Financial access and economic development: the moderating role of financial consumer protection

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 406-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Kriese ◽  
Joshua Yindenaba Abor ◽  
Elikplimi Agbloyor

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of financial consumer protection (FCP) in the access–development nexus. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on cross-country data on 102 countries surveyed in the World Bank Global Survey on FCP and Financial Literacy (2013). The White heteroscedasticity adjusted regressions and Two-stage least squares regressions (2SLS) are used for the estimation. Findings Interactions between FCP regulations that foster fair treatment, disclosure, dispute resolution and recourse and financial access have positive net effects on economic development. However, there is no sufficient evidence to suggest that interactions between financial access and enforcement and compliance monitoring regulations have a significant effect on economic development. Practical implications First, policy makers should continue with efforts aimed at instituting FCP regimes as part of strategies aimed at broadening access to financial services for enhanced economic development. Second, instituting FCP regimes per se may not be enough. Policy makers need to consider possible intervening factors such as the provision of adequate resources and supervisory authority, for compliance monitoring and enforcement to achieve the expected positive effect on economic development. Originality/value This study extends evidence in the law–finance–growth literature by providing empirical evidence on the effect of legal institution specific to the protection of retail financial consumers on the access–development nexus using a nouvel data set, the World Bank Global survey on FCP and Financial Literacy (2013).

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walid Ali ◽  
Ali Mna

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to show how foreign direct investment (FDI) affects domestic investment and economic growth. This study empirically examines this question in the case of three developing countries (Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco).Design/methodology/approachUsing the GMM estimator technique, the authors constructed a system with simultaneous equations by three endogenous variables: economic growth (GDP), FDI and domestic investment (DI).FindingsThe study was a nuance, its results, at the role of investment–growth relationship, are of paramount importance though subtle and slightly different.Originality/valueThe authors used data from international institutions such as the IMF, UNCTAD, OECD and the World Bank for macroeconomic aggregates. However, the interest rate variables are derived from the central banks of the three countries in the sample. The analysis covers the period from 1980 to 2014.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riza Casidy ◽  
Michael Lwin ◽  
Ian Phau

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of religiosity as a deterrent to habitual digital piracy behaviour. Specifically, it will examine the extent to which “religious teaching” affects consumer attitudes towards digital piracy and their habitual digital piracy behaviour in a developing market. Design/methodology/approach In total, 400 usable samples were collected from large religious organisations in Indonesia using convenience sampling. The latent moderation structural equation technique was used to test the research hypotheses. Findings The results indicated that: facilitating conditions are a significant driver of digital piracy habit; attitude towards piracy is a significant deterrent of digital piracy and moderates the relationship between facilitating conditions and habitual digital piracy; and religious teaching is a significant deterrent of digital piracy habit, mediated by attitude towards piracy. Originality/value This study investigates the influence of Christian religious teaching as a deterrent to digital piracy behaviour. Further, it investigates the mediating and moderating role of attitude in a digital piracy context. The study findings would provide insights for policy makers to deter digital piracy behaviour through the use of religious appeals.


Subject Progress in the reduction of the number of unbanked people. Significance The World Bank has set an ambitious goal of universal financial access for everyone by 2020. The latest statistics show that many countries are making significant progress towards this goal. Some technological measures that increase access to financial services may increase transparency, stemming corruption and curtailing money laundering. However, by making it easier to spot corruption, these measures may boomerang, leading to the withdrawal of some institutions, particularly international ones, from problematic markets. Impacts Lack of access to financial services will remain a global problem that traps individuals in cycles of poverty. The World Bank encourages people to use bank accounts; having one in name only has little positive impact. Countries that mistake credit creation for improving financial access risk exacerbating financial and economic instability.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 1199-1205
Author(s):  
Amir Rafique ◽  
Muhammad Umer Quddoos ◽  
Usama Kalim ◽  
Muhammad Ramzan Sheikh

This study aims at understanding the relationships of certain behavioral biases with the investment performance, and identifies the moderating role of financial literacy upon these hypothesized relationships. Data is collected through questionnaire from the investors trading at Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). Structured Equation Modeling (SEM) is used to analyze the data with the results that only anchoring and overconfidence biases have significant effects on investment performance. The results also show that presence of financial literacy does not play any role in improving the performance of investors. Majorly, findings of current study contribute by testing the moderating role of financial literacy between the behavioral biases and the outcome of investment decisions and thus expected to be useful for investors and policy makers.  


Economies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 177
Author(s):  
Zunaira Khadim ◽  
Irem Batool ◽  
Ahsan Akbar ◽  
Petra Poulova ◽  
Minahs Akbar

Logistics performance is an important determinant of economic growth. The present study investigates the moderating role of logistics performance of the logistic infrastructure on economic growth in developing countries. We employ the World Bank computed LPI index in the year 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018 to measure the logistic performance. The current research includes the 50 developing economies, and a panel data set comprising of total 300 observations is collected. The study used the conventional Cobb–Douglas production function with labor, capital stock as main drivers of economic growth. The study found that the labor and capital endowments have significantly different impacts in terms of elasticity coefficients for developing countries with different logistics performance levels. It implies that logistics performance, i.e., the efficient performance of logistic infrastructure, plays a moderator role in economic growth in developing economies.


Subject The role of 'mega-foundations' in aid programmes to developing countries. Significance International development has changed with the advent of private-sector 'mega-foundations', which have gained influence in how NGOs operate, how public-private partnerships are formed and how international aid programmes shape domestic policies and agendas. Especially in global health, the rise of mega-foundations has been auspicious and cautionary. In areas of international development assistance such as healthcare, education and agriculture, they have become influencers on par with traditional organisations such as the World Bank and the UK Department for International Development. Impacts Mega-foundations will facilitate programmes in areas once considered too costly for large individual foundations, such as HIV programmes. A sole funder or a few funders will dominate some sectors, particularly when there are low resources. 'Orphan sectors' may see more interest; these are sectors that are currently neglected as too minor by traditional funders. Provision of resources controlled by mega-foundations will allow them to transcend advocacy, engaging in agenda setting and implementation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1225-1243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Mehrshad Parvin Hosseini ◽  
Maryam Mirzaei ◽  
Mohammad Iranmanesh

Purpose This study aims to investigate the factors that motivate Muslim consumers to pay for halal-certified food. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a survey of 272 Muslim consumers in Malaysia. The data were analyzed using the partial least squares technique. Findings The results showed that animal slaughter, halal logo, food quality and religious commitment have a positive effect on the willingness to pay for halal food. Religious commitment positively moderates the relationship between storage and transportation and the willingness to pay for halal-certified food. Practical implications Policy makers as well as managers of halal food companies can benefit from this study which provides insight into ways to increase demand for halal food. Originality/value The findings contribute to the literature on halal foods by illustrating the factors that determine Muslim consumers’ willingness to pay for halal food. This study also extends the literature by testing the moderating role of religious commitment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 184-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rouhin Deb ◽  
Harsh Vardhan Samalia ◽  
Santosh Kumar Prusty

Purpose Competitive pressure from informal firms has always been a threat to the formal enterprises. However, the strategic choices a firm makes to deal with such competitive pressures still remain under-explored. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of informal competitive pressures in driving export propensity of formal firms. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a standard error logistic model, and the model takes into account the contingent relationships along with the primary relationship. The authors draw the sample of 9,812 manufacturing firms spanning across the Indian sub-continent from the World Bank enterprise survey conducted in the year 2014. Findings The empirical results indicated that the level of competition from informal firms is positively associated with the propensity to export. The primary relationship is also affected by various contingent factors such as regulatory obstacles, bribery and new product development. Research limitations/implications Although the World Bank enterprise survey data provide a broad coverage, the study warranted few proxy measures in order to operationalize formal competition as it was not captured directly in the concerned data set. Practical implications The analysis demonstrates that informal competition has direct effect on the firm’s propensity to export. The findings indicate that export is an attractive action alternative for firms facing informal completion in an emerging economy. The results further indicate that this effect strengthens as institutional factors such as regulatory obstacles and bribery increase. Social implications The paper is an attempt to alter the prevailing negative view on informality. The findings indicate that informal competition spurs competitiveness in the formal sector indicating its positive role in the economic growth of the nation. Originality/value The paper takes cue from attention-based view of the firm and the institutional escapism logic to affirm the role of informal competition and various contingent institutional and strategic factors in driving export propensity.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Pascucci ◽  
Oscar Domenichelli ◽  
Enzo Peruffo ◽  
Gian Luca Gregori

PurposeThis article investigates the relationship between family ownership and export performance in the context of SMEs while also considering the moderating role of the financial dimension and, in particular, financial constraints and financial flexibility.Design/methodology/approachWe select a sample of 1,132 Italian SMEs to examine through an econometric analysis the role and impact of family ownership and the financial moderating variables being used on their export performance.FindingsThe results indicate that there is a U-shaped relationship between family ownership and export performance: the highest levels of export performance correspond to the lowest and highest family ownership levels, whereas when a mixture of family and nonfamily ownership exists, the performance suffers because of “conflicting voices” dominating strategic visions and approaches, harming the firm's export commitment. Moreover, the findings show that lower financial constraints and/or stronger financial flexibility improve the relationship between family ownership and export performance.Research limitations/implicationsOur findings show that the ownership structure is important for export performance; in particular, firms should avoid a mixture between family and nonfamily ownership because it is detrimental to export performance. Moreover, Italian SMEs need to develop sources of financing other than the banking channel, and policy makers should favour this process to overcome financial constraint problems and improve financial flexibility. Limitations concern the use of other econometric approaches and measurement variables to further investigate the connection between family ownership and export performance.Originality/valueThe present study enhances the comprehension of the complex relationship between family ownership and export performance by documenting the relevance of the level of family ownership and considering the moderating role of financial constraints and flexibility.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 608-625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peni Fukofuka ◽  
Kerry Jacobs

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the fluid role of accounting both as a form of power and resistance in the context of World Bank projects in the Island Kingdom of Tonga. Design/methodology/approach Bourdieu’s concepts of doxa and capital provided the framework for problematizing the fluidity of practices of accounting as both a form of power and of resistance. The authors used a qualitative field study design based on a combination of a documentary analysis of these loan agreements and interviews with key actors and informants. Findings The role of accounting in relation to subaltern groups is mediated by the doxic rules and existing capital arrangements at the national and the local or village level. Understanding accounting as both capital and as doxa explains why it can be both a form of power and of resistance. Practical implications This study provides policy makers and foreign donors of Tonga and other Pacific Islands a deeper understanding on the struggles to implement and the impacts of accounting at local level as accounting is deployed as part of struggles in various social contexts each with its own doxa and capital arrangements. Originality/value This study contributes to the growing accounting body of work that seeks to better understand accounting by proposing that role of accounting as a tool for domination is mediated in various social settings by the doxic value and the existing capital arrangements in those settings.


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