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  • 2020
  • Working Paper
  • HBS Working Paper Series

Accounting for Product Impact in the Consumer Finance Industry

By: George Serafeim and Katie Trinh
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:28
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Abstract

We apply the product impact measurement framework of the Impact-Weighted Accounts Initiative (IWAI) in two competitor credit card providers within the consumer finance industry. We design a monetization methodology that allows us to calculate monetary impact estimates on cardholder access to credit, affordability for merchants, financial health, and recyclability, among other factors. Our results indicate substantial differences in the impact that competitors have through their products. These differences demonstrate how impact reflects corporate strategy and informs decision-making on industry-specific areas.

Keywords

Product Innovation; Impact; Impact Investing; Impact Measurement; ESG; ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Performance; ESG Ratings; Social Corporate Responsibility; Corporate Social Responsibility; Social Impact; Consumer Finance; Financial Services; Financial Inclusion; Product; Product Design; Product Positioning; Society; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Personal Finance; Credit Cards; Financial Services Industry

Citation

Serafeim, George, and Katie Trinh. "Accounting for Product Impact in the Consumer Finance Industry." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-061, November 2020. (Revised December 2020.)
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About The Author

George Serafeim

Accounting and Management
→More Publications

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More from the Authors
  • Vytal: Packaging-as-a-Service By: George Serafeim, Michael W. Toffel and Stacy Straaberg
  • Northvolt: Building Batteries to Fight Climate Change (B) By: George Serafeim, Debora L. Spar, Peter Tufano, Hugo Etchegoyhen and Emilie Billaud
  • Climate Solutions, Transition Risk, and Stock Returns By: Shirley Lu, Edward J. Riedl, Simon Xu and George Serafeim
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