08_price_extensive.do text/plain 1.8 KB 10/12/2019 04:20:AM
kz_demandelasts_aer08_price_het.do text/plain 2.4 KB 10/12/2019 04:20:AM
kz_demandelasts_aer08_price_loansize.do text/plain 3.2 KB 10/12/2019 04:20:AM
kz_demandelasts_aer08_price_profitcomponents.do text/plain 615 bytes 10/12/2019 04:20:AM

Project Citation: 

Karlan, Dean S., and Zinman, Jonathan. Replication data for: Credit Elasticities in Less-Developed Economies: Implications for Microfinance. Nashville, TN: American Economic Association [publisher], 2008. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2019-10-12. https://doi.org/10.3886/E113240V1

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary Policymakers often prescribe that microfinance institutions increase interest rates to eliminate their reliance on subsidies. This strategy makes sense if the poor are rate insensitive: then microlenders increase profitability (or achieve sustainability) without reducing the poor's access to credit. We test the assumption of price inelastic demand using randomized trials conducted by a consumer lender in South Africa. The demand curves are downward sloping, and steeper for price increases relative to the lender's standard rates. We also find that loan size is far more responsive to changes in loan maturity than to changes in interest rates, which is consistent with binding liquidity constraints.

Scope of Project

JEL Classification:  View help for JEL Classification
      G21 Banks; Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
      O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
      O16 Economic Development: Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance


Related Publications

Download this project

Published Versions

V1 [2019-10-12]

Export Metadata

Dublin Core

DDI 2.5

Report a Problem

Found a serious problem with the data, such as disclosure risk or copyrighted content? Let us know.

This material is distributed exactly as it arrived from the data depositor. ICPSR has not checked or processed this material. Users should consult the investigator(s) if further information is desired.