Foreign banks to bet on Mexico despite risks

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Foreign Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Government

Significance The contraction is Mexico’s first in ten years and marks President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO)’s first full year in office. Foreign banks nevertheless continue to bet on Mexico, setting aside the uncertainty generated by AMLO’s policies. Impacts Banks’ willingness to lend could be important for the recovery of the troubled economy. The banking sector’s support for some of AMLO’s initiatives will help build private sector faith in them. Banks will increasingly collaborate with the government to improve financial inclusion.

South African government’s GBV plans may disappoint

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
South African ◽  
Foreign Investment ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Structure ◽  
National Strategic Plan ◽  
The Government ◽  
Gender Based

Significance Although President Cyril Ramaphosa has publicly committed to increase funding to combat what he calls South Africa’s “second pandemic”, there is a lack of transparency in how the government disburses funds linked to its National Strategic Plan (NSP) on Gender-based Violence and Femicide. Impacts Civil society groups will increase pressure on the government to make expenditure on GBV programmes more transparent. A new private-sector fund to contribute to the NSP has received strong early support, but its management structure is opaque. High levels of GBV will not only have significant humanitarian and social costs but may deter much-needed foreign investment.

The impact of open government data on accountability and transparency

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 204-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuti Saxena ◽  
Irfan Muhammad
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
Government Data ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Accountability, citizen participation and transparency are the three pillars on which open government data (OGD) is based. As such, OGD implies that the government shall provide data freely via the internet so that the same may be re-used for diverse purposes. It is hoped that by re-using government data, public value shall be co-created and government services might be improved upon with the involvement of different stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to underline the impact of OGD on accountability and transparency in the context of Pakistan where OGD initiative is taking roots for quite some time now. In the present study, the authors seek to investigate the challenges being faced by the professionals in the private sector and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) in Pakistan. Besides, the authors also seek inputs from the respondents in the manner in which OGD initiative of Pakistan has impact on ensuring accountability and transparency. Design/methodology/approach For conducting the review of the national OGD portal of Pakistan, the authors invoke documentary analysis wherein the authors investigate the features of the national OGD portal of Pakistan. Furthermore, the authors conducted structured interviews with 49 senior management representatives from private sector and NGOs in order to gauge the challenges encountered by them in tapping OGD from diverse online public sources. Findings Respondents aver that robust statistical analysis is not feasible via the data sets being shared by the online sources. More initiatives are required on the part of the government bodies to release the data sets which have remained confined in silos. Government should institutionalize an OGD policy and promote the re-use of OGD by the professionals from diverse backgrounds. At present, only educational data are being shared by the OGD portal of Pakistan and it is important that more data sets are being released in the public domain. Furthermore, the respondents perceive that in a bid to be more accountable and transparent, the government bodies should release data sets via the online channels which are user-friendly. Research limitations/implications The present study conducted a qualitative research where the number of respondents was relatively less. Further research is required by adopting quantitative approach in order to accommodate more respondents and lend reliability to the study. Nevertheless, the study holds implications for academicians and practitioners in the sense that while it is needed that further research be conducted on the OGD initiative of Pakistan, it is imperative that policy makers get involved in institutionalizing the OGD initiative of Pakistan at national and local levels. Social implications Professionals might be better involved in creating and co-creating products and services by tapping OGD. Originality/value Given that OGD initiative in Pakistan is in a nascent stage and research is wanting in exploring the nature and scope of Pakistan’s OGD, the present study seeks to contribute toward the existing OGD literature.

The supply-side of corruption: a review of scenario, causes and prevention measure

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurfarizan Mazhani Mahmud ◽  
Intan Salwani Mohamed ◽  
Roshayani Arshad
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Public Officials ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
Prior Literature ◽  
The Government ◽  
High Level

Purpose This paper aims to provide a proper understanding of corruption in the private sector, also known as the supply-side of corruption. It also presents the causes of corrupt practices and points out the corporations’ actions to mitigate corrupt behaviour in the business environment. Design/methodology/approach This study reviews the prior literature on the phenomenon of corruption in the private sector, its causes and the preventive measures that should be implemented. Findings Corruption in the private sector was associated with a firm’s interaction with the public sector, and the most common corruption in the private sector is grand corruption, which is improper contribution made to high-level public officials and politicians. The causes of corruption in the private sector can be explained from several dimensions: economy, psychosocial and legal and regulation. Preventative measures encompass both internal strategies, which are endogenous to business and external strategies like exogenous legislation and restrictions enforced by the government or outside organizations. Originality/value The efficient strategies in combating corruption need active cooperation and participation from the supply-side of corruption. Thus, this study contributes to the literature on the theoretical understanding of the corruption problem from the supply-side and responsibility play by the private sector in global anti-corruption initiatives.

Factors impacting the adoption of m-banking: understanding brand India’s potential for financial inclusion

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madhurima Deb ◽  
Aarti Agrawal
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Personal Innovativeness ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Government ◽  
Digital Channels

Purpose The purpose of this study has been to understand brand India’s potential for financial inclusion in the future. As, digital channels like mobile banking (m-banking) are likely to provide better coverage and more cost-effective services to the unbanked population of India. Conventional banking might not be cost-effective for low-ticket-size transactions, hence financial inclusion, which is on the “Digital India” agenda of the Government of India (GoI), might not be feasible. However, to understand brand India’s potential for financial inclusion in the future, it would be essential to understand Indian customers’ attitudes toward m-banking, especially those who have not yet adopted it. This would bring out the potential of m-banking as a channel to drive financial inclusion based on customers’ intentions to adopt it. Until every Indian has access to a wider range of financial services, there cannot be financial inclusion. Similarly, until every Indian adopts digital channels to access a wider range of financial and non-financial services, the GoI’s initiatives for “Digital India” cannot be realized. Furthermore, a review of the literature suggests that there are very few studies concerning m-banking worldwide and still fewer in the context of India. Design/methodology/approach The present study used IBM SPSS and Amos software to test the conceptual model developed using secondary data. Findings The findings of the study suggest that subjective norm, output quality and personal innovativeness have impacts on the perceived usefulness of, and attitudes toward, the ultimate adoption of m-banking. Originality/value The paper is the original work of the authors. An attempt has been made to integrate all the existing literature on m-banking to develop a complete model for the technology’s adoption.

Family friendly policies and the Omani Labour Law

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-348
Author(s):  
Shweta Belwal ◽  
Rakesh Belwal ◽  
Suhaila Ebrahim Al-Hashemi
Keyword(s):  
Women Workers ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
Labour Law ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gcc Countries ◽  
Family Friendly ◽  
Workplace Policies ◽  
The Government

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to take cognisance of the work–life balance (WLB) challenges facing working women in Oman, make a review of the family-friendly policies (FFPs), related provisions in labour laws of various nations, and identify and suggest some FFP-based solutions for attracting women to private sector jobs. Design/methodology/approach Initially, desk research was used to review the labour laws of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and some pioneering countries known for their workplace policies using the major electronic databases and official websites. An exploratory approach was used to understand the lived experience of participants using 46 in-depth interviews. The data were analysed and the findings were explained and contextualised in terms of the Arab culture, wider social processes and consequences related to WLB. Findings The interviews revealed that the majority of women in the private sector are not fully aware of the labour laws and FFPs, and are not satisfied with the existing policies, as they do not provide the right WLB. Women in the private sector demand flexible working hours, privacy at work, reduced work hours and certain other benefits akin to the government sector. Omani Labour Law needs a review of FFPs in line with the best global practices and Oman’s diversification initiatives. The provision, awareness and implementation of FFPs in the workplace are necessary to attract Omani women to private sector jobs. Research limitations/implications This research focusses on Oman in particular and GCC countries in general in its coverage of Omani women workers. The outcomes would be important for the specific segment but would have limited potential to generalise. Practical implications The study of WLB and FFPs is of interest for both academia and industry globally. In its strategic vision 2040, Oman aims to encourage, support and develop the private sector to drive the national economy. To retain and boost the socio-economic development in the post-oil economy, the success of the private sector will depend on the participation of the Omani workforce. The role of working Omani women will be pivotal, for they form a substantial part of the skilled human resources inventory. Social implications Women working in Oman are influenced by labour laws, organisational culture, traditional attitudes and societal values and influences. The voices of women working in the private sector indicate a great need to create awareness of existing policies, ensure their compliance and devise additional workplace policies to enable women to contribute to the labour market. Originality/value There is a dearth of studies examining work policies and employment of women in the context of Oman in particular and the GCC Countries in general. Even in the extant literature, the sectoral imbalance between the government and private sector has not been explored from the perspective of WLB and FFPs. This study presents a unique approach and findings in this regard.

Benchmarking financial inclusion for women entrepreneurship – a study of Uttarakhand state of India

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 160-175
Author(s):  
Nidhi Goel ◽  
Pankaj Madan
Keyword(s):  
Total Sample ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Women Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Help ◽  
New Business ◽  
Future Data ◽  
Independent Variable ◽  
The Government

Purpose Benchmarking is a very important tool to know the gap in your performance and best performance. It is possible to apply benchmarking in a wide variety of area. This paper uses benchmarking for assessing women entrepreneurship. Women entrepreneurship is a symbol of the balanced growth of the society. Financial inclusion schemes offered by the government are aimed to encourage a large number of women of the country to entrepreneurship. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of financial inclusion and others factor like family circumstances, benchmarking, entrepreneurial motivation and entrepreneurial intention of women on their decision to take up entrepreneurship as a career choice. Design/methodology/approach This research study is undertaken to understand the relation of financial inclusion schemes on women entrepreneurship and also to develop a cause–effect relationship. Here, financial inclusion effort is an independent variable, whereas women entrepreneurship is a dependent variable. A sample size of 250 women entrepreneur was taken. The sample was selected on the basis of convenience. Out of the total sample, 125 women belonged to the self-help group and 125 women were registered under the RSETI program of lead banks of Haridwar and Dehradun districts of the Uttarakhand state of India. Findings The results of the present study indicate that there is a statistically significant impact of financial inclusion on women entrepreneurship. It provides the platform to the women that help them in establishing a new business. Research limitations/implications Data for present study were collected from two districts of Uttarakhand. In future, data can be collected from different geographical areas of India for generalizing the findings of the study. Practical implications The results of present study indicate that there is a statistically significant impact of financial inclusion on women entrepreneurship. It provides the platform to the women that help them in establishing a new business. For promoting women toward entrepreneurship, the government has launched many schemes. Social implications After the study, the author found that the society will accept the fact that women entrepreneurship is emerging as a dire need for the country. Originality/value The author followed all the guidelines that were concerned about the originality of the paper. This paper is not under review of any journal.

Fast growth may avert foreign banks' exit from Hungary

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Foreign Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Balance Sheets ◽  
Government Relations ◽  
Local Currency ◽  
Wait And See ◽  
The Government

Subject Prospects for the banking sector. Significance The government is buying a 30% stake in the Austrian lender Erste Bank under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The MoU signifies a volte-face by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose relationship with foreign-owned banks has been fraught with difficulties since the imposition of a levy on financial institutions in 2010 that drove down earnings and achieved notoriety as one of the highest taxes of its kind in Europe. The government has pledged to reduce the bank tax during 2016-19. Impacts The MoU may not redefine government relations with foreign banks, but could mean more activity on the market by institutional investors. Banks will clean up balance sheets, adopting a 'wait and see' strategy until FX debt relief peters out and the bank tax starts to fall. A return to profitability is unlikely before 2016; much depends on an uptake in corporate and household loans denominated in local currency.

United Kingdom to strengthen cybersecurity nationally

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Public Private Partnerships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Strategy ◽  
Uk Government ◽  
A Priority ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Naming And Shaming

Subject The United Kingdom's new cybersecurity strategy. Significance The UK government on November 1 published its Cybersecurity Strategy for 2016-21. The new strategy doubles the previous investment in cyber to 1.9 billion pounds (2.4 billion dollars) during a time of government cutbacks, making it clear that the government regards cybersecurity as a priority. Impacts Despite serious investment, the government will still face a challenge in recruiting those with the required cyber skills. Given the expertise in the private sector, public-private partnerships will continue to be vital for protecting UK networks. ‘Naming and shaming’ cyber aggressors may become more prevalent as states seek to deter further cyberattacks. Governments may also increasingly focus on developing offensive cyber tools that can be used to counter-strike.

Brazil banks will stay cautious amid fragile recovery

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Retail Banking ◽  
Foreign Bank ◽  
Foreign Banks ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Private Banks ◽  
Public And Private Sector

Subject Outlook for the banking sector. Significance The two-year recession has made Brazil’s public- and private-sector banks increasingly risk-averse in their lending to households and companies. This is likely to persist in 2017, owing to a very uncertain and fragile economic recovery, high unemployment and elevated levels of private-sector debt. Impacts Less-aggressive lending by national state banks will help public finances and give private banks a chance to increase market share. Spanish Santander will be the only foreign bank capable of competing in Brazil’s retail banking segment in the coming years. Other foreign banks lacking the necessary scale for profitable retail banking will focus on other niches.

Ghanaian banking reforms should strengthen sector

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Banking Reforms ◽  
The Government

Significance The move follows a streamlining process by the government over the past two years that has seen nine major banks liquidated by the Bank of Ghana (BoG). President Nana Akufo-Addo has said this is necessary to address liquidity shortfalls and combat corporate governance transgressions. Impacts The New Patriotic Party (NPP) government may struggle to counter accusations of a politically biased rationalisation process. Higher capitalisation requirements will compound barriers for new domestic entrants. The government will prioritise financial inclusion measures amid fears over the possible negative effects of rationalisation.

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