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Do Teams Work Best When The Stakes Are High?

The Horizons Tracker

This process, which they refer to as gradualism, is commonly used in team building and training initiatives, and are also common in the field of microfinance. The researchers examined the effectiveness of gradualism in group settings by imposing various levels of stakes on hypothetical projects on participating teams. Gradual success.

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Guest Post: An Entrepreneur's Thoughts on Market Incentives & Foreign Aid

Mills Scofield

Among this group has been a founder of a wildlife foundation, a married Wall Street duo, a management consultant, his digital artist wife, and an urban planner. In these events, participants raise money in the UK before arriving in Zanzibar for a biking marathon around the island. The money raised helps keep hospitals here running.

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Making Microfinance More Effective

Harvard Business Review

The Grameen model of microfinance gained a great deal of attention in the international development field after early data showed that it was associated with high repayment and low default. Our findings are captured in a working paper which we summarize below. This model makes small loans, usually to women, without requiring collateral.

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How Large NGOs Are Using Data to Transform Themselves

Harvard Business Review

” So the Seilers responded by piloting a program called the Pathway of Hope, which focuses on providing case management for families. Participating families show strong early signs of progress: Those completing multiple assessments have seen increases of 24% in parental income, 50% in hope, and 75% in stability.

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The Innovation Mindset in Action: Shantha Ragunathan

Harvard Business Review

Sasikala, a Block Development Officer (BDO), talked to the Kodapattinam villagers about microfinance , only Shantha, of all the villagers, saw the opportunity and took action. Undeterred, Shantha persisted until she persuaded the required number of people to sign up for the microfinance project.

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Transforming Rural India Through Agricultural Innovation

Harvard Business Review

Watershed and natural resource management initiatives have resulted in increase in water table ranging from 3.5 Over 1,900 beneficiaries have established micro-enterprises for which microfinance has been facilitated. Over 1,400 toilets have been built with people participation under sanitation initiatives.

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3 Things Driving Entrepreneurial Growth in Africa

Harvard Business Review

An unfortunate reality of many African economies is that only a tiny fraction of the population participates in the formal economy. A few of these companies manage to transcend national boundaries and scale to a larger size. It has managed to combine international standards with African tastes. Top of the Pyramid.