Commercialization of Microfinance in Cameroon : How can Microfinance Institutions manage their dual social and commercial goals?

Summary The commercialization of microfinance has brought the financial performance of MFis to the forefront, with MFIs now adopting a commercial logic of profitability in addition to their established social logic of poverty alleviation. This poses a crucial management challenge for MFIs to balance the social and commercial aspects of their mission. This thesis aims to analyze how MFIs overcome their challenges to achieve their dual social and commercial goals. It uses the concept of bricolage as a theoretical perspective and an abductive, exploratory and qualitative methodological approach. The thesis also aims to provide a better understanding of the Cameroonian microfinance sector, in terms of its history and evolution, and the challenges specific to the sector. The study identifies various bricolage practices that MFIs use to advance their dual mission. The findings suggest that MFIs use these bricolage practices to mobilize resources, build legitimacy, and increase their or/reach, in a context characterized by resource constraints. These three bricolage outcomes reinforce each other to facilitate the MFIs' dual goals. This research also highlighted the four phases of evolution of the Cameroonian microfinance sector and the five main challenges facing MFIs in the sector. This thesis contributes to the literature on microfinance. It offers a new look at the management of the dual mission of MFIs by showing how MFIs mobilize do-it-yourself strategies to advance their social and business objectives. It highlights the link between the microfinance literature and bricolage.