Evaluating Poverty Alleviation: Essays on Microfinance, Energy Access and Limits to the Gold Standard in Empirical Economics

In my dissertation, I combine topical contributions on microfinance and energy access, two prevalent poverty alleviation policies, with methodological contributions on how empirical economics research can contribute to effective policymaking. Chapter 1 reviews the existing experimental evidence on microfinance. We use this deep literature to highlight challenges in generalizing from empirical research. Chapter 2 and 3 provide empirical insights on the energy access-poverty nexus. We study the long-term adoption of grid electrification and evaluate whether productive use can foster adoption and impact. Chapter 4 addresses data quality, an essential yet often overlooked element in research and policymaking. This introduction provides a general overview on microfinance, energy access, and methodological critiques on common practices in empirical economics research. [from the introduction]

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Universität Passau

Year

2024

Author dc:creator

• Masselus, Lise

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ankel-Peters, Jörg
• Hartwig, Renate

• energy access
• microfinance
• meta-science
• survey methods

Statement dc:rights

• Creative Commons - CC BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International

Repository record source_url

https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-uni-passau/frontdoor/index/index/docId/1498

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kobv.de-opus4-uni-passau:1498