Sustainable Microfinance - Balanced Scorecard's added value for ...

1.4 Research aim
The overall aim of this research is that the results contribute to the existing body of
literature and to provide a practical model that can be used by (one of) the
microfinance players. In order to prevent the same wheels from being invented again,
the first step will be to identify what PMSs are being used by MFIs in both developing
and industrialized countries. The research aim of this thesis can be formulated as
follows:
Identify what PMSs are being used (by MFIs) around the world in order to
develop a model that contributes towards the sustainability of the microfinance
sector in the Netherlands.
1.5 Research Objective and Central Question
The objectives that arise from the research aim are:
• To give a sound and in-depth review on the current literature on MFIs and the
PMSs they use;
• To identify the gap between theoretical and empirical performance
measurement regarding PMS used by MFIs;
• To identify what specific elements microfinance experts consider to be
important for performance measurement in the Netherlands;
• To identify the need for further research.
The objectives are the input for the research question. The central question in this
research is thus:
How can the PMSs used (by MFIs) in both developing and industrialized
countries be used to provide the best added value the microfinance sector in
the Netherlands?
In order to answer the central question, the following sub-questions need to be
answered:
• What does the current body of literature reveal about the different MFIs, and
their use of PMSs, throughout the world?
• How does the current microfinance model in the Netherlands look like?
Elmar Hoogendoorn 9
Sustainable Microfinance