| Popis: |
Microfinance is recognised as one of the effective tools to alleviate poverty. Recent studies used the Vietnam Household Living Standard Survey (VHLSS) panel data showing a significant impact of microfinance on household outcomes and poverty reduction (Lensink & Pham, 2012; V. C. Nguyen, 2008; Phan, Gan, Nartea, & Cohen, 2013). However, none of those studies examined the impact of microfinance on poverty reduction using a pseudo-panel data approach. Also, none of them estimated whether participation in microfinance in previous periods had any impact on household outcomes and poverty status in the current period. The current study contributes to the literature in several ways. Firstly, a longest time frame pseudo-panel data set is constructed from the VHLSS 1992-2010, and the most comprehensive and genuine panel data set is created from the VHLSS 2002-2008. Secondly, the international poverty line and the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) equivalence scale are used to measure household income and consumption. This measure makes the results of the current study easier to compare with international literature. Finally, the dynamic relationship between access to microfinance and household outcomes is examined. |
