FinTechs and financial inclusion—Balkan experience: Digital perspectives on financial markets

Abstract

The article aims to identify the stage of development of Fintech in the Balkan countries given the existence of numerous influencing factors Fintech is present in the Balkan countries, with a landscape colorfully generated by the different factors as the involvement of public authorities, the EU membership of only a few countries, the level of financial and digital education of the population. In order to highlight the variables influencing Fintech and financial inclusion in selected countries, specific indicators were used—internet usage and the share of bank assets in GDP, and several indicators regarding individuals performance, that is, online shopping, paid bills via internet, accessed a bank account online, paid utility bills using a mobile phone, made or received digital payments, account ownership and debit card ownership. The sample consists of all eight Balkan countries: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Romania. For testing the hypothesis in the analysis are used: descriptives, ANOVA, cluster analysis and principal components analysis. The results demonstrated that Balkan countries are not homogenous regarding Fintech and financial inclusion, the differences being generated both by the public policies in the financial field but also by IT development and by the population openness for using the new financial services and products. For these reasons, the authors identified economic policy measures that can be applied to increase financial inclusion in these countries given the facilities offered by Fintech and the digitization of financial products.

Does digital inclusive finance promote the integration of rural industries? Based on the mediating role of financial availability and agricultural digitization

“…Add in the digital inclusive finance and rural household financial availability to make a return to the integration of rural industries, the results are shown in Table 5 Model 2, the coefficient of digital financial inclusion is insignificant and the coefficient of financial accessibility is significant, indicating a full mediation effect, which verifies the previous hypothesis 2. With the development of digital inclusive finance, credit constraints in rural areas are gradually alleviated, more farmers receive loans, enhancing the accessibility of finance [ 51 – 53 ], meeting the financing needs of all subjects in the industry chain and further promoting the breadth and depth of rural industrial integration.…”

Modern methods of construction (MMC) and innovation negativism in the UK public sector

“…The terminology has since gained the attention of scholars from varied areas of expertise. For instance, the definition has been used by Karahanna and Limayem (2000), Apostu et al (2023) and Thornhill et al (2009). However, due to the limited scope to critique the trajectory of relevant arguments, this is the first research effort to narrate innovation negativism in construction management.…”

“…The terminology has since gained the attention of scholars from varied areas of expertise. For instance, the definition has been used by Karahanna and Limayem (2000), Apostu et al . (2023) and Thornhill et al .…”

“…Negativism frames a stance in which innovations that are seen to “threaten traditional norms” are rejected “as a defence against contagion” (Thornhill et al ., 2009, p. 117). Apostu et al . (2023, p. 9) explain that innovation negativism is a factor that limits innovation adoption by promoting “functional and psychological barriers” to customers' decision-making.…”

Identifying and Quantifying the Influence of the Determining Factors of Credit Institutions' Performance Through Econometric Research

“…A study by Apostu et al (2023) conducted on a sample of Baltic countries (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Romania) shows that the Balkan countries are not homogeneous in terms of Fintech and financial inclusion, the differences being generated both by IT development and the openness of the population to the use of new financial services and products, but also by public policies in the financial field.…”