Re: [ebxml-mktg] [Q] ebXML and the International Year of Micro-credit in 2005

[AlanKotok@cs.com]

Zachary:

You're on to something.  Microcredit is phenomenon that seems to good to be true.  It has had extraordinary success as an enabler of small business, and for the empowerment of women in traditional societies.  Interest rates are normally higher than most business loans, but repayment rates are also much higher than traditional banking practice. This past Sping I attended an event sponsored by Vital Voices, where a woman from Jordan was honored for her work starting microcredit programs.

I prepared a document that sketches out microcredit processes and how they could apply ebXML, that I can send you separately if you wish.  Because microcredit depends largely on interpersonal group dynamics to decide on the granting of loans and to encourage loan repayment, ebXML by itself would not likely make a significant impact.  But using microcredit as an initial application can help establish small business networks and encourage other applications (e.g. logistics, catalog marketing) to take advantage of these networks.

Please call me during the week my office (202-326-8965) if you want to discuss further.

Alan Kotok
AlanKotok@cs.com
http://www.technewslit.com/
Author: Handbook of EDI, 2003 edition (Thompson/RIA, Fall 2003)
Editor, ebXML Forum, http://www.ebxmlforum.org/