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In Indonesia, a QR code payment is referred to as QRIS (Quick Respond Code Indonesian Standard). QR code technology is employed by QRIS, a contemporary payment system, to establish connections between a variety of financial transactions. QRIS offers numerous advantages to businesses, including the ability to obtain numerous promotions, the automated recording of transactions, the ability to track financial income and expenses, and the elimination of the need to search for change. Regrettably, the low level of digital literacy in Indonesia has prevented certain individuals from adopting digital transactions. Consequently, policymakers and regulators will be able to make more informed decisions regarding the expansion of QRIS in Indonesia by gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the perceptions of utility and perceived ease of use among Indonesian users. This research involves individuals who have implemented QRIS. The sample size in this study was sufficient due to the use of PLS-SEM, a powerful multivariate analysis technique that is recognized for its statistical efficacy in small sample sizes. The study explores the behavioral intention to use QRIS among Indonesian users, emphasizing perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use while incorporating control variables such as age, experience, gender, income, and education. The analysis results indicate that perceived usefulness has a substantial impact on the behavior intention of QRIS, and perceived ease of use also has an impact on the behavior intention of using QRIS. Education and income were found to have no significant difference in relation to behavior intention of using QRIS, whereas age, experience, gender, and age were associated with a significant difference.

This paper investigates the factors that form bank risks in Bangladeshi state-owned banks. As a representation of bank risk, non-performing loans have been considered the dependent variable for this study. The relevant data have been extracted from six state-owned banks in Bangladesh from 2013 to 2022. The final dataset consists of 60 firm-year observations. The ordinary least square (OLS) regression with robust standard errors model is utilized to find the relationship of bank risks with determinants like asset size, efficiency, liquidity, profitability, leverage ratio, capital adequacy ratio, and loan to asset ratio. The findings say that bank size and loan-to-asset ratio have a highly significant positive relationship with bank risk, whereas profitability, capital adequacy ratio, and bank efficiency have a significant negative association with bank risk. On the other hand, leverage and liquidity are negatively and positively correlated with no statistical significance. To check the study's robustness, another proxy of bank risk, loan loss provision has been used and the results are almost similar. State-owned banks operate in every economy with a different mindset than the general commercial banks. Hence, policymakers should take necessary initiatives based on this study to bring down the high bank risks in state-owned banks in Bangladesh.

Purpose: The purpose of this research study is to examine the banking preferences of Kuwaiti university students, their preferences between Islamic and conventional, the reasons supporting their choice and, as a measure of satisfaction, the likelihood of them recommending their bank to their friends and family. Design/methodology/approach: We conduct a short survey among undergraduates using a 4-item paper questionnaire physically distributed and collected at a Kuwaiti business school. The large response (n= 503) is analysed and descriptive statistics used to present the results Findings: Results indicate a majority prefer Islamic banking and that the main reason for this is their religion. Those students who opted for conventional banks gave social reasons such as recommendation for their choice. A higher level of satisfaction was recorded for Islamic banking customers. We conclude that Islamic banks have managed to match their ethical and religious appeal with the delivery of efficient and convenient banking services that are valued by the student segment. Practical Implications: Our results are of interest to those offering retail banking services in binary markets where conventional banks compete with Islamic banks in addition to researchers in this domain. For Islamic banks, the significance of maintaining a strong reputation with the underpinning of robust Shariah principles is emphasized. Originality: The paper contributes fresh understanding to the acceptance of and satisfaction with Islamic banks and their products and services among a strategically important segment. It provides evidence suggesting a bright future for Islamic banking in Kuwait and the wider Gulf region.

This study analyses the impact of external debt on the financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya for the period 2008-2022. Employing descriptive, correlational, and inferential research designs, the study reviewed data from the Central Bank of Kenya, the World Bank, KNBS, and IMF on a quarterly basis. By employing the Augmented Dickey-Fuller test, ROE and external debt were further qualified to be stationary at first difference. The results highlighted by the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) analysis indicated a statistically significant negative relationship between external debt and financial performance; the coefficients (-0.8998) confirmed that for every unit of increase in external debt, there would be a decline in ROE by 0.8998 units. The study establishes that external debt has been detrimental to the financial health of Kenyan banks due to the economic pressure it brings to the sector. For this purpose, it suggests that the government should avoid borrowing from external sources, and it has advised the development of measures that encourage overseas investors to invest in the country's banking sector. The policy of attracting FDI can enhance capital availability and alleviate the financial load on banking institutions. Relaxing regulations that restrict foreign investors would pave the way for this and help increase the bank’s performance, thus enhancing long-term economic growth.

This study aims to resolve the inconsistencies in prior research regarding the effects of capital structure, firm size, and good corporate governance (GCG) on company value. Additionally, it investigates the moderating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the relationship between financial performance and company value, offering new insights into this dynamic interaction. This study utilizes a saturated sample or census approach, including all population members, due to the small population size and the researcher's ability to access the required data. Data from 71 manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) between 2018 and 2022 were obtained from their financial statements and annual reports. A quantitative analysis was conducted using Partial Least Square (PLS) regression with the SmartPLS 4.0 software. The results indicate that capital structure, company size, and GCG significantly impact financial performance. Additionally, capital structure was found to significantly affect company value, while company size and GCG did not. Financial performance significantly influenced company value, but CSR did not directly affect company value and did not moderate the relationship between financial performance and company value. 

Kenya has historically been one of Africa's top destinations for foreign direct investment. Foreign direct investment is critical for Kenya's agricultural sector, offering capital, technology transfer, and skill development that enhance productivity and economic growth. Despite agriculture being a primary economic driver, challenges such as limited capital, outdated farming techniques, and insufficient infrastructure continue to hinder growth. The research explores the contribution of foreign direct investment on agricultural productivity in Kenya as well as to assess the effect of foreign direct investment on the productivity levels of small-scale and large-scale farmers in Kenya for a period 1993 to 2022. Neoclassical growth theory, Endogenous theory were key in guiding the study. This study adapted the causal research design employing time series data from World Bank spanning from years 1993 to 2022. Data was analyzed the data both descriptively and by inferential statistics. The findings of correlational analysis revealed a moderate positive relationships (r= 0.3213) between Foreign direct investment and agricultural productivity. Multiple regression analysis confirmed the significant positive effect of foreign direct investment on agricultural productivity with a coefficient of 0.3661 and p value 0.0014<0.05. This signifies that, in the short term, a 1% increase in foreign direct investment results in a 36.61% rise in the growth of Agricultural productivity, assuming all other variables remain constant. The findings implied that foreign direct investment inflow has the ability to create employment, technological development and improve access to international markets playing a pivotal role in accelerating the agricultural productivity. The Kenyan government should have more effective foreign direct investment strategies to facilitate technology transfer agreements between foreign investors and local agricultural enterprises, additionally, the government should pursue macroeconomic policies that attract foreign direct investment by providing an investor-friendly environment. 

This research aims to determine the influence of firm size, profitability, leverage, and board size on Islamic social responsibility. The population in this research are companies listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange in 2020–2022. In this research, we will see the simultaneous and partial influence and the dominant variables using data analysis tools in the form of multiple linear regression, coefficient of determination, hypothesis testing using the F test and t-test, and the classical assumption test. Based on the research results, it can be concluded as follows: Simultaneously, firm size, profitability, leverage, and board size influence Islamic social responsibility. Partially, it can be seen that not all variables have a significant effect on Islamic social responsibility. Firm size and leverage influence Islamic social responsibility, while profitability and board size have no influence. 

Deposit-taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOS) in Kenya have faced significant challenges due to intense competition and declining customer numbers, which underscores the need for further investigation into relationship marketing strategies. A key research gap is the role of digital platforms in moderating the effectiveness of these strategies and their impact on customer loyalty. This study aimed to evaluate how digital platforms influence the relationship between relationship marketing (RM) and customer loyalty among SACCOs in Western Kenya. Using Relationship Commitment, Social Exchange, and Commitment Trust theories, the research focused on 23 SACCOs with 37,137 customers and surveyed 396 respondents, including prior pilot study. Descriptive and correlational research designs were used, with data collected via self-administered questionnaires and systematic sampling. Analysis with SPSS assessed validity and reliability, employing descriptive statistics and inferential methods such as Pearson’s Correlation, Simple Linear Regression, and Hierarchical Regression Analysis. Assumption tests confirmed that the research data met normality, linearity, homoscedasticity, and multicollinearity criteria, with a response rate of 87.63% and significant correlations (p<0.05) among variables. Digital Platforms were found to contribute significant moderating role on the link between Relationship Management and Customer Loyalty (p<0.05), emphasizing features like interactivity, personalization, and trustworthiness. The results suggest that in order to enhance customer experience, SACCOs should allocate resources towards the development of user-friendly digital platforms, utilize data analytics in targeted marketing efforts, so as to enhance engagement with the community via online channels. Moreover, it is crucial for SACCOs to prioritize personalized service, establish trust, and strive for continuous improvement, while taking into account regulatory revisions, in order to maximize the effectiveness of digital platforms within the financial sector. 

This study investigates the long-term and short-term relationships between different monetary aggregates (M0, M1, M2, and M3) and GDP in Saudi Arabia using the Engle-Granger cointegration test and the Granger causality test. The results reveal that M2 has the most stable long-term relationship with GDP, making it the most reliable aggregate for policy formulation. M1 also shows a strong relationship, while M3’s connection is comparatively weaker. The causality analysis indicates bidirectional relationships between GDP and M1, M2, and M3, suggesting that changes in these aggregates can both influence and be influenced by economic activity. In contrast, M0 shows no significant long-term relationship and only responds to changes in GDP, indicating its limited policy relevance. These findings highlight the importance of using broader aggregates like M2 for effective policy targeting in Saudi Arabia’s evolving economic landscape. The study provides crucial insights for policymakers in selecting appropriate monetary aggregates for long-term planning and short-term economic stabilization.

The purpose of this article is to assess the impact of female board representation on financial performance in Southeast Asia. To compare the presence of women, three proxies are used: the percentage of women, the Blau Index, and the Shannon Index. The samples for five-year intervals (2017-2021) include 249 Southeast Asian enterprises and 1,245 observations. The Fixed Effect Model results show that, based on all three proxies, women's board participation leads to lower financial performance, which contradicts the Agency and Resource Dependence Theories. This document serves as a resource for regulators and stakeholders in developing effective and proper corporate governance, particularly in board compositions that need a proportion of women in Southeast Asia. The conclusions of this study may be impacted. 

Trade liberalization is a widely accepted policy for fostering economic growth, particularly in developing countries. Advocates argue that open economies, through increased competition, specialization, and access to global markets, outperform closed economies. However, the short-term effects on developing economies like Nigeria remain debated, especially within the manufacturing sector. Nigeria's trade policy has fluctuated between protectionism and openness, significantly influencing its manufacturing performance. Critics, drawing from dependency theory, argue that liberalization exposes weaker economies to exploitation by stronger nations, leading to trade imbalances and inhibiting industrial growth. This study investigates the nonlinear effects of trade liberalization on Nigeria’s manufacturing sector, addressing a gap in the literature by employing a quadratic approach to determine threshold effects. By incorporating a quadratic form of the trade variable, the study tests the hypothesis that trade liberalization initially boosts the manufacturing sector but results in diminishing returns as openness intensifies. The research is framed within the Laffer Curve of Trade, suggesting that beyond a certain threshold, excessive openness may harm the manufacturing sector. The AutoRegressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model is used to assess both short-run and long-run effects, with findings indicating a convex relationship between trade liberalization and manufacturing output, highlighting the critical importance of identifying optimal policy thresholds to maximize industrial growth. 

The research was conducted to see how cost of funds (COC), and non-performing loans (NPL) on profitability is measured by return on assets (ROA). The research method used is descriptive and verification methods. Secondary data is sourced from Regional Development Banks of West Java and Banten Provinces in Indonesia quarterly financial reports for 2014 – 2022, while the data analysis technique uses multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the research are that COF and NPL has a negative and significant effect on ROA. Simultaneously, COF and NPL have a significant effect on ROA. The results of this research are useful for bank management in determining funding strategies with low cost of funds, and credit management strategies so that non-performing remains healthy. 

The research revealed and analysed a trend, between 1995-2020, of a declining gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) to domestic value added in gross exports (DVA in Gross exports) ratio in manufacturing industries for most Advanced Economies, which occurred on the backdrop of increasing of intermediate consumption of professional services. Our model proves the partial substitution of GFCF with intermediate consumption of professional services in Advanced Economies due to the change of production operating model (value chain management in manufacturing industries), which is evidenced by high influence of the combined factor on the DVA in Gross exports. This substitution facilitates the upgrading of value chain by creation of backward and forward linkages for manufacturing industries, depending on their R&D intensity. Systemic and long-term nature of changes may reflect potential paradigm shift in Advanced Economies' production operating models. 

This article discusses financial stability related notions of risk, the issue of convergence and cross financial sector prudential intervention. It elucidates the Basel framework shortcomings and enunciates the requirement of setting a reinvigorated prudential framework before proceeding to its essentials in terms of engineering. It highlights an early warning approach dealing with the issue of time reaction mismatch of the prudential authority and the priority of setting a long run forwarded guided approach. The objective of this research is to provide a clue into enhancing prudential setting of instruments, the forwarded guided purview of surveillance as well as hedging and the Balanced Score Card. 

One of the Indonesian government's policies since 2015 has been to increase development through its developed infrastructure, by increasing its budget for this sector from year to year. However, companies listed in the engineering and construction subsector on the Indonesian Stock Exchange, both state-owned enterprises and private companies, experienced losses so it could be said that their financial performance was poor. This study intends to evaluate the financial performance engineering and construction sub-sector companies using the Economic Value Added (EVA), Market Value Added (MVA), Refined Economic Value Added (REVA), Financial Value Added (FVA), and Shareholder Value Added (SVA) in 2018 – 2023 and determine their influence on stock prices. This type of research is quantitative descriptive research using E-Views 12 with a population 26 companies and a sample size 16 companies. Based on the results the calculations and analysis, it stated that EVA, MVA, REVA, FVA, SVA and stock prices engineering and construction companies, both state-owned and private, during the 2018 - 2023 period obtained an average of negative amounts. The research results show that the financial performance variables using value added have an influence on stock prices with influence of 74.57% while the rest is influenced by other variables not examined in this research. Partially only MVA and SVA have an influence on stock prices because based on the probability test using E-Views 12 it appears that only MVA and SVA produce results below the alpha. The suggestion for this research is that company management should pay attention to the company's financial performance, especially the MVA and SVA variables and further researcher can make comparative research between all value-added variables. 

The article seeks to provide innovative measures aimed at addressing the delivery of affordable housing market in South Africa in view of diminishing fiscus and rising interest rates. It defines the mortgage finance trends in South Africa through analysis of primary data from financial institutions to establish the level of activity and contrarians. Upon understanding the market challenges, the author recommends sound proposition with respect to engineering responsive interventions diversify with respect to demand and supply side blockages in the Affordable Housing Market in South Africa. Based on the findings, the author has found that interest rate increases have hurt the property market activity greatly and lenders in turn also apply very stringent underwriting standards at the height of high interest rate cycles. Furthermore, it has been established the mortgage credit impairments have increased resulting in significant credit loss as the majority of low- and middle-income households are overindebted and mortgage debtors are on the verge of being foreclosed on due to the risk of default. The article concludes by providing recommendations as interventions and measures aimed at upscaling the delivery of affordable housing in South Africa. 

Dividend payout is one of financial options that Saccos consider as part of the key performance indicators for Saccos. Deposit taking Saccos in Kenya have faced numerous challenges namely, governance, managerial and operational such that the performance of a number of them continues to be sub optimal according to the report by SASRA. Therefore, this study sought to examine the influence of board characteristics on dividend policy of deposit taking Saccos in Kenya under guidance by agency cost theory. The study utelized causal design and descriptive survey design. The targeted population was 403 stakeholders sampling 201 through stratified simple random sampling. The sacco directors/chairpersons and the CFO/CEOs formed unit of analysis. Closed ended questionnaires were applied for primary data. A list of 20 Saccos in Starehe Sub County, Nairobi County were basis for pilot test to establish reliability and validity of research instruments. Cronbach Alpha was employed to ascertain reliability, whereas content and construct validity were utilized to attain validity. The data underwent analysis through the application of descriptive as well as inferential statistics. The investigation ensured that the assumptions of linear regression were satisfied before conducting numerous linear regressions. Tables were used to present data. The results indicated a positive significant association between board characteristics practices and dividend policy P:0.000<0.05 hence conclusive that deposit-taking Saccos in Kenya focused on board characteristics as envisaged. The study recommended that Sacco’s should diverse the board features to ensure they accommodate the dividend policy framework. 

The objective of the study is to evaluate how the role of tax administration in shaping SME performance in Lae City, Papua New Guinea. The social, legal, economic, and environmental reasons taxpayers want to abide by the tax system's rules. The current tax benefits, such as free zone incentives, income tax exemptions, double taxation agreements, capital gains exemptions, and import duty exemptions, do not currently support the expansion of SMEs. The study sampled 100. Purposive sampling was used to select the community sample in this study to obtain accurate results. The tax collection of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is crucial for a country's economic growth and development. Governments should consider simplifying tax legislation and provide instruction in simple terms. Ensure the tax rates for SME’s are reasonable and competitive. In Addition to that SME’s must minimize their tax liability and engage in the tax planning and regularly adjusting and reviewing the structure of the business can efficiently help tax to optimize, by hiring and consulting the tax professionals can be more helpful to small-medium enterprise to help navigate the difficult tax codes and to reduce risk of non-tax compliances. SME association should engage with tax authorities to get feedback and better comprehend the particular needs and challenges faced by SMEs in the field of taxation. 

This study examines the correlation between industry-specific loan disbursement and profitability in the banking sector of Bangladesh, with a particular focus on the influence of targeted lending on profitability. The study examines the impact of different variables such as total assets, total revenue, non-performing loans, and sector-specific loans (agricultural, transportation, construction, textile, pharmaceuticals, and food procurement), on profit after tax (PAT) by analyzing data from 41 commercial banks between 2009 and 2022. By employing various techniques such as Pooled Ordinary Least Squares (POLS), Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS), and the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), we have determined that total assets have a noteworthy adverse effect on PAT in both POLS and 2SLS models. Conversely, construction loans have a positive influence on PAT in these models. The total revenue consistently has a favorable effect on the profit after tax (PAT) in all models. In the GMM model, transportation loans and textile loans have a notable adverse effect on PAT, but pharmaceutical loans have a slight favorable effect. The presence of non-performing loans, total loans, agricultural loans, and food procurement loans does not have a substantial impact on the profitability after tax (PAT) in any of the models. So overall total revenue, construction loan and pharmaceutical loan have a positive impact on PAT and total assets, transportation loan and textile loan have a negative impact on PAT. This study emphasizes the significance of strategic lending in underdeveloped industries and provides practical implications for banking professionals and regulators to identify high-risk lending sectors and devise measures to improve long-term profitability. 

Using A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2010 to 2019 and the density of Confucian temples and schools near sample company headquarters, this paper uses regression analysis to estimate the impact of Confucian culture on corporate environmental governance.  Enterprise environmental capital investment as a percent of total assets is the dependent variable used as a proxy for environmental governance. The log of the number of the number of Confucian temples and Confucian academies within a 200-kilometer radius of the company's registered location plus one is the independent variable. This study finds that the environmental capital expenditures increase by 0.007% for every unit increase in the independent variable. Similar results are found when the radius is expanded to 300 kilometers. The greater the influence of Confucian culture is, the more inclined enterprises are to participate in corporate environmental governance. Additionally, environmental governance information disclosure can be a key influence path for this correlation.  Further analysis finds that the relationship between Confucian culture and environmental governance is stronger with more experienced managers, a more developed institutional environment, and after 2015 following the People's Republic of China’s enactment of the Environmental Protection Law.  This study expands the literature on the factors that influence Confucian culture on corporate environmental governance, enriches the empirical evidence of the influence of the informal system of corporate environmental governance on enterprise decision-making, and confirms the modern commercial value of Confucian culture.