Call for Papers

ITEM 6 – Tunis, Tunisia

Microfinance: Coaching, Counting, and Crowding

The Banque Populaire Chair in Microfinance of the Burgundy School of Business (France) and l’École supérieure du commerce de Tunis jointly organize the 6th edition of the annual conference “Institutional and Technological Environment of Microfinance” (ITEM) in March 2015 (17, 18, 19) in Tunis, Tunisia.

The 6th edition brings together–but not limited to-three major issues, which are shaping the sector of microfinance: Coaching, Counting, and Crowding.

Coaching in microfinance provides training in business and soft skills (attributes enhancing an individual's interactions and self-performance) that the poor micro-entrepreneurs rarely have. Increasingly, microfinance academics and practitioners consider building the human capital of micro-entrepreneurs a critical ingredient of moving out of poverty.

Counting and tracking the microfinance clients and prospects with the information technologies not only lessen information asymmetry, but also lower the transaction cost of financial intermediation. Corollary: information technologies can open ways for offering financial services to the poor as a normal way of doing and extending normal business, and accelerate their social integration. 

Crowding, based on the Web 2.0 technologies, enables direct interactions between millions of lending and borrowing people. Through crowdfunding, micro and small entrepreneurs can raise the crucial funds required for their projects by a large number of individuals via social networks on the Internet. It provides an unprecedented opportunity for alleviating poverty in both developed and developing countries.

In addition to the above topics, other microfinance related topics such as impact measures, social governance, innovation, and sustainable development are welcomed.

The ITEM conference provides a forum for both researchers and practitioners to discuss and exchange on financial inclusion. The conference in March 2015 seeks quantitative, qualitative and experience-based papers from industry and academia. Case studies and PhD research-in-progress are also welcomed. It encourages reflections on the potential and use of technology in microfinance in developed and developing countries.

Publication opportunity

Papers presented at the conference will also be considered for publication in partnering journals.

Submission procedure

Proposals: All contribution types require a proposal in the first instance, including a short abstract between 300 and 500 words, up to five keywords, the full names (first name and surname, not initials), email addresses of all authors, and a postal address and telephone number for at least one contact author.

Submission period for the proposals: Up to November 10, 2014.

Acceptance of proposals: By November 30, 2014. As abstract selection notifications will be sent out to relevant authors, please indicate clearly if the contact author is not the lead author.

Full paper: Only required after acceptance of abstract. Papers should not to be more than 5000 words including abstract, keywords and references.

Submission period for the full papers: Up to February 16, 2015.

Contacts:

  • ITEM6@escdijon.eu
  • Djamchid ASSADI: Djamchid.Assadi@escdijon.eu
  • Maaouia BEN NASR: Maouia.Ben-Nasr@escdijon.eu

Web site: http://item6.weebly.com

Fees: Author registration and payment must be completed by February 27, 2015.

There are special discounts available for early-bird registration, students and group bookings (3 registrations). Details will be available on the ITEM 6 website.

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[Ed. Note:  I participated in ITEM 5 last year.  The conference was very worthwhile and attracted a diverse group of scholars and others (in industry) from a number of countries (not the usual suspects, in many cases).  We took a field trip to a local microfinance lender on the first day of the conference (as part of the event), which was incredibly enlightening.  I am looking at funding opportunities to enable me to attend the 2015 conference as well.]