Mission Drift in Microfinance. The Influence of Institutional and Country Risk Indicators on the Trade-Off between the Financial and Social Performance of Microfinance Institutions

Investments in microfinance by institutional investors are growing. The investors benefit from a dual return investment opportunity by balancing financial and social returns. Yet, commercial microfinance institutions tend to focus on their financial performance. Reaching out to wealthier clients while crowding out poorer clients enhances their profitability - a phenomenon called mission drift.Pim Engels has analysed the data of 600 microfinance institutions operating in 84 countries and presents now new insights to the phenomenon of mission drift. Based on his findings investors can recognise and prevent mission drift taking place amongst the microfinance institutions in their portfolio.