-
Who Is the ‘User’ In ‘User-Centred Design’?: When it comes to financial products, don’t discount the role of intermediaries
The obvious “users” of financial products are the end customers of the financial institution or mobile network operator. But as Graham Wright of Microsave notes, there is another very important “user” - the organization that will ultimately deliver the product.
- Categories
- Education
-
Cheaper, Faster, Better?: Mercy Corps compares E-transfers and cash in the DRC
International humanitarian agencies are increasingly offering cash and vouchers as humanitarian assistance. But distributing cash carries security risks for agencies and recipients, while presenting accounting and logistical challenges. Electronic alternatives or vouchers could address these issues, but how well do they work? Mercy Corps studied the question in a program in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Categories
- Education, Impact Assessment
- Tags
- digital payments, research
-
NexThought Monday – 12/8/14: Safaricom, share your M-PESA data!: Why we need data philanthropy in Kenya
With 15 million users and 2 million transaction per day, Safaricom has achieved historic success with its M-PESA mobile money product in Kenya. It has also compiled a historic amount of data, and the granularity is electrifying. This data would be a treasure trove to financial inclusion actors, says James Schintz of MIX, in an impassioned plea for Safaricom to engage in "data philanthropy."
- Categories
- Education
-
GSK Opens £4 Million Research Grant on Non-Communicable Diseases
Apparently to find scientific answers to why Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are rising on the African continent, GlaxoSmitheKline (GSK) has opened a £4m grant initiative to researchers in the region.
- Categories
- Education, Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- research
-
New Policy Could Unlock the Gates Foundation, Bring Transparency to Research
One of the biggest private foundations in the world just took a step toward becoming more open with the research it funds.
- Categories
- Education, Health Care
- Tags
- research
-
Learning from What Works: IFC’s new report on inclusive business includes lessons for each phase of the value chain
In its latest report, Shared Prosperity through Inclusive Business: How Successful Companies Reach the Base of the Pyramid, the IFC summarizes practical lessons from clients that successfully reach low-income people as suppliers or customers. There are lessons for each phase of the value chain that can be adapted to the context of a particular sector or region.
- Categories
- Education, Social Enterprise
-
Breaking the R&D deadlock: could Open Labs be the key to cracking the world’s toughest health problems?
In January, 2010, an unprecedented step was taken to progress research into diseases of the developing world when global pharmaceutical company GSK announced it was creating the world’s first Open Lab. ... Four years since its creation, the Open Lab model is emerging as a success story.
- Categories
- Education, Health Care
-
Take that, Telecoms: Helix’s Bangladesh study shows that banks and other players can also scale mobile money agent networks
Bangladesh has a burgeoning competitive landscape in mobile money, and due to regulations, none of the major players are telecoms. In other markets, telecoms have used their marketing budgets, national retailer networks and other advantages to scale digital financial services. But Bangladesh has shown that banks and third party providers can also succeed in the space. The Helix Institute discusses this and other findings from their recent study.
- Categories
- Education
Subscribe to Our 'Business in Global Development' Newsletter!
Our new weekly LinkedIn newsletter features NextBillion's latest original articles, along with curated news, jobs, bizdev opportunities and events from our recent coverage of impact-focused business in emerging markets.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.