Microfinancing Palestine Under a Restricted Regional Economy

microfinance;palestine;economy

Tabbaa, Meyya

University:Havard University

Department:International Relations

关键词: microfinance;    palestine;    economy;   

Others  :  https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/37365084/TABBAA-DOCUMENT-2019.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

美国|英语

来源: Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard

【 摘 要 】

This dissertation commenced with the overarching intent of achieving six core research objectives revolving around the topic of microfinance in Palestine. Consequently, by use of a comprehensive review of the literature and a thematic analysis of document and interview data, the study has met all of the proposed objectives that were set at the onset of the research. Notably, the comprehensive review of the literature in the first and second chapters provided a detailed account of the advancement of the microfinance sector in Palestine in terms of the region’s prevailing macroeconomic environment. Although the data on the topic was scarce, the review of literature herein provides a cogent and coherent integration of the extant literary evidence from a diverse field of disciplines and research approaches, thereby contributing to the existing body of knowledge on the Palestinian economy.Conversely, the insights generated by the thematic analysis herein can be categorized broadly into three topic areas. Firstly, the Palestinian microfinance sector has substantial, positive, socioeconomic effects in the region. Thus, it is in the best interest of all associated parties to strategize on how to replicate and maximize the positive effects yielded by the sector. Secondly, the microfinance sector in Palestine responds both positively and negatively to two exogenous factors, namely the macroeconomic environment, particularly the Israeli sanctions and restrictions on the Palestinian economy, and the environment within the broader financial system, notably the sector’s interactions with the formal banking sector. Thirdly, there are two endogenous factors that influence the microfinance sector, namely the prevailing regulatory context and the applicable monetary policies and practices. Overall, based on the knowledge generated in this study, it is the author’s opinion that the implementation of the recommendations proposed herein would invariably foster further growth and expansion of the Palestinian microfinance sector.