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Inexpensive Impact: The Case for Frugal Innovations
Over 4 billion people around the world lack necessities like food, water, energy, health care and housing. This represents not only a major social challenge but a major market, as low-income consumers have an annual purchasing capacity of US $5 trillion. Rajat Chabba and Sheena Raikundalia at Intellecap explore how entrepreneurs are developing innovative, frugal products to meet these customers’ needs – and why an ecosystem approach is needed to help them scale their solutions.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Technology
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The Impact of Inconsistency: Uncovering the Hidden Cost of Variable Work Schedules
There’s no shortage of apps and initiatives intended to help low-income people budget their money and boost their savings. But for millions of Americans, no amount of budgeting or discipline can overcome a lack of stable income. Studies show that almost 40 percent of working adults experience a drop in income at least one month per year, making it difficult to cover expenses like food, rent and other necessities. Analysts at Duke's Common Cents Lab explore the often-hidden impact of this problem – and discuss some ways product developers and employers could help.
- Categories
- Finance
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Perspective: A global tipping point: Half the world is now middle class or wealthier
So September 2018 marks a global tipping point. After this, for the first time ever, the poor and vulnerable will no longer be a majority in the world. Barring some unfortunate global economic setback, this marks the start of a new era of a middle-class majority.
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Female-owned businesses driving economic growth, reducing inequality in Ghana
Microenterprises owned by females have been promoted as a powerful engine of economic and social growth, poverty alleviation and a promenade to the elimination of gender inequality. At the same time, research has documented gender gaps in microenterprise business performance and investment, which can serve to reproduce gender inequality and hinder economic growth.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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The Impact Of The Middle East’s Fintech Boom On Economic Inequality In The Region
History tells us that any new technology can lead to one of two diametrically-opposed social outcomes: the technology can help balance the distribution of global wealth, or it can deepen economic and social inequality.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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A Shifting Frontier: How Mobile Money is Reshaping the Gender Gap in Financial Inclusion
Mobile banking can undoubtedly be a useful tool when it comes to closing the financial services gender gap – with the key word being "can." But as the results of the Global Findex report show, fintech is no panacea for addressing longstanding disparities in financial access, and the gap between men and women remains great. Scott Graham of FINCA International explores the potential – and limitations – of digital finance to boost women’s inclusion and empowerment.
- Categories
- Finance
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Global Income Inequality May Fall as Emerging Markets Skill Up
The world will see the number of skilled workers -- those with nine or more years of education -- rise 30 percent to 2.16 billion by 2040, up from 1.66 billion in 2011, according to a new World Bank report. Thanks to their growing populations and investments in education, developing countries are expected to contribute all of those additional educated workers.
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Development aid in Africa is flowing to the rich in urban areas and not the poor
In his paper published this month, Ryan C. Briggs, an assistant professor at the department of political science, shows that there are spatial differences in the degree to which aid reaches the poor in Africa. Briggs examined the data by dividing the African continent’s map—including North Africa and the islands—into 10,572 cells after which he aggregated aid projects, population, and poverty levels into each cell.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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