ASSESSING THE SPATIAL ACCESSIBILITY OF MICROFINANCE IN NORTHERN BANGLADESH: A GIS ANALYSIS
利用孟加拉国北部的GIS数据，研究发现小额信贷的空间可达性存在显著差异，且可达性越高，家庭借贷参与率和贷款数量越高。
ABSTRACT This paper attempts to understand and operationalize the notion of spatial accessibility (SA) in the context of microfinance. Using geographic information system (GIS) data from northern Bangladesh, we have generated a kernel‐smoothed map and found remarkable spatial variation in access to microcredit. Results suggest that areas isolated from physical infrastructure, administrative establishments, and prone to ecological shocks, exhibit lower degree of SA. Moreover, using an instrumental variable framework, we found that SA has a significant positive impact on household's decision to borrow and on the number of loans: one standard deviation higher SA is associated with a rise in participation probability and average number of microloans by, at least, 3.5 percentage points and 16 percent, respectively.