ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

Articles by Sougata RaySubscribe to Sougata Ray

Over-indebtedness and Its Drivers among Microfinance Borrowers in India

In microfinance markets worldwide, over-indebtedness among borrowers and households has emerged as an important concern. Over-indebtedness, measured in terms of sacrifices made by households, is high in both rural and urban India. Factors statistically significant in explaining over-indebtedness are the borrower’s age and financial literacy; the household’s entrepreneurial activity, income level, and spatial location; and the proportion of dependent members in a household.

The Competitiveness Conundrum

Literature Review and Reflections Shekhar Chaudhuri Sougata Ray The concept of competitiveness has been studied by researchers from a variety of perspectives using different methodologies. Though there is a large volume of literature on the subject, there is a dearth of systematic reviews of the extant literature. This paper is an attempt in that direction. It presents a classificatory scheme using two dimensions level of analysis (nation, industry and firm) and types of variables used to explain competitiveness. The implicit and explicit research questions addressed and issues related to definition, measurement and sources of competitiveness at various levels are also discussed. It is suggested that given its complexity an eclectic approach combining different schools of thought and using multiple measurement schemes would be appropriate for doing research on competitiveness.

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