An Alternative Finance Approach for a More Sustainable Financial System

Abstract

Alternative finance represents a small but interesting field of research. Concepts such as “alternative financing instruments”, alternative financing channels and “alternative forms of finance” can be found in the recent literature with increasing frequency. Despite all this attention and activities in this field, extant knowledge is fragmented, and various deficiencies exist. Moving from these considerations, the main aims of this chapter are (i) to explore the domain of “alternative finance”; (ii) to map and to assess the intellectual territory of this research field; (iii) to provide a critical analysis of the current state of the art in this new finance approach through the analysis of the ontological, epistemological and methodological issues posed in academia and (iv) to identify and discuss the main emerging streams of research. This chapter also contributes to the ongoing debate on the role of alternative finance for a more sustainable financial system by exploring new concepts, instruments and dynamics of the alternative finance in the service of human welfare and dignity.