Microfinance relates to the provision, by specialized microfinance institutions (MFIs), of small-scale financial services - such as credit, savings, and insurance - to the poorer sections of the population. These sections have traditionally been excluded by the financial system. Microfinance is viewed as a system put into place in order to overcome market failures that are created by banks and that are omnipresent in the developing world. In development policy, microfinance has received considerable attention during the last twenty years, and the industry has grown substantially. Interestingly, the sector has been more successful in reaching out to people in some countries than in others. The sector has also developed in an unequal way within countries. The reasons why this happened are not directly apparent. This doctoral dissertation addresses the uneven development of the microfinance sector and aims at identifying factors that explain it.<p><p>The dissertation consists of three main parts. The first part, which consists of two papers, combines different datasets on the outreach of MFIs to assess in which countries MFIs have developed most. The papers indicate that the microfinance sector is more present in the richer countries of the developing world. It also reaches more clients in countries that receive more international aid. Population density also plays a stimulating role, which partially explains why the sector is still underdeveloped in rural areas.<p><p>The second part of the dissertation, which exists of one paper, explores in more depth the relationship between traditional financial sector development and microfinance institutions. The paper, co-authored with Bert D’Espallier, shows that MFIs reach more clients and are more profitable in countries where access to the traditional financial system is low. This is in line with the market-failure hypothesis. Along the same line, we find that MFIs serve poorer people in countries with well-developed financial systems. This observation is an important element to take into account in the debate on mission drift of the sector, where it is feared that MFIs drift away from serving the poor. The paper shows that MFIs in countries with well-developed banking sectors have less space to move up market and consequently to drift from the sector’s general mission.<p><p>The third and final part of the dissertation is a quantitative study on the spread and expansion process of MFIs in one Latin American country, Peru. The roles that district characteristics play in the decision to open an MFI branch are scrutinized. The paper finds that MFIs mainly increase financial access in districts with higher levels of development. Districts where banks are already present also have a higher probability that MFIs will open a branch there. This demonstrates that the two kinds of institutions co-exist in several districts, but most probably serve another clientele. Overall, although strategies differ between different types of Peruvian MFIs, the paper finds that they do not seem to be driven by a pure developmental logic that would push them towards the poorest or totally unbanked regions of the country. <p><p>On the whole, the main conclusions of the dissertation can be summarized as follows. First, the dissertation demonstrates that the outreach of the microfinance sector is influenced by a number of macro factors. Consequently, country-specific and macro-economic factors should be taken into account when evaluating MFI performance. Second, the dissertation shows that MFIs substitute the traditional banking sector. MFIs thus fulfill an important part of their mission, i.e. they have helped to increase financial access in the developing world. However, the study also suggests that MFIs still fail to serve a significant number of poor people. This leads to a third important observation, namely that MFIs may in fact not strive to serve the poor as such. Rather, it seems that they are currently focusing on the un-served market in general. The observation indicates that there is a need for a more thorough investigation on the issue of whom the unbanked in the developing countries are and whom MFIs actually strive to serve. Finally, since the outreach and performance of MFIs is dependent on the presence of a stimulating macro-environment, it remains a challenge to serve the financially excluded in the more remote areas of the developing countries and the people in the poorest ones. <p><p><p> / Doctorat en Sciences économiques et de gestion / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The aim of this work is propose competitive strategy of Stytotrade company. It is divided into three segments: theoretic part, analytical part and project part. The theoretical part present the company and literary sources that deal with strategies of competitive advantage, Porter generic strategies, theory knowledge of competition, marketing research and strategy for market leader. Analytical part is focused on the identification of competition, macro environment, current corporate strategy, marketing mix and marketing research. Project part - data from the marketing research are processed to SWOT analysis that is fundation for the propose of competitive strategy.

This thesis was focused on the theme: External environment of the company. The business was chosen during the preparation and give me necessary information. Researched business called Aerosol ? Service Ltd., place of business is in central Bohemian (Pletený Újezd). The main products of the company are polyurethane foams. This dissertation was divided into three pillars. The first pillar was oriented of the external surroundings of company. These surroundings were adequately described. The next step was survey, because was needed to profile customer satisfaction. Another important step was to analyze the strongest and closest competitors on the market. The second pillar was focused on farther surroundings professionally called macro surroundings. This part has been described by STEP analysis. From this analysis was evaluated several most fundamental and long-term factors. The last pillar was focused on foreign trade, which is for company the most important. 85 % of the all production goes abroad. Here was analyzed market of European Union and final effect was chosen two best companies according to set criteria to begin new business possibilities. The main object of the thesis was to analyze the external environment of the company. In my opinion, the main object fulfilled. New findings were found in the external environment, and they are designed to changes and recommendations.

Although mostly associated with the harmful consequences of alcohol abuse over the public health, the industry of distilled spirits represents a very important and substantial part of the economy. Nowadays, the spirits industry does not only consist of alcoholic beverages; but it is part of many cultures, creates a certain image, and provides additional incomes for the economy in the form of taxes and excises, as well as job creation. The main aim for writing this paper on this topic was to analyze the Macedonian spirits market and to suggest a marketing strategy through making parallel comparisons between specifics in different spirits markets in the world and the spirits industry in Macedonia. Working in the spirits market industry requires careful execution of the company's strategies and policies, while respecting all the legislation procedures. That is why when entering the spirits market; a good and essential analysis is necessary.

Thesis "Evaluating and Financing an Investment Project in Company Jabara, s.r.o" is divided into three parts. First, evaluating of the overall situation by using basic anlysis. This will be followed by the detection whether the company Jabara, s.r.o. has money enough and other criteria for the development of business investment. At the conclusion appropriate forms of financing the investment will be given.

Genom att tillämpa en fallstudiedesign undersöker denna studie en talangutvecklingsmiljö inom lagidrotten handboll. Studiens syfte är att studera den interaktion och dynamiska process som sker mellan spelare, tränare och andra signifikanta personer i en svensk talangutvecklingsmiljö. Studiens teoretiska ramverk är Henrikens (2010) modeller för att studera framgångsrika talangutvecklingsmiljöer. Studien tillämpar en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi i form av intervjuer och dokumentanalys. Resultatet visar att det finns stora likheter mellan den undersökta handbollsmiljön och framgångsrika talangutvecklingsmiljöer från andra studier. / By using a case study design this a talent development environment in the team sport of handball. The aim of the study is to examine the interaction and dynamic process between players, coaches and significant others in a Swedish talent development environment. The theoretical framework is Henriksen (2010) working models for studying talent development environment. This study has a qualitative research strategy in the form of interviews and document analysis. The results show similarities with the environment in the handball club and successful talent development environment from other case studies.

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / The environment in which a business operates consists of various forces which exert positive or negative influences on the business. Since they contribute to or deter from the achievement of business objectives, it is essential that they be identified and investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the environmental forces which affect the operations of small, medium and micro independent caterers in Cape Town. In this context, the micro, market and macro-environments were examined. It is hoped that the results of the study will assist these caterers in their awareness of pertinent factors in their business environment, as well as the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats arising therein. They can use this information in strategy development, to reach their objectives, and to enhance their competitive advantage and profitability. Primary data was collected from the business owners or managers through an online survey. The survey covered firmographic business details, as well as demographic details of the owners/managers. Thereafter, their opinions were elicited regarding the impact of various factors in their business environment. The main findings are the following: The greatest positive impacts on the small, medium and micro independent caterers are the abilities of the owners/managers, relationships with suppliers, the internet, and the control of materials and production processes. The greatest challenges faced are financial resources, marketing strategies, online services, competitors, customer demands, the current state of the economy and legal regulations. / Die omgewing waarin 'n onderneming werksaam is, bestaan uit verskeie magte wat die onderneming positief of negatief kan beïnvloed. Aangesien dit tot die onderneming se doelstellings kan bydra of keer dat die onderneming dit bereik, is dit noodsaaklik dat dit geïdentifiseer en ondersoek word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die omgewingsmagte te bepaal wat die werksaamhede van klein, medium en mikro-onafhanklike spyseniers in Kaapstad beïnvloed. In hierdie konteks is die mikro-, mark- en makro-omgewings ondersoek. Die hoop is dat die bevindings van die studie hierdie spyseniers sal help om bewus te wees van die toepaslike faktore in hul sakeomgewing asook hul sterkpunte, swakpunte, geleenthede en bedreigings wat daarin tot stand kom. Hulle kan hierdie inligting gebruik om 'n strategie te ontwikkel om hul doelstellings te bereik en hul mededingingsvoorsprong en winsgewendheid te bevorder. Primêre data is van sake-eienaars of -bestuurders verkry deur 'n aanlyn opname. Die opname het die onderneming se firmografiese besonderhede asook die eienaars/bestuurders se demografiese besonderhede gedek. Daarna is hul menings oor die invloed van verskeie faktore in hul sakeomgewing gevra. Die volgende is bevind: Die grootste positiewe invloede op klein, medium en mikro-onafhanklike spyseniers is die eienaars/bestuurders se vermoëns, verhoudings met verskaffers, die internet en die beheer van materiale en produksieprosesse. Die grootste uitdagings was finansiële hulpbronne, bemarkingstrategieë, aanlyn dienste, mededingers, klante se eise, die huidige stand van die ekonomie en wetlike regulasies. / Indawo eliqhubeka kuyo ishishini inamasolotya amaninzi asenokuba nefuthe elihle okanye elibi kwishishini elo. Njengoko la masolotya encedisa okanye ethintela ukuphunyezwa kweenjongo zeshishini, kubalulekile ukuba anakanwe kwaye aphandwe. Injongo yesi sifundo yayikukuphonononga amanqanaba achaphazela ukusebenza kwamashishini okupheka azimeleyo, amancinci, aphakathi namancinci kakhulu eKapa. Kule meko, kwaqwalaselwa iindawo zokusebenza ezincinci kakhulu, ezinkulu kakhulu neemarike. Kuthenjwa ukuba iziphumo zesi sifundo ziya kubanceda oosomashishini bokupheka ukuze baqaphele imibandela ebalulekileyo malunga nomsebenzi wabo, baqonde amandla, ubuthathaka kunye namathuba avelayo kolu shishino. Bangalusebenzisa olu lwazi ekuqulunqeni amacebo obulumko okuphumeza iinjongo zabo kunye nokomeleza amathuba abo okuphumelela kukhuphiswano nokwenza inzala. Kwenziwa uhlolo zimvo kusetyenziswa i-intanethi ekuqokeleleni ulwazi ngqo kubanini nabaphathi bamashishini. Olu hlolo zimvo lwaqwalasela iinkcukacha ezingundoqo zamashishini kwakunye nesibalo sabanini/abaphathi bamashishini. Emva koko, kwafunwa izimvo zabo malunga nefuthe lemiba ethile kwiindawo zabo zoshishino. Okuphambili okwafunyaniswayo koku: Okona kukhulu okuchaphazela kakuhle amashishini okupheka azimeleyo amancinci, aphakathi namancinci kakhulu ngamandla okuba nakho abanini/abaphathi, ulwalamano nabo bathengisa izixhobo zokuqhuba ishishini, i-intanethi, kunye nolawulo lweenkqubo zokuvelisa. Eyona mingeni iphambili yimithombo yemali, amacebo okubhengeza ishishini, iinkonzo zokuthenga ngeintanethi, abakhuphisani, izinyanzeliso zabaxumi, isimo sezoqoqosho esigqubayo kwakunye nemigaqo yomthetho. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)