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Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

Abstract

Discussions on banking reforms to reduce financial exclusion have referred little to possible attitudinal constraints, on the part of staff at both branch and institutional levels, inhibiting the provision of financial services to the poor. The research project, funded by the ESCOR (now Social Science Research) Small Grants Committee, has focused on this aspect of financial exclusion. The research commenced in May 2001 and was completed in April 2002. Profiles of the rural bank branch managers, including personal background, professional background and workplace, are presented. Attitudes of managers toward aspects of their work environment and the rural poor are examined, using results from both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Finally, the emerging policy implications are discussed. These include bank reforms to address human resource management, the work environment, intermediate bank management and organization, and the client interface.

Biography

Howard Jones teaches and researches in the area of financial services for poverty alleviation in the International and Rural Development Department at the University of Reading.; Marilyn Williams teaches in the School of Psychology and researchers in the area of occupational psychology, survey methods, and organization development and change in the Department of Psychology at the University of Reading.; Yashwant Thorat presently Executive Director, Reserve Bank of India. He has a long experience at various levels with issues relating to rural credit and microfinance.; Abba Thorat was the research assistant on the research project. She now works for Willis Limited, a global insurance broker.

Section

Articles

Journal Title

Journal of Microfinance

Issue and Volume

5-2

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