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RESEARCH PRODUCT

The impact of international influence on microbanks’ performance: A global survey

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NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in International Business Review. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in International Business Review, 20(2), 163-176. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2010.07.006 Microbanks serve micro-enterprises and poor people with financial services. This study examines how various aspects of international influence affect microbanks' financial and social performance. Grounded in agency theory and resource-based theory, we argue that there are multiple ways that the internationalization of microbanks might affect performance. Specifically, we argue that one can distinguish between four sources of such internationalization effects; international initiator, international directorship, international debt, and international affiliation/networks. This study utilizes data from 379 microbanks in 73 developing countries - assessed between 2001 and 2008. We find that the internationalization of microbanks to a large extend enhances social performance, but does not enhance financial performance.