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Using a unique proprietary dataset from a large European commercial bank containing granular loan-level information on credit lines to mid-corporate firms, we investigate the bank's decisions to allow firms to retain existing credit at a time of acute financial instability. Our results highlight the importance of bank-firm relationships during crisis times. Existing borrowers who actively used their credit lines were not rationed, unless they posed an increased credit risk. We do not find evidence of evergreening practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The object of the study is monetary processes and the real sector of the economy. The purpose of the study is to analyze the impact of monetary processes in the economy on GDP based on a systematic approach. The task of analyzing the relationship between the main indicators of monetary processes and GDP on the basis of a wide sample of countries was solved. The results are obtained: – for the variables included in the cluster analysis, the money supply analyzed: (1st cluster “stable financial environment” – 0, 2nd cluster “high access to credit” – 147.7, 3rd cluster “limited access to credit” – 72.2, 4th cluster “high interest rates” – 30.4 % of GDP); – 72 countries are divided into 4 clusters, with 13 countries in the first cluster, 15 in the second, 21 in the third, and 23 in the fourth. This allows to determine the nature and place of the economy in the world and to make monetary policy decisions; – there is a positive correlation between GDP and money supply (r=0.317); there is a weak positive relationship between GDP and the credit information depth index (r=0.203); there is a moderate positive relationship between GDP and domestic lending (r=0.39). Money supply management and domestic credit should be prioritized in monetary management of the economy. The obtained results are explained by the assumption of linear dependence between the indicators of monetary processes and the real sector of the economy. This assumption was confirmed on the example of different countries, which indicates its universality. The peculiarities of the results obtained are the application of a combination of cluster and correlation and regression methods of analysis using actual World Bank data [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anchored on the economies of scale of production theory, this study utilized Nigeria's firm-level enterprise survey data of the World Bank collected through stratified random sampling of 2 676 firms and face-to-face interviews with the application of the multinomial logit model to examine how enterprise productivity influences the size of firms in Nigeria. It was found that raising enterprise productivity relates to about 0.0009261 insignificant fall in the relative log odds of running micro-sized firms, about 0.010299 significant rise in relative log odds of having medium-sized firms, and about 0.0201428 significant encouragement in relative log odds of running large-sized enterprises/firms when related with small-sized enterprises/firms. It is recommended that governments at all levels (state, federal, and local), should encourage micro-sized firms in a bid to make them increase their productivity level. This encouragement can come in the form of providing increased access to credit, the provision of raw material inputs, and constant electricity supplies. The original contribution of this research work is hinged on its empirical contribution in the study area since there is dearth of literature in the study area as no study has looked at firm size and enterprise productivity in Nigeria using evidence from firm-level data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies how the rise of financial technology (Fintech) lending affects credit access, interest rates, and social welfare. We consider a lending competition model with two incumbent banks and a Fintech lender, which use different information and technologies to assess borrower creditworthiness. We show that Fintech lending could negatively affect high-quality borrowers' access to credit when the Fintech lender's screening accuracy is superior to that of the banks. Furthermore, Fintech lending may worsen the allocative efficiency of credit and reduce social welfare under some conditions. Analytical and numerical results suggest that Fintech lending mostly reduces the expected interest rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on the effects of bank market power on access to credit has produced many results that are sometimes contradictory. Yet, all of these studies are based on unconsolidated data that ignore the national market power of banking groups. This results in an underestimation bias that this paper proposes to correct. Using a panel of more than 55,000 French firms covering the period 2006–2017, I consider a set of structural and non-structural measures of bank market power both at the unconsolidated and consolidated levels. My results strongly support the market power hypothesis which emphasizes the virtues of competition on interest rate setting. I find that bank market power increases the interest rate charged, but only when using my consolidated measures. This effect is stronger for small and risky firms and is concentrated on long-term loans. My findings highlight the need to take into account the capital linkages of subsidiaries within the same banking group in order to fully assess the implications of bank market power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate whether improvements in banks' organizational capital and control systems facilitate increased loan origination to minority borrowers. We focus on bank supervisors' enforcement decisions and orders (EDOs) against banks and hypothesize that EDO‐imposed improvements in loan policies, internal governance, and employee training mitigate deficiencies in credit assessments and lending decisions that previously disadvantaged minority borrowers. We find that mortgage origination to minority borrowers increases following the resolution of EDOs, and more so for banks with stricter supervisors or more severe EDOs. Using a semisupervised machine learning method to analyze the text of EDOs, we find that such increases are higher for EDOs specifying revisions of loan policies, implementation of formal internal governance procedures, or more employee training. Overall, we find that EDO‐driven improvements in organizational capital generate unintended, positive social externalities that enhance access to credit for minority borrowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: The design of effective policies that increase access to agricultural credit should consider understanding credit constraint farmers' groups and their response to changes in the credit conditions. To contribute to this understanding, this study surveyed farmers from Chile and classified them into five credit constraint categories discussed in credit literature. In addition, these farmers indicated how they would react to a series of hypothetical conditions related to changing interest rates, loan maturity and grace periods. Their responses were employed to measure credit demand scores (i.e. relative elasticities). Regression tests evaluated how different types of farmers reacted to changing credit conditions. Design/methodology/approach: Farmers from Chile were surveyed using a mix of random and convenience sampling. Surveyed farmers were classified into five credit constraint categories proposed by previous research. Farmers rated their demand for credit on a five-point Likert-type scale for hypothetical changes in interest rates, loan maturities and grace periods. Their responses were employed to measure credit demand scores or relative credit elasticities. The study evaluated credit elasticity as a function of farmers' credit constraint and some control variables using several regressions, including OLS, ordered probit and hierarchical regression. Findings: The study identified 44% unconstrained nonborrowing farmers, 23% unconstrained borrowers, 14% quantity-constrained, 16% risk-constrained and 3% transaction cost-constrained farmers. Unconstrained borrowers and quantity-constrained farmers responded most to changing interest rates and loan maturity conditions. In addition, unconstrained nonborrowers and risk-constrained farmers were statistically less sensitive to changes in credit conditions than unconstrained borrowers. This finding is significant because, as discussed, unconstrained nonborrowers represent 44% of our sample. Furthermore, risk-constrained farmers were the least sensitive to changes in interest rates and loan maturity across all other credit categories. Practical implications: This study gives insights that can guide agribusiness policies to enhance access to credit in developing countries such as Chile. Agricultural credit capital institutions can better target their clientele by identifying farmers' possible reactions before implementing policy changes to increase access to credit. This study's credit constraint categorization and the results discussed can guide that identification. For instance, policies directed toward unconstrained borrowing farmers may find positive responses. However, implementing policies targeting the other three groups (unconstrained nonborrowing, risk-constrained and transaction cost-constrained farmers) is more challenging because these farmers are less responsive to changing credit conditions. Originality/value: This article correlates farmers' propensity to borrow and credit constraints across five categories of farmers. Prior research using this categorization framework has not identified farmers into the five groups. Furthermore, in addition to interest rate and loan maturity credit demand relative elasticity, this study adds the grace period elasticity, which has not been included in previous studies on agricultural credit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study looks at how important private banks are to the expansion of the Indian economy. Private banks have become major actors in the Indian banking industry during the last few decades, offering a wide range of financial services and making innovative contributions to the country's economic growth. The purpose of this study is to examine how private banks contribute to economic growth. Specifically, it will look at how they promote entrepreneurship, improve financial inclusion, and aid in the development of infrastructure and industry. By facilitating easier access to credit for both individuals and enterprises, private banks have made a substantial contribution to the Indian economy by encouraging entrepreneurship and job creation. Their technical innovations and competitive strategies have raised consumer happiness and efficiency in the banking industry. Furthermore, by providing banking services to underserved and rural areas, private banks have been instrumental in promoting financial inclusion by drawing more people into the formal financial system. The research also emphasizes the difficulties that private banks encounter, including regulatory barriers, rivalry from public sector banks, and the requirement for ongoing technology advancements. Notwithstanding these obstacles, private banks continue to have a significant overall influence on economic growth, highlighting their significance in the financial system. Because they promote financial innovation, inclusivity, and general economic development, private banks are essential to the expansion of the Indian economy. The purpose of this study is to support policies and regulatory frameworks that will further strengthen the role of private banks in India's economy and ensure inclusive and sustainable growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banking systems play an essential role in the economy through their varied functions. They facilitate access to credit, ensure efficient money management and promote the smooth functioning of financial markets. In the current period, in financial and credit institutions there is an orientation towards the use of AI. Thus artificial intelligence has been introduced in bank asset management, in analyzing and assessing the risks of bank customers, in bank marketing, etc. The aim of the paper is to present the current AI technologies used in banking, highlighting the transformations that the field has undergone in recent years as a result of the implementation of AI. Moreover, the benefits, but also the risks that may arise for all actors participating in the banking market will be highlighted. We focus our attention on AI because it stimulates innovation in industry and opens the way to new business opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes a survey of individual microentrepreneurs' (MEI) access to credit for business, broken down by their color or race in two Brazilian cities: Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. The central hypothesis of this study was that color or race is a significant predictor for credit rationing in both cities. However, the most crucial variables to explain the difference in credit approval were primarily related to credit risk operation—adverse selection, moral hazard, and collateral—as expressed by predictor: loan size and credit restriction (inversely correlated to odds of credit approval). The city of the loan operation had a robust explanatory power, with credit more accessible in Rio de Janeiro than in Salvador. Evidence of racial discrimination in the credit markets for business affected not all Afro-Brazilian MEI but blacks compared with white and brown MEI. Lenders could treat potential borrowers based on a pigmentocratic pattern, with this issue appearing more clearly in Rio de Janeiro. Further inquiries in this realm are recommended, preferably with a larger sample and a survey covering all Brazilian domestic territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Buy-now-pay-later" (BNPL) is a relatively unregulated FinTech innovation that provides consumers with easy access to credit for retail purchases. BNPL spending is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2025, but we know little about its effects. Using banking data for 10.6 million U.S. consumers, we investigate the effects of BNPL on leading indicators of users' financial health. We find that new BNPL users experience rapid increases in bank overdraft charges and credit card interest and fees compared with nonusers, consistent with BNPL facilitating overborrowing. An instrumental variable exploiting consumers' pre-BNPL shopping habits bolsters our inferences. Our results inform regulatory investigations into the effects of BNPL on users' financial health and expand academia's understanding of an important consumer credit innovation. This paper was accepted by Camelia Kuhnen, finance. Funding: E. deHaan acknowledges financial support from Stanford University; B. Lourie and C. Zhu acknowledge financial support from University of California Irvine. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.03266. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: The study has two objectives: (1) expand our knowledge of the relationship between unethical behaviour and both trust and satisfaction and (2) demonstrate that unethical behaviour research should be examined multi-dimensionally. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected by resorting to a mixed methods approach. First, individual interviews were performed with 31 bank consumers from six main commercial banks in Bukavu city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Interview notes were submitted for content analysis to identify items and components that underpin the unethical practices construct. Second, a quantitative survey was conducted with 410 consumers from the same six banks. An aggregated-disaggregated structural equations modelling approach was used to test the impact of unethical practices on relationship outcomes through two studies. Study 1 tested a model that links unethical behaviour as a one-dimensional construct to trust and satisfaction. Study 2 tested a model that directly connects the four specific unethical behaviour components to both trust and satisfaction. Findings: Results from study 1 reveal that perceived unethical behaviour negatively influences consumer trust. Results also confirm that trust positively influences customer satisfaction. Results from study 2 confirm that unresponsive, disrespect and lying behaviours negatively influence both trust and satisfaction. Banks which are involving in those specific unethical behaviours can neither satisfy their consumers, nor maintain a sustainable and profitable relationship with them. Therefore, unethical behaviours harm the relationships outcomes in the banking sector. Research limitations/implications: The perceived unethical behaviour scale derives from a single data set and its reliability and validity need to be improved. Relationships between constructs are tested in a more direct way and ignore moderating variables. Perceived unethical behaviour is connected to relationship outcome variables while its impact on firms' metrics have been ignored. Practical implications: Banks have to understand customers' perception of unethical behaviours and find a way to overcome them. Banks should recruit, motivate and retain employees who demonstrate an ethical inclination in the service encounter and create structures and mechanisms in order to monitor and manage unethical practices. Social implications: Banks employees' unethical behaviour and practices not only damage the trust and reputation of banks but also can lead to frustration on the part of customers and damage their relationship with the institution. Our paper is a warning of this danger and might improve the social interactions between organisations (in general) and customers. Originality/value: Unethical behaviour is measured with a four-component scale in contrast to previous studies that have used bi-dimensional or one-dimensional scales. The study tests a disaggregated model that links four components of perceived unethical behaviour to relationship outcome variables. Perceived unethical behaviours are analysed from the customers' perspective by resorting to mixed methods strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This research aims to determine to what extent corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions developed by bank entities in Spain improve the vulnerable customers' emotions and quality perception of the banking service. Consequently, this increases the quality of their relationship regarding satisfaction, trust and engagement. Design/methodology/approach: Data from 734 vulnerable banking customers were analyzed through structural equations modeling (EQS 6.2) to test the relationships of the proposed variables. Findings: Vulnerable customers' emotional disposition exerts a strong influence on their perceived service quality. The antecedent effect is concentrated primarily on the CSR towards the client, with a residual secondary weight on the CSR towards society. These positive service emotions are determinants of the outcome quality perceived by vulnerable customers, directly in terms of higher satisfaction and trust and indirectly through engagement. Practical implications: This research contributes to understanding how financial service providers should adapt to the specific characteristics and needs of vulnerable clients by adopting a strategy of approach, personalization and humanization of the service that seems to move away from the actions implemented by the banking industry in recent years. Originality/value: This study has adopted a theoretical and empirical perspective on the impact of CSR on service emotions and outcome quality of vulnerable banking customers. Moreover, banks can adopt a dual conception of CSR: a macro and external scope toward society and a micro and internal scope toward customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aimed to provide an understanding of the roles of community-based financial service organizations (i.e. rotating savings and credit associations [ROSCAs] as institutional pillars in facilitating low-income, unbanked consumers' access to informal financial services). Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 39 low-income, unbanked consumers participating in ROSCAs in Pakistan, where only 21% of adults have a bank account and almost four out of five individuals live on a low income. The obtained data were analyzed using the thematic analysis technique. Findings: ROSCAs' regulatory, sociocultural and cognitive aspects facilitate low-income, unbanked consumers' utilization of informal financial services owing to their approachability by, suitability for, and fairness to such consumers. Thus, they promote such consumers' financial inclusion. Practical implications: Low-income consumers are mostly unable to access formal financial services due to the existing supply- and demand-side impediments. Understanding ROSCAs' institutional functioning can help formal financial service providers create more transformative financial services based on the positive institutional aspects of ROSCAs to enhance poor consumers' financial inclusion and well-being. Social implications: The inclusion of low-income, unbanked consumers in formal banking services will help them better control their finances. Originality/value: Many low-income, unbanked consumers in developing countries utilize informal financial services to meet their basic financial needs, but service researchers have rarely investigated how informal financial institutions function. The present study showed that ROSCAs, as informal institutions, meet low-income, unbanked consumers' personal, social and financial needs in a befitting manner, which encourages such consumers to use the financial services offered by ROSCAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effects of board cultural diversity (BCD) and board gender diversity (BGD) of the board of directors on environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance in the European banking sector using resource-based view (RBV) theory. In addition, this study analyses the linkages between BCD and BGD and knowledge sharing on the board of directors to improve ESG performance. Design/methodology/approach: This study selected a sample of European-listed banks covering the period 2021. ESG and diversity variables were collected from Refinitiv Eikon and analysed using the ordinary least squares model. This study was conducted in the European context regulated by Directive 95/2014/EU, which requires sustainability disclosure. The original population was represented by 250 banks; after missing data were excluded, the final sample comprised 96 European-listed banks. Findings: The findings highlight the positive linkages between BGD, BCD and ESG scores in the European banking sector. In addition, the findings highlight that diversity contributes to knowledge sharing by improving ESG performance in a regulated sector. Nonetheless, the combined effect of BGD and BCD negatively impacts ESG performance. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to measure and analyse a regulated sector, such as banking, and the relationship between cultural and gender diversity for sharing knowledge under the RBV theory lens in the ESG framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although banks occupy a central role in most (post-)conflict situations, there is a perplexing lack of attention to them in studies of political violence. As a case experiencing domestic conflict with varying degrees in the last decades, Turkey offers opportunities to understand how the banking sector, including state deposit banks, responds to such political violence. We focus on the short-term impact of political violence and address the following questions: Do all actors in the sector respond in similar ways to security threats? Is there variation according to conflict intensity? We shed light on these puzzles with an analysis of original data on bank ownership, bank branches, bank deposit amounts, and bank credits. We show that banks with profit incentives respond to conflict by lowering their presence in provinces hit by these attacks. In comparison, our finding that deposits in high conflict intensity areas are not affected suggests that it is indeed economic actors outside high intensity regions that are more sensitive to short-time changes in security compared to local ones. Overall, the results demonstrate that political violence hurts banks' presence in conflict locations and their presence matters through credit provision to these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the macroeconomic and financial repercussions of a real estate bubble burst in South Korea through the application of Bayesian estimation and impulse response function analysis. By utilizing this approach tailored to the specific economic conditions of South Korea, the research effectively captures the complex ripple effects across a range of financial and macroeconomic variables. The results demonstrate that a real estate bubble burst markedly increases financial market risks, leading to heightened liquidity demands within the banking sector and necessitating adjustments in both deposit rates and bond yields. The study also emphasizes the differentiated impacts on patient and impatient households, where wealth losses drive significant shifts in consumption and labor supply behaviors, further constrained by prevailing labor market conditions. Additionally, the broader economic implications are examined, revealing the adverse effects on corporate output and investment, as well as the dynamics of international capital flows that impact foreign exchange reserves and exchange rates. These findings highlight the urgent need for proactive monitoring and policy interventions to mitigate the detrimental effects of real estate bubbles, ensuring financial stability and fostering sustainable economic growth in South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper employs data from the World Bank to examine the effect of traditional banks on FinTech and financial development in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Design/methodology/approach: The study employs the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) as the primary data analysis method. Findings: The findings of the study demonstrate a bi-directional relationship between traditional financial institutions and FinTech. Traditional financial institutions are observed to facilitate the adoption of FinTech solutions, whilst the disruptive effects of FinTech incentivize traditional banks to adapt to the changing financial landscape and tailor their service and product offerings to reflect recent technological advancements. Consequently, there exists a positive relationship between traditional financial institutions and financial development in the SADC region. Practical implications: Our findings suggest the need for market liberalization and enhanced institutional quality controls for policymakers. Traditional banks must adapt their business models and incorporate FinTech solutions to remain competitive and relevant. Collaborative partnerships between traditional banks and FinTech firms have emerged as a practical approach to leverage the strengths of both sectors. Originality/value: This is one of the first studies to examine the role of traditional financial institutions in FinTech and financial development using GMM in the SADC region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The primary objective of this study aims to intensively explore the environment of Indonesian regulations and laws related to the Islamic banking system and micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) and unveil the restrictive laws and regulatory flaws that potentially hinder the Islamic banking institution and MSME industry in achieving financial inclusion and promoting sustainable growth. Design/methodology/approach: This paper implements a qualitative method by implementing a multi-case study research strategy, both from the Islamic banking institutions and the MSME industries. The data were gathered primarily through an interview approach by adopting purposive uncontrolled quota sampling. Findings: The findings of this paper reveal two essential issues: First, the regulatory imbalances and restrictions could demotivate and hinder the efforts of Islamic banks in providing access to finance for the MSME segment, hence, encumbering the achievement of the financial inclusion agenda from the Islamic banking industry. Second, the flaws in MSME registration and taxation might discourage the formal MSMEs from extending their business license and prevent the informal MSME units from registering their business. This issue would potentially lower their chance of accessing external financing from the formal financial institutions and participating in supportive government programmes due to the absence of proper legality. Research limitations/implications: Since this paper only observed six Islamic banks and 22 MSME units in urban and rural locations in Indonesia using a case study approach, the empirical findings and case discussions were limited to those respective Islamic banks and MSME participants. Practical implications: By referring to the recommendations as presented in this paper, two critical policy implications could be expected from adopting the proposed recommendations, among others: By addressing the issues of the regulatory imbalance associated with the Islamic banking industry and introduce the deregulatory policies on profit and loss sharing (PLS) scheme implementation, this approach will motivate the Islamic banking industry in serving the MSME sector better and provide greater access to financial services, particularly in using the PLS financing schemes. By resolving the problems on MSME registration and taxation, this strategy will enhance the sustainability of the formal MSMEs' operation and encourage the informal ones to register, hence, improving their inclusion into the formal financing services and government assistance programmes. Originality/value: The present study attempts to address the literature shortcomings and helps to fill the gaps – both theoretical and empirical – by incorporating the multi-case study among Indonesian Islamic banks and MSMEs to extensively explore the Indonesia regulatory environment pertaining to the Islamic banking system (supply-side) and MSMEs (demand-side), and thoroughly investigates and reveals the restrictive laws and regulatory flaws that could potentially hinder the Islamic banking institutions and MSME industries in attaining financial inclusion and contributing to sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This qualitative study aims to examine bankers' perspectives regarding financial inclusion, the challenges it faces and the scope for improvement. This research proposes a financial inclusion model, considering the inputs received by bankers. Financial exclusion of different sections is an issue common to emerging countries. Design/methodology/approach: Data for qualitative research were collected through interviews with bank officials. The information was gathered from 32 bankers from India's several zones (North, South, West and East). The data were collected from bankers from different public and private sector banks. Thematic analysis was performed up to the point of saturation to study the response received from bankers. Findings: Bank-related issues such as frequent computer problems, network connectivity problems, costs, a shortage of bank branches, fewer transactions through automated teller machines and a shortage of banking staff affect customers' confidence in formal banking. Banking services are disrupted by a lack of trust in banking correspondents (BCs), as they are not regular employees of banks. Limits on daily transactions discourage high-value customers from using BCs and kiosks. The time spent on administrative formalities impacts customers. Financial inclusion is affected by availability, accessibility, usage and affordability. Digital financial literacy is essential for ease of transaction, but awareness about financial products helps protect customers from cyber scams. The findings of this research would benefit financial institutions globally in developing their businesses and helping to achieve financial inclusion and the United Nation's sustainable development goals (SDGs). Originality/value: This research paper undertakes a qualitative analysis of the views collected from bankers. Bankers are crucial stakeholders in the successful implementation of the National Financial Inclusion Policy of the Government of India. Bankers' perspectives will be important not only for India and its researchers but also in the global context, as the UN's SDGs focus on leaving no one behind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of the geographic concentration of branch networks on bank profitability in Switzerland. Leveraging Switzerland's distinctive federalist fiscal structure, where communes set their own income tax rates, we also explore whether the tax burden of branch locations moderates this relationship. Using a hand-collected dataset of branch networks of commercial banks, we find that geographic branch network concentration positively affects bank profitability but only when banks concentrate their branches in low-tax communes. This suggests that the proximity to wealthy clients, who are more likely to reside in low-tax areas, enhances bank profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study how proprietary information flows in strategic alliances facilitate banks' information collection in private debt markets. We argue that lenders that have previously worked with a borrower's alliance partners have an information advantage and show that firms entering a strategic alliance receive a lower interest spread on loans from banks that have previously lent to their strategic partners than loans from other banks. Cross-sectional tests on alliances' economic importance and participants' information environment support our hypothesis that the loan price effect is driven by reduced information asymmetry between borrowers and their partners' relationship banks. Last, we find borrowers are more likely to obtain debt financing from alliance-related banks than from other banks. Overall, our findings are consistent with lenders that have previously worked with an alliance counterparty possessing debt contracting-relevant information about the soft nature of alliance value and the partners' commitment to alliances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the role of financial inclusion and institutional factors such as corruption and the rule of law (RL) on the credit risk and stability of banks. Design/methodology/approach: The study considers a sample of 61 developing countries and uses very robust estimation techniques that allow controlling for endogeneity, heteroskedasticity and serial correlation, such as instrumental variables method in two-stage least squares (IV-2SLS), instrumental variables generalized method of moments (IV-GMM), as well as system of generalized methods of moments in two stages (Sys-2GMM). Findings: The results confirm that financial inclusion and strengthening the RL can significantly contribute to reducing credit risk and improving the financial stability of banks; in contrast, the authors find that weak control of corruption aggravates credit risk. In addition, they found that greater competitiveness in the banking sector increases credit risk. Social implications: This study supports the need to promote financial inclusion and strengthen institutional factors to improve the stability of the banking sector, as well as promote general well-being in the economy. Originality/value: This study contributes to the scarce literature by simultaneously using institutional factors such as corruption and the RL and macroeconomic variables such as economic growth and inflation in the relationship between financial inclusion and the banking sector, as well as considering competitiveness as an explanatory factor for banks' credit risk and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SHG Bank linkage programme has enabled access to formal credit to a large segment of the rural poor, the majority of whom were women. Formal rural financial institutions like commercial banks, RRBs, co-operatives banks, and other agencies like NGOs and MFIs are actively involved in the SHG bank linkage programme. Hence the present study was undertaken to analyze the share of credit disbursement by various institutional agencies to the rural poor and to understand the importance of microfinance in this reference. The scope of rural credit is wide as it consists of not only agriculture credit but also lending to the priority sector. As a result, the region-wise disbursement of rural credit was studied and analyzed to find out the trends in the growth of priority sector advances as compared to the total bank credit outstanding over the last decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's banking industry achieving sustainable profitability necessitates by integrating economic, environmental, and social factors due to pressing environmental concerns. This study investigates the impact of sustainability on financial performance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) banking sector, using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) and Bootstrapping ARDL approaches on data from 2002 to 2022. The analysis revealed that economic sustainability, environmental and social sustainability exhibit a significant impact on financial performance in the short run and the long run at a (p < 0.05). 1% of economic sustainability activities increases Return on Assets (ROA) by 0.73 and Return on Equity (ROE) by 0.64. 1% of environmental sustainability activities decreases ROA by −0.28 and increases ROE by 0.35. 1% of social sustainability activities increases ROA by 0.47 and ROE by 0.42. To improve long-term profitability, this study emphasizes how crucial it is for the banking industry in the UAE to strategically integrate sustainability principles. These findings highlight the need to promote sustainability in the banking sector for environmental improvement, offering insights for UAE regulators and stimulating additional research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Financial inclusion aims to provide affordable financial services, including banking, loans, equity, and insurance products, to underserved populations. This study aims to examine the moderating effect of a bank's capital adequacy ratio (CAR) on the nexus between financial inclusion (FI) and a bank's financial performance (FP) in the Egyptian setting. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses two empirical linear mixed models (LMM) to test the moderation effect of a bank's CAR on the association between FI and FP. The study sample comprises 360 bank quarter-observations of 10 listed banks in the Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX) from 2013 to 2021. Findings: The findings show that the bank's CAR strengthens the association between FI dimensions, namely, deposit growth, loan growth, and the number of employees, and the bank's FP with contradicted directions. Research limitations/implications: This study provides policymakers insights into the crucial role of complying with banking regulation, namely, the capital adequacy ratio (CAR) and expanding financial inclusion practices to enhance and improve the bank's FP. Thus, encouraging more strategies and facilities toward financial inclusion. Originality/value: Due to the scarcity of financial inclusion literature in emerging economies, this paper extends FI literature by highlighting the moderation impact of a bank's CAR on the relationship between FI dimensions and FP in the Egyptian banking sector. Consequently, this study clarifies this beneficial relationship, which may have significant implications for restoring the challenges faced by the Egyptian economy following the critical events it went through, which, in turn, impacted the country's poor and vulnerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Assuming that knowledge management is a pivotal issue in business to improve and maintain competitive advantages, this paper aims to investigate how knowledge management is useful to face challenges about the integration of environment, social and governance (ESG) factors, filling the gap in the literature regarding knowledge management and ESG in the banking world by considering a real case. Design/methodology/approach: Starting from the analysis of the more relevant literature on the topic, this paper describes an illustrative real case through interviews with the credit department of an Italian bank that has adopted a specific sustainability approach. This paper discusses this case in the context of the outlined theoretical background to explore the trends and challenges of ESG integration. The case study allows us to evaluate and expand our theoretical framework, leading to a greater understanding of the complex phenomenon under investigation. Findings: Based on the analysis of the literature combined with the insights that emerged from the experience of the real case, this study shows that there are three primary factors to consider: data issues, competencies and workflow. This study outlines an enhanced knowledge management framework displaying the complexity emerging from the integration of ESG into a bank's credit department and identify the best practices to pursue. Practical implications: Given the increasing pressure toward the incorporation of ESG factors into the banking sector, the practical implications of the study are relevant as they provide guidelines for action. Specifically, the practical problems highlighted by the real case, like the priority on themes such as questionnaires, the need for ad hoc commissions and workflow, drive the attention of decision-makers on key aspects to effectively adopt an advanced knowledge management approach aimed at improving the ESG integration. Considering the effect of the banking system on the economy, the best practices this study has identified can also have a positive impact on society as a whole. Originality/value: The proposed enhanced knowledge management framework offers a guideline to orchestrate ESG integration into banks' credit departments, considering the increasing need to frame a sustainability-oriented strategic approach that emerges from academic and practical enquiries. This research represents an initial attempt to investigate the integration of ESG factors in the banking system through the lens of knowledge management. The strategic nature of the ESG approach clearly appears in a dynamic environment where stakeholder pressures and regulatory evolutions are strong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital economy's rise has fueled the growth of digital banking, but concerns linger about customer protection. While offering advantages like financial inclusion, this shift disrupts traditional banking experiences and introduces potential risks. Customer safety in this new landscape is paramount, as dissatisfied users may switch providers and institutions risk reputational damage. To remain competitive, financial institutions must prioritize a secure experience that aligns with customer expectations. This study investigates five key factors influencing customer protection in Pakistan's digital financial services. Analysis reveals all factors positively impact customer protection, with information security holding the most weight. These findings highlight the need for robust information security measures as a critical driver for the Pakistani digital banking industry's success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU faces two economic challenges: managing non-performing exposures (NPEs) and climate change. This paper analyzes the relationship between the NPEs of domestic banking groups and climate risks, including macroeconomic variables such as the GDP growth rate, unemployment rate (UnEmp), and the voice and accountability percentile (VCA) and the interaction variable between the GHG and the Rule of Law Percentile (GhGRLP). The estimation uses ordinary least squares with time-fixed and individual effects. Physical and transition risks significantly affect NPEs, showing that both adverse climate events and the transition to a low-carbon economy worsen the financial situation of European banking institutions. The analysis also revealed that increased levels of VCA lead to a rise in NPEs, while an increase in GhGRLP reduces NPEs. In contrast, financial institutions tend to recognize and report NPEs more accurately in contexts with greater transparency and accountability. In comparison, UnEmp negatively affects NPEs, suggesting that economic support measures during high unemployment can reduce NPEs in the subsequent period. In conclusion, climate risk management represents a crucial challenge for the financial stability of banking institutions. Policymakers and financial institutions must continue to develop and implement climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies to preserve financial system stability amid growing climate uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian banks are continuously facing fund scarcity in meeting loan requirements. They have fewer deposits in comparison to the loan demands, which has led to a decrease in the liquidity of banks and nonbanking institutions. To get rid of this problem, banks use several conventional methods, and securitization is one of them. Securitization is known as the construction of security in any financial transaction. The paper seeks to find out whether securitization process can positively impact Indian banking industry, using selected bank performance parameters. The paper first presents the impact of securitization on banks' performance; then it depicts the hurdles to the growth of securitization in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study investigates the impact of credit reference bureau (CRB) procedures on the performance of loan portfolios at selected commercial banks in Tanzania. A cross-sectional research design was adopted, with data collected through questionnaires and interviews involving 95 respondents from selected commercial banks. The findings show that the procedure to accessing loans had a positive and significant relationship with loan portfolio performance at these banks (β = 0.835, p = 0.000), as did loan approval procedures (β = 0.789, p = 0.001) and quality control procedures (β = 0.768; p = 0.002). All were significant at 5% level. The study concludes that using credit reference bureau services allows banks and other credit providers to assess potential clients, track their financial performance, and manage any accumulated debts. The study recommends that the government of Tanzania work closely with listed commercial banks and other financial institutions to ensure compliance with legal requirements specifically policies and procedures that assist in screening and monitoring clients from the initial stage of lending by using credit reference bureau procedures to improve decisions on loan provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in driving economic development and social progress. In contrast to existing literature that primarily focuses on the impact of zombie enterprises on innovation, resource distortion, and environmental pollution, this study aims to investigate the influence of zombie enterprises on entrepreneurship by utilizing data from prefecture cities in China. Additionally, we explore how banking competition moderates this relationship. Employing the system GMM estimator, our findings reveal that zombie enterprises significantly hampers urban entrepreneurship quantity and diminishes entrepreneurship quality. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of zombie enterprises on entrepreneurship quality is greater than that of entrepreneurship quantity. In addition, we observe that state-owned zombie enterprises have a more pronounced negative impact compared to private zombie enterprises. Notably, banking competition exhibits a nonlinear moderating effect on the association between zombie firms and entrepreneurship; joint-stock banks and city commercial banks play prominent roles in shaping this effect. Threshold model regression analysis confirms these nonlinear effects. Overall, our conclusions offer important policy implications for accelerating the disposal of zombie firms as well as enhancing entrepreneurship quantity /quality to promote high-quality urban development. Plain language summary: Zombie firms, banking competition, and urban entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship plays an important role in economic development and social progress. Different from the existing literature that concerns the impact of zombie enterprises on innovation, resource distortion, and environmental pollution, this paper attempts to study the effect of zombie enterprises on entrepreneurial behavior from the dimensions of quantity and quality. Based on the data from prefecture cities in China, this paper examines the impact of zombie enterprises on entrepreneurial activity and quality and focuses on the moderating effect of banking competition on this relation. The study finds that the degree of zombification has a significant inhibitory effect on urban entrepreneurial activity and entrepreneurial quality, the inhibitory effect of zombification on entrepreneurial quality is stronger than that on entrepreneurial activity, and the inhibitory effect of state-owned zombie enterprises on entrepreneurial behavior is greater than that of private zombie enterprises. Banking competition has a nonlinear moderating role in the inhibitory effect of zombie enterprises on entrepreneurship, and this moderating effect is mainly produced by joint-stock banks and city commercial banks. The threshold model regression further confirms the existence of nonlinear moderating effects. The conclusions of this paper provide policy implications for accelerating the disposal of zombie enterprises, enhancing entrepreneurial activity and quality, and promoting high-quality urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Savings are one of the highly important components that may be used to create capital and invest to increase production, employment, income, and other socio-economic factors that contribute to the development of a nation. However, domestic savings are also thought to be crucial for covering unforeseen expenses for individuals, families, and businesses. The portion of current income that is deposited in a bank account or other financial institution for possible future use rather than being used for immediate consumption is known as savings. Within the context of the economic field, savings are a crucial macroeconomic indicator that must be examined at both the individual and household levels. In an emerging market like India, the majority of people are engaged in the unorganized sector, where low and uncertain wages are considered the main features of this sector, and the result is that MPC is greater than MPS. Elevated rates of inflation and consumption also have the negative effect of reducing savings and capital formation. This paper aims to examine the socioeconomic limitations that Delhi residents experienced during the inflationary period. In order to investigate the impact of factors like family size and income, a questionnaire was created. 50 respondents were included in the sample. The respondents' ratings were analyzed using regression analysis. The findings indicate that inadequate savings are associated with low income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to assess the most relevant factors influencing customer trust in the Portuguese banking sector following the Global Financial Crisis. It also aims to evaluate the impact of trust on satisfaction and satisfaction on loyalty. To address the research objectives and the hypotheses posed, a quantitative study with a descriptive design was conducted. Data was collected through an online survey administered to a sample of bank clients residing in Portugal. The findings indicate that respondents generally trust Portuguese banking institutions, although this trust has been affected by the Global Financial Crisis. The bank's reputation and financial performance were identified as critical factors in the respondents' choice of bank. Additionally, the results suggest that both global and domestic financial conditions, bank reputation, client satisfaction, and overall trust significantly influence client loyalty to the bank. This study provides valuable insights into client behavior and perceptions of banks, emphasizing the importance of factors such as trust, client satisfaction, and bank reputation in shaping client loyalty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]