scholarly journals IMPACT OF MOBILE PHONES AND INTERNET USE ON FINANCIAL INCLUSION: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM THE EU POST-COMMUNIST COUNTRIES

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Yilmaz Bayar ◽  
Marius Dan Gavriletea ◽  
Dragoş Păun

Poverty alleviation has become one of the biggest challenges for many countries and access to financial services is considered to be a key driver of development and economic growth. Finding solutions that can break down barriers that poor people are facing to access formal financial services has become a major concern for researchers, governments, financial institutions. Financial services must reinvent themselves and the adoption of new technology is a crucial key to overhaul their operations and to find innovative solutions to manage customer expectations. The escalation in access and penetration level of mobile phones and the Internet can improve financial inclusion by facilitating easy access to financial services, by providing secure transaction platforms, by reducing transaction costs, by providing a competitive business framework. There has been relatively limited research on the impact of Internet and mobile phones use on financial inclusion, therefore our main purpose was to investigate this linkage in a sample of 11 post-communist countries of the European Union from 1996–2017 using panel cointegration and causality analyses. Firstly, we investigated whether mobile cellular phone subscriptions and the rate of Internet usage affect financial institutions’ access; secondly, we analysed the impact of these variables on financial market access. Results indicate that mobile cellular phone subscriptions positively affect both financial institution access in countries like Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovenia and financial market access in Bulgaria, Croatia, and Hungary. Also, a negative relationship between mobile cellular phone subscriptions and financial institution access was noticed in the Czech Republic and regarding financial market access in the Czech Republic and Poland. Our findings also indicate both positive and negative relationships between Internet usage rates and financial institutions and financial markets access. By increasing Internet usage we can improve access to financial institutions in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland and we can increase financial markets access in Latvia and Slovenia.

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 266-281
Author(s):  
David Mhlanga ◽  
◽  
Steven Henry Dunga ◽  

The study sought to assess the levels of financial inclusion among the smallholder farmers and to investigate its determinants among the same. The study employed a household measure to measure the level of financial inclusion and multiple regression to assess the determinants of financial inclusion. The results indicated that the level of financial inclusion among the smallholder farmers was low because the percentage of households who were actively participating in the formal financial system was below 27 per cent below 50 per cent. The investigation on the driving factors of financial inclusion indicated that off-farm income, education level, distance, financial literacy and age of the household were the significant variables in explaining the determinants of financial inclusion among the smallholder farmers in Manicaland Province of Zimbabwe. Therefore, the study discovered that it is important for the government of Zimbabwe and financial institutions to form partnerships to come up with policies that ensure that smallholder farmers are included in the formal financial market and these policies should motivate households to use the formal financial services. Also, the crafted should strive to remove all the barriers to financial inclusion among the smallholder farmers. For instance, looking at farmers, many farmers are finding it difficult to access loans due to lack of collateral security, so banks need to come up with services and products that are tailor-made for the smallholder farmers especially on credit, services that allow smallholder farmers to borrow.


2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 34-56
Author(s):  
Yu. I. Shapoval ◽  
◽  
◽  

Under the Findex dataset, paper suggests a comparative assessment of the usage of financial accounts by groups (developing countries, high-income countries, and Ukraine). Authors outlines the barriers, which arise while using financial services and both socio-economic (income level, employment), and demographic characteristics (gender, age) of users. The increase of account holders, who make payments using mobile phones and the Internet, was marked. Simultaneously, women and poorer users have less access to these technologies, both among the banked and unbanked population. In contrast to world indicators in Ukraine, the level of financial account ownership is the same for both women and men, but there is a gap between richer and poorer, and a gap across the active labour force. Having analysed the unbanked population’s causes and characteristics, Ukrainians’ distrust of financial institutions was a significant barrier to account ownership. An overview of the indicators of financial account usage to make public payments, receive wages in the private sector, settlements with business (utility payments, domestic remittances, payments from individual entrepreneurs) is under consideration. The intensification of digital payments in Ukraine is observed in comparison with the majority of developing countries. The holders use debit cards more often in developing countries as well as in high-income countries and Ukraine. It is highlighted that financial account ownership does not indicate the population’s addiction to use it to accumulate savings. In general, the level of financial inclusion from the demand side is growing globally, and faster in developing countries, including Ukraine, due to the outspread of mobile phones and the Internet. There is more active usage of financial services in high-income countries, despite inequality in age, gender, employment. Although Ukraine usage indicators correspond to the average, the level lags far behind the indicators of high-income countries. It has been revealed that people in high-income countries owning financial account are more likely to be economically active, to save and borrow from financial institutions than those living in developing countries, who prefer informal ways of saving and lending. A low level of penetration of deposits and loans among individuals was noted alongside activation of non-cash payments. It is substantiated that the high level of financial inclusion of the population depends not only on the possession of a financial account but also on its usage mechanisms. The ways of increasing the use of financial services are identified, such as mobile payments, digitalisation of private and public payments, and an increase in financial literacy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 168-182
Author(s):  
David Mhlanga ◽  
◽  
Steven Henry Dunga ◽  
Tankiso Moloi ◽  
◽  
...  

The study sought to investigate the impact of financial inclusion on poverty reduction in Zimbabwe among the smallholder farmers. It is alleged that financial inclusion can help in achieving seven of the seventeen sustainable development goals (SDGs), which include poverty eradication in all its forms everywhere, ending hunger, achieving food security, ensuring improved nutrition as well as promoting sustainable agriculture and many others. Using the simple regression method, the study discovered that financial inclusion has a strong impact on poverty reduction among smallholder farmers. The study went on to discover that, for the government to tackle poverty especially among the smallholder farmers, it is important to ensure that farmers do participate in the financial sector through saving, borrowing and taking out insurance among other services. So, it is important for the government of Zimbabwe to fully implement policies that encourage financial inclusion such as making sure that farmers find it easy to access financial institutions and encouraging financial institutions to review transaction costs like bank account opening charges periodically, implementing financial education programs among the farmers because these variables are important in influencing farmers to participate or preventing them from using financial services.


2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikko Villi

Abstract In this article I will elucidate the concept of photo messaging, and examine camera phones in the context of communication and photography. Camera functions are nowadays a popular add-on to the mobile (cellular) phone. Users can send photographs directly from the phone as photo messages. Findings suggest that the ubiquitous camera phone, and photo messaging, may substantially change the ways in which people use personal photography. The imaging capacity of mobile phones is becoming a potential part of perpetual visual contact. Thus taking and sending photographs on a camera phone represents a new resource for visual communication.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 109-123
Author(s):  
John Gartchie Gatsi

This article examines the relationship between remittances and financial inclusion in Ghana. The data for the study was extracted from the results of an analytical review of the living standards survey indicators in Ghana. The methodological tools of the study are represented by a regression equation based on the use of the Force Entry Method to test the functioning of variables in the model. The study empirically confirms and theoretically proves that domestic remittances have a positive and significant impact on access to financial services, while international remittances affect the likelihood of opening a bank account, but do not have any significant impact on applying for a loan and lending to remittance households. It is substantiated that domestic and international money transfers have a significant positive impact on the opening of bank accounts, even when forging collateral. Based on the results of calculations, the paper substantiates the conclusion that remittances contribute to increasing the availability of financial services in Ghana. It was noted that domestic remittances have a greater potential to improve financial inclusion in Ghana than international remittances. The paper emphasizes that the provision of collateral is an important lever for lending to households. Remittances will have very little impact on financial inclusion when financial institutions require collateral to facilitate the application and grant. According to the results of the study, the following recommendation were provideds: development of a strategy to improve domestic remittances to increase indicators of financial inclusion and economic development; improving the conditions for remittances, especially domestic remittances, in order to ensure their flexibility and deepen financial integration; use of domestic remittances as collateral for household loans. Keywords: collateral, financial inclusion, financial institutions, Ghana, remittances, loan application, migration.


Author(s):  
Yuvraj Sharma

In today's switching economy, customers' needs are changing and they are demanding more transparency, higher involvement, and clear communication in day-to-day banking processes. The rationale behind carrying out the present research is to identify the role of customer analytics in the new digital customer journey in terms of enhancing their engagement, loyalty, and satisfaction. The present research emphasizes opportunities that would accrue to financial institutions after demonetization and collecting large amount of demographics, customer transaction, and account-related data. Primary data was collected from 300 customers through a structured questionnaire to know their perceptions about the role of customer analytics and digital technologies to build their confidence and capability to use financial services. This study brings out the customer analytics trends and identifies the reasons due to which banks are struggling to keep pace with the increasing demand of both digital savvy and traditional consumers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-22
Author(s):  
Ankita Das ◽  
Debabrata Das

With the advent of technology, banking and financial services have widened their scope. India achieved FinTech adoption rate of 87 percent as against the global average of 64 percent mostly contributed by FinTech startups aiming for providing access to financial services even in the remotest areas. Realizing the potential of FinTech to contribute toward financial inclusion and stability, the Governments have taken requisite steps toward digital transformation and promote FinTech ventures. In order to meet the customers’ needs, collaborative moves with FinTech firms have been initiated by financial institutions as well. This article aims to investigate the relationship between different demographic profiles, the adoption of FinTech services, the perception, user pattern, and constraints faced by the bank customers in using FinTech services. The results based on survey of 215 respondents reveal significant association between usage of FinTech services and different demographic profiles. However, the awareness and use of such services is found more among millennials and generation Z as compared with generation X and baby boomers. While the FinTech companies gained the popularity in payment space, it is observed that misconception is an important factor that hinders the growth of technology-based services among respondents.


Author(s):  
Andrii Matkovskyi ◽  
Vitaliia Skryl ◽  
Ruslana Shtanko

Financial inclusion of the region is a means of making full use of the financial services industry's tools, which ultimately contributes to the long-term economic growth of the region, as it stimulates innovation, mobilizes savings and supports investment. The paper analyzes the current level of financial inclusion of the Poltava region. The study showed that the current level of financial inclusion of the Poltava region is low. Surveys of the respondents showed that there is a large disproportionate level of financial inclusion among urban and rural population. The rural population is limited in financial services. There is still a significant lack of confidence in financial institutions. All this slows down the processes of full involvement of the population in financial inclusion and creates a shadow sector. However, remediation is observed in urgent action by both the state and local authorities and financial institutions. Continuous information in the media and social networks in the future will be able to restore confidence in financial institutions and thus increase not only the level of financial inclusion, but also every inhabitant of the Poltava region.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-46
Author(s):  
Lucky Anyike Lucky

Nigeria financial market is emerging, the growth in institutions and products require a marketing strategy that will meet the needs of growing population. This study examined marketing of financial services. It discussed financial service products, segmentation of financial products, brands in financial market, financial service marketing environment, marketing of financial service through the internet, distribution channels of financial products, strength, weakness, opportunities and threat of Nigeria financial market, the needs for marketing of financial services, features of financial products and pricing of financial products. The study concludes that marketing of financial services is a determinant of financial inclusion, therefore policies and strategies should be advanced by management and regulators in the financial market.


Author(s):  
Martha Gertruida Van Niekerk ◽  
Nkgolodishe Hermit Phaladi

Digital financial services (DFSs), being financial services accessed and delivered through digital channels, have grown rapidly in South Africa as well as globally. The adoption of the technology for DFSs has led to an increase in financial inclusion, enabling more individuals and businesses to have access to useful and affordable financial products and services, where payments, savings, credit, investment and insurance are included. Through the Financial Sector Regulation Act 9 of 2017 financial inclusion was statutorily enacted for the first time. The regulators are now empowered to insist that financial institutions take proactive steps to expand financial inclusion and can take the necessary steps to enforce these powers. One of the factors that have an influence on whether consumers will adopt DFSs is consumers' perspectives of DFSs. Lack of information and knowledge combined with the cost of data negatively influences the adoption of DFSs. The transfer of information to unbanked people in South Africa with regards to DFSs should be enhanced by the state as it strives to improve financial literacy. DFSs are susceptible to financial crimes like fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing, bribery, corruption and market abuse. The challenges that threaten the interests of customers should be addressed by stricter information verification methods when transacting with clients online. Technological detectors and digital identification should be used more effectively to verify customers and to alert authorities to suspicious transactions. Financial institutions might consider authenticating online transactions by thumb-print or a voice recognition system. This paper emphasises that because of the prospects of greater and deeper financial inclusion in South Africa, the use of DFSs has to be improved and developed and the challenges have to be constructively addressed to unleash the true potential thereof.


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