Title: Evaluating social performance: a case study of a microfinance institution in Malaysia

Authors: A.K. Siti-Nabiha, A.Z. Siti-Nazariah

Addresses: Graduate School of Business, University Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia. ' State Development Office, Prime Minister's Department, 39, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Penang 10050, Malaysia

Abstract: This study explains how Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), a microfinance institution, has achieved its social performance in terms of the outreach to the poor and excluded, its adaptation of services and products to client needs, the improvement of the social and political capital of the poor and its social responsibility. AIM has an advantage in its capital channel system that facilitates the poor to apply for microloans. AIM|s dependence on the government for funds exposes it to political intervention, which limits its capability to become involved in community investment activities.

Keywords: social performance; MFIs; microfinance institutions; AIM; Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia; enterprise development; case study; commercialisation; outreach; poor; social responsibility; microloans; government funding; poverty; political intervention; community investment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMED.2011.042047

International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development, 2011 Vol.10 No.4, pp.271 - 290

Published online: 30 Apr 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article