Restructuring of the Banking Sector Through Merger: Case of Tunisian Banks

In the classical economy, the business is always looking for growth. It tries to protect itself against disappearance and to enter new markets to ensure its growth. It resorts to the merger or the takeover of local companies to more easily solve certain problems. Development today by M&A is the most popular mode. In the context of merger acquisition processes, and its relationship with organizational, process, strategic, economic, political and cultural factors, our paper is designed to study the impact of these various factors on the merger-acquisition.To understand these relationships, we used principal component analysis, ANOVA analysis and multiple regression. A questionnaire was designed on the basis of a documentary analysis leading to the collection of 80 observations, collected from functionaries in the Tunisian banking sector during the period 16 December to 6 January 2016.The results show that the various factors have a positive impact on the success of the merger acquisition operation. It should be noted that the organizational factor is the most influential factor on the acquisition merger process and the least influential economic factor.

Behavioral Analysis of Digital Banking Acceptance and Customer Satisfaction, in Greece

Greeks seem to be unfamiliar with online banking services, which was an obstacle to the smooth conduct of their transactions, especially during the Covid-19 period. The objective of the study is to reveal the dimensions that influence the use of Digital Banking, including users’ satisfaction and no users’ perceptions in Greece during Covid-19 period, using both econometrical and behavioral analysis approaches. Performing factor analysis, a Structural Equation Model and Multiple Logistic Regressions Models derived that both technological and personal factors, such as, personality and familiarity with banking products could impact the use and maintenance of the use of Digital-Banking in Greece. Besides, technical characteristics of services applications’ such as easiness in login and security influenced users’ satisfaction, while other traditional banking services such as ATM’s and automatic machines’ use, including the behavioral intention to change the way someone is conducting his/her banking transactions, could also be an obstacle in adoption. The particular study examines at the first time not only the perceptions of Greek consumers about electronic banking services, such as Digital-Banking, but also the factors, which will enhance the existing users’ satisfaction, in conjunction with the barriers that lead in non-adoption, including other banking services.

Relationship Between Cost Efficiency and Stock Price: Evidence from Bangladeshi Commercial Banks

This paper employs Stochastic Frontier Approach (SFA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to measure cost efficiency score of 30 listed private commercial banks in Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and finds its influence on stock prices. Results suggest that, there is a significant impact of changes in share prices on the cost efficiency score. This suggests, those banks are most cost efficient, they are able to generate more return for their stockholder than those of inefficient banks.

Relationship Between Enablers and Barriers to Financial Inclusion—the Case of North Macedonia

This research aims to examine the relationship between factors that act as enablers or barriers to financial inclusion, as independent variables, and the environment for financial inclusion, as a dependent variable, for the case of North Macedonia. For accomplishing the main research objective, first, the factors that act as enablers or barriers to financial inclusion were identified by collecting primary data using questionnaires and performing comparative analysis on our country’s position with different regions categorized by income groups and World, through the benchmarking model of Global Microscope (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2018. Global Microscope 2018. The Enabling Environment for Financial Inclusion. The EIU, The Economist). Second, primary data from questionnaires served to furtherly examine the correlation between each identified enabler or barrier to financial inclusion and the overall environment for financial inclusion through multiple regression analysis. Results revealed important information and recommendations for the future focus of national priorities, institutional arrangements, policies, and strategies in terms of creating enabling environment for financial inclusion, benefits of which can be felt by the overall society.

History of Banking in Sudan (Conventional and Islamic): A Critical Review (1903-2019)

This paper critically reviews the developmental stages of banking (Conventional and Islamic) in Sudan throughout the last 115 years (1903-2019). Historical and descriptive-analytical approaches were used. Historical data collected from the annual reports of The Central Bank of Sudan and relevant studies were used to describe and compare stages during that period. The results indicated that political instability and ideology changes of the state (e.g., Colonialism, independence and democracy, socialism and Islamic) systems played a significant role in the formation of stages of development of Sudan’s banking systems (e.g., conventional, Islamic, dual system). Moreover, the implementation of the Islamic Sharia Law in 1983 was the original basis for the augmentation of the Islamization of the country’s banking system, particularly as it pertained to the prohibition of charging interest. Under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA: 2005-2010), the conventional banking (interest rate) in Southern Sudan was restored, whereas the Islamic approach continued in the north. Notwithstanding, all banks were managed by one central bank in the north namely The Central Bank of Sudan. The study highlights the relationship between factors affecting political stability and the growth of stability and the banking system.

How Are Non-Performing Loans Influencing the Banks’ Efficiency?

Non-Performing Loans portfolio (NPLs) is a major issue faced by the financial system worldwide and in Greece as well with extremely influence during the financial crisis decade.The purpose of this research is to investigate and determine if and how the NPLs influence the efficiency indicators of the Greek banks and specifically how they affect efficiency of the banks.The empirical investigation of Non-Performing loans included a comparative study of indicators of efficiency of the Greek banks, National Bank of Greece, Piraeus Bank, Alpha Bank, Eurobank, Attica Bank and the Co-operative Banks of Epirus, Crete, Thessaly, and Serres, for the year 2017.The conclusions resulted concern the display of financial size of the bank sample, the correlation of loans with outflows, the multifaceted analysis of linear regression to control the effects of loans and finally the effect of lending on the banks’ performance.

Analysis Factors Affecting Accounting Organization in Pharmaceutical Producing Enterprises in Vietnam

This study analyzes and evaluates the factors affecting the organization of the accounting work in pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprises in Vietnam in the current period. The study uses both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Research data was collected from 156 surveys, implemented for subjects including directors, deputy directors, chief accountants, accountants of 48 pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprises in Vietnam. Data were processed using SPSS 22.0 software.

Cooperative Banks in Greece and Small & Medium Enterprises Views at a Time of Credit Constraints

Cooperative banks are among those credit institutions that have played an important role in the financial systems of many countries, usually operating supplementary to the traditional commercial banks, mainly at regional level and aiming mostly at supporting SMEs financial needs. They provide traditional banking products to local SMEs even in remote areas. The number of Cooperative Banks in Greece has been decreased from originally 16 banks to 6 in the second half of 2020. The scope of this paper is to examine the managers’ views of 158 SMEs towards Cooperative Banks’ support (banking facilities) over the economic and financial crisis period (2015-2019). The research was carried out the last three months of 2019, using constructed questionnaire to a random sample of 208 Cooperative Banks’ clientele in places where Cooperative Banks have branches. Research showed that SMEs have a quite good opinion for Cooperative Banks presence in Greece.

Investigating Financial Statement Fraud in Ghana Using Beneish M-Score: A Case of Listed Companies on the Ghana Stock Exchange

This quantitative research was conducted to detect the possibility of earnings manipulation by listed companies on the Ghana Stock Exchange, determine the relationship between company size and earnings manipulation and find out the existence of a correlation between share price and earnings manipulation. Using 22 companies out of a total of 41 listed companies, financial data gathered from published financial statements on the companies’ websites, Ghana Stock Exchange website and Annual Report Ghana website were examined from 2011 to 2016. Applying Beneish M-score model for the period 2011-2016, it was found that 26.2% of the sample size on the average were involved in creative accounting. The study also found that 28.4% of the small companies on the average were involved in earnings manipulation during the period 2011-2016 as compared to 25.4% of the big companies. However, the Mann-Whitney U test conducted revealed that there is no statistically significant difference between the level of earnings manipulation and company size. Spearman’s correlation analysis was conducted, firstly, on the entire sample and separately on the small and big companies. The results of the analysis showed that earnings manipulation and share price, statistically, were not significantly correlated. The quantitative research provides an insight into the level of earnings management amongst listed companies in Ghana and the appropriateness of the M-score model in detecting earnings manipulation. The evidence of incidence of creative accounting amongst the sampled companies is an indication of the need for more stringent measures to curb such practice to ensure the stability of the Ghanaian stock market and protect investor interest.

Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Human Development Index in South Africa

Many studies have been done on the impact of Foreign Direct Investment on economic growth and poverty reduction in developing countries, however there is a lack of empirical studies of FDI impact on poverty reduction in South Africa which is the second largest FDI recipients of one of the poorest regions in the world (sub Saharan Africa). We used time series data from 1990 to 2017 with the ARDL method to evaluate the impact of FDI Inflow on HDI in the country. The results show that FDI inflow has no significant impact on HDI both in the short run and long run on the country. This result is consistent with findings reported in the literature.