MISSION DRIFT OR STRATEGIC SHIFT? GROUP FORMATION STRATEGIES WITHIN MEP s

Mission drift is a common criticism of microenterprise programs (MEPs) that target those likely to succeed rather than those most in need. This note examines approaches to group formation within international NGOs operating MEPs in Vietnam. A deliberate strategy of involving both poor and non‐poor households in MEPs emerges through effectuation, learning from past challenges. This approach represents a shift in focus away from the extremely poor but presents a potential pathway for effective and sustainable poverty alleviation, if undertaken as part of an integrated program. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.