Microfinance, Financial Innovation, and Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Economics

The use of microfinance as a strategy for improving the socio-economic wellbeing of beneficiaries in developing countries has been extensively reported. However, how microfinance institutions have used financial innovation to promote sustainable entrepreneurship, particularly in developing and emerging economies, is not well understood. Financial innovation allows time and resources for creating and adopting new business models to develop products/services and finding a niche market as well as enhance a learning organization, entrepreneurial resilience, and sustainable entrepreneurship. Microfinance, Financial Innovation, and Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Economics analyzes the influence of microfinance and financial innovation on sustainable entrepreneurship through a different thematic lens. It investigates how microfinance institutions through financial innovation help the poor to start and sustain their businesses, foster sustainable entrepreneurship, empower women, promote sustainable entrepreneurship, and reduce poverty. Covering topics such as income distribution, financial inclusion, and digital payment trends, this book is an excellent resource for finance professionals, economists, entrepreneurs, researchers, professionals, scholars, academicians, and more.

Yahaya Alhassan is a Principal Lecturer in Finance and Strategic Management at the University of Sunderland in London. He is also the Head of Academic Operations responsible for quality assurance and new programme development. Dr Alhassan holds PhD in Business Management from Anglia Ruskin University, as well as an MBA in Finance from the University of Sunderland. He is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA). He has over 20 years of teaching and management experience developed during roles in the higher education sector and the consultancy industry. Dr Alhassan is a researcher, author, finance and strategic management lecturer, and consultant, and has published over seventeen publications including books, book reviews, journal articles, and book chapters. He has served as a reviewer for highly ranked academic journals, conferences, and edited books for Springer and IGI Publishing. Some of Dr Alhassan’s publications have appeared in the UK ABS 3*** rated Journals. Dr Alhassan regularly presents papers at conferences and has presented over ten papers at various conferences since 2019. His main research interests are development finance, microfinance, entrepreneurial finance, ethnic minority entrepreneurship, and microbusiness development. His current research interests focus on the nexus between financial technology and sustainable entrepreneurship, investment in artificial intelligence, and firm growth. He has also provided consultancy services to organisations nationally and internationally that positively influenced policies, and practices, and reached audiences beyond academia.

Uzoechi Nwagbara is a professor of management at ICT University. He has BA and MA in English as well as MSc and PhD in Human Resource Management and Management respectively from University of Wales, and MEd in Higher Education as well as PG Cert in Academic Practice from University of Sunderland, UK. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA); Member Chartered Management Institute (MCMI); Member Institute of Leadership & Management (MInstLM); and Member Community Development Exchange (MCDE); and also affiliated with British Academy of Management (BAM), European Association for the Study of Literature, Culture and the Environment (EASLCE), Postcolonial Studies Association (PSA) and Royal African Society (RAS). Dr Nwagbara has over 35 years of teaching experience and has taught in higher education for upwards of 25 years. He is external examiner for University of Cumbria and University of Bolton. He has supervised over a dozen doctoral students to completion and published well over 100 publications in high impact journals in management, leadership, CSR, sustainability, employment relations and human resource management. Dr Nwagbara has examined PhD students internally and exterannly in various universities including University of Bedfordshire, Cardiff Metropolitan University, and University of the West of Scotland amongst others. He holds Visiting Teaching Positions at University of Sunderland in London, Coventry University London, London School of Commerce, University of the West of Scotland, The University of Law UK, University of Worcester, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and University of Plymouth as well as Visiting Professorship (management) Coal City University. He is on the editorial boads of many peer-reviwed, international journals including Economic Insights – Trends & Challenges, Journal of Pan African Studies and Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa.

John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor is an astute professional Accounting and Finance practitioner with over eighteen (18) years of experience in higher education and the financial sector. Professor John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor is currently the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA). As an Associate Professor of Accounting, his experience spans public and private governance, Accountancy, and Finance. He has also served on several university statutory committees. Professor Mawutor’s research area focuses on capital flight in Ghana and Sub-Saharan African countries. He is also a passionate anti-corruption crusader. He is an Associate member of the Institute of Fraud Examiners (USA), a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG) and has been a member of the University’s (University of Professional Studies) Academic Board as well as a member of the Executive Committee. Professor Mawutor has served on several committees and facilitated the development of policies such as accounting and finance policies, internal control policies, remuneration policies and strategic plans/policies. As a researcher and an academic with a penchant for practically oriented research, Professor John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor has published in several indexed and ranked journals. His publications have been accepted and published by Journals ranked by Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) and Scopus. He has also presented several papers at several conferences and seminars. He is a regular writer in Ghana’s premier newspaper publishing firm (Daily Graphic) on finance and accounting-related issues. Professor Mawutor has also authored one (1) Book. Currently, Professor Mawutor’s research area focuses on capital flight in Ghana and Sub-Sahara African countries. He served as UPSA Alumni President for eight years. He is also a regular Television panelist on Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Media General, Kesben TV, Pentecost TV, TV3, GHONE TV and a host of other TV and radio programmes.