FROM INSTITUTIONS TO FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH: WHAT ARE THE LINKS?

This paper presents an integrated overview of the literature linking institutions, financial development, and economic growth. From the large body of research on institutional development, the paper first selects those contributions that make it possible to study the role of institutional arrangements in ameliorating/worsening the information frictions and transaction costs that characterize the development of financial markets. The paper then investigates the theoretical mechanisms by which these specific frictions affect economic growth and presents the stock of empirical evidence quantifying the impact of institutions on growth through financial development.     

THE FINANCIAL REPRESSION‐LIBERALIZATION DEBATE: TAKING STOCK,LOOKING FOR A SYNTHESIS

Financial repression and liberalization became the object of fierce debates between academics and policy makers since the early 1970s. As of the late 1980s, financial liberalization became also part of the ‘Structural Adjustment Programs’ sponsored by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. However, the literature on financial repression and liberalization remains controversial on its theoretical conclusions and policy implications. Given its importance for both the theory and policy of economic development and growth, this paper looks for a possible synthesis. After reviewing the theoretical contributions and empirical studies under the headings of the McKinnon–Shaw and new structuralists models, the survey concludes that a new synthesis might be found in the Post‐Keynesian attempt to take an institutional perspective within a globalised financial and economic environment.     

THE FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH NEXUS: A META‐ANALYSIS

We conduct a meta‐analysis of the literature of financial development and economic growth. We cover a large number of empirical studies and estimations that have been published in journal articles. We measure the degree of heterogeneity and identify the causes of the observed differentiation. Among the most significant factors behind this heterogeneity is the choice of financial‐variable proxies, the kind of data used as well as whether a study takes into account the issue of endogeneity. Our results suggest that the empirical literature on the finance–growth nexus is not free from publication bias. Also, a genuine positive effect exists between financial development and economic growth.     

FINANCIAL LIBERALIZATION IN SUB‐SAHARAN AFRICA: WHAT DO WE KNOW?

Abstract Beginning from the early 1980s countries in Sub‐Saharan Africa embarked on financial liberalization policies with a view to reversing the ill‐effects of financial repression. This paper provides a survey of financial liberalization in Sub‐Saharan African countries over the period 1980 to 2004. Our review of empirical studies showed that financial liberalization has had diverse and contrasting effects on savings, investment and economic growth. Most studies found a significant positive effect of financial liberalization on investment whereas its effect on savings has been largely insignificant. The evidence on the effect on economic growth is inconclusive as different studies find contrasting results. It is found that financial liberalization policies have not had the desired and expected results as both financial and macroeconomic variables have not improved following financial liberalization in these countries. This calls for a rethinking of financial liberalization in Sub‐Saharan African countries. It is important that financial liberalization is carried out in a stable macroeconomic environment. In addition to this, there should be a building and reform of institutions and the strengthening of prudential regulation. Following this, financial liberalization can be embarked upon but it must be properly sequenced and not rushed.     

Institutional perspective of financial sector development: A multidimensional assessment

Financial sector development is a multidimensional process that plays a vital role in the economic growth and development of a country. This study investigates the effect of institutional quality on multidimensional financial sector development, and its dimensions, such as, depth, access, and efficiency. We used a panel dataset of 85 emerging and developing economies from 1996 to 2018 for analysis. Our findings based on 2SLS estimation demonstrate that institutional quality has a significant positive effect on the progress of the financial sector, especially its depth, access, and efficiency. The breakdown analysis shows that most of the key components (control of corruption, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and voice and accountability) of institutional quality enhance the financial sector development. Our empirical results are robust across alternative measures of institutional quality, split-sample analysis, alternative instrument, and estimator. This paper also offers useful policy implications to the stakeholders in emerging and developing economies.     

MACRO‐FINANCE LINKAGES

In this survey, I review the academic and policy‐oriented literature on the linkages between financial markets and the rest of the economy. First, I summarize the leading economic theories for why the financial sector can influence the macroeconomy. Second, I consider empirical research on spillovers from the financial sector to the rest of the economy, as well as across financial markets in different countries. Third, I discuss key monetary policy debates regarding the appropriate response of central banks to financial conditions. Finally, I conclude with an overview of the major gaps in the existing literature.     

THE GOVERNANCE OF FINANCIAL SUPERVISION: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

This paper examines the evolution of financial supervision as a policy tool over the last three decades, with a focus on the issues raised by the Global Crisis. It considers a sample of advanced and emerging economies to discuss the four main questions debated in the literature, and addressed in the economic policy arena: the architecture of supervision, the role of the central bank as supervisor, the governance of supervision, and financial supervision vs. the internationalization of finance. Our survey finds that, on each of these issues, theory and practice do not offer clear‐cut answers and unambiguous optimal solutions. At the same time, the most promising approach is to tackle financial supervision as a principal‐agent problem, where economics and political economy approaches must be used in combination to improve both positive and normative analyses of supervisory governance.     

Quantity of finance and financial crisis: A non-monotonic investigation☆

Whether finance is beneficial to economic development remains ambiguous. There are studies arguing that finance can facilitate growth and increase stability. However, the recent global financial crisis has led some to argue that finance can decrease stability and lead to more crises. This paper constructs a non-monotonic framework of quantity of finance (measured by leverage) and financial crisis and decomposes leverage into fundamental and excess components. Using cross-country level data, the empirical results confirms that it is excess leverage, rather than fundamental leverage, that results in the increase of probability of financial crisis. Further empirical results show that excess leverage leads to a higher probability of currency crisis, asset price collapse, and banking crisis, while fundamental leverage helps alleviates the crises. This paper reconciles the two contrasting views of the relationship between finance and economic development and provides strong policy implication to pay special attention to the sudden increase of leverage, which is probably excessive, rather than fundamental leverage.     

Financial development and economic growth in a microfounded small open economy model

The global financial crisis since 2008 revived the debate on whether or not and to what extent financial development contributes to economic growth. This paper reviews different theoretical schools of thought and empirical findings on this nexus, building on which we aim to develop a unified, microfounded model in a small open economy setting to accommodate various theoretical possibilities and empirical observations. The model is then calibrated to match some well-documented stylized facts. Numerical simulations show that, in the long run, the welfare-maximizing level of financial develop is lower than the growth-maximizing level. In the short run, the price channel (through world interest rate) dominates the quantity-channel (through financial productivity), suggesting a vital role of international cooperation in tackling systemic risk of the global financial system.     

NO DEEP POCKETS: SOME STYLIZED EMPIRICAL RESULTS ON FIRMS’ FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS

Abstract This paper is a survey of recent empirical work on financial constraints faced by firms. It is organized as a series of stylized results which mirror what is generally understood about the severity of financial constraints and the effects that they have upon firms. The review of the literature shows that (a) financial constraints are a widespread key concern for firms, hindering their ability to carry out their optimal investment and growth trajectories and (b) the severity of such constraints depends on institutional and firm specific characteristics, as well as on the nature of investment projects.     

PROTECTION OF PROPERTY RIGHTS AND GROWTH AS POLITICAL EQUILIBRIA

Abstract This paper presents a survey of the literature on property rights and economic growth. Different theoretical mechanisms that relate property rights to economic development are discussed. Lack of protection of property rights can result in slow economic growth through different channels: expropriation of private wealth, corruption of civil servants, excessive taxation and barriers to adoption of new technologies. The origins of property rights are also considered. Different theories are illustrated but more attention is paid to the ‘social conflict view’ and its success and limitations. The second part of the paper illustrates relevant empirical works on property rights and growth.     

How Large Is International Trade’s Effect on Economic Growth?

The estimated static welfare gains from international trade are very small, on the order of one percent of GDP. The case for free trade is therefore increasingly linked to trade’s apparent positive effects on economic growth. But how large are these growth effects? The vast empirical literature has emphasized the statistical significance, not the economic significance, of the trade‐growth relationship. This survey’s re‐examination of the empirical literature focuses on the size of the relationship between trade and growth. Our survey reveals that the many empirical studies are surprisingly consistent in terms of the size of the relationship: A one percentage point increase in the growth of exports is associated with a one‐fifth percentage point increase in economic growth. Given the power of compounding, the effect of trade on growth is very important for human welfare.     

金融发展与农村经济增长关系研究的综述

金融发展与经济增长关系研究一直以来备受国内外学者的关注。为更全面研究金融发展对农村经济增长的促进作用,本文回顾了国外学者对金融发展与经济增长关系的研究,以及我国在此方面理论的创新。同时总结了金融发展与农村经济增长的实证研究,诸如相关指标设计和采用较新的计量方法对理论研究的检验等。     

金融发展、FDI与经济增长

本文基于拉姆齐—卡斯—库普曼斯模型,利用中国29个省、市、自治区1978～2004年的面板数据,研究金融发展、外商直接投资(FDI)对经济增长的影响。研究显示FDI在一定水平下,对东道国资本积累和产出增长的影响是非线性的,随着外资数量的逐渐增加,其对资本积累和产出增长的促进效应逐渐下降,FDI进入初期的正影响最终转为负影响,研究还显示FDI在数量一定的情况下,金融发展对本国资本积累和产出增长有正影响。金融发展通过有利于吸引外商直接投资、为外资企业提供金融服务,将潜在的溢出效应转化为现实生产力,显著地促进了经济增长。     

An Exegesis on Currency and Banking Crises

Abstract.  This paper reviews the literature on currency and banking crises. Currency and banking crises are characterized according to some standards in the literature and their historical record summarized. The development of the literature from first through fourth‐generation, or so‐called 'institutional' models is reviewed. A digression on institutions is provided along with some sidebars on the development of the literature on institutions as it relates to economic growth. The empirical research on third‐generation (or twin crises) models and on institutional models of currency and banking crises, which are so far scarce, is covered too. A summary of the main policy issues for dealing with financial crises is presented. The paper closes with an emphasis on institutions and a call for more research directed at institutions and their role in the financial system.     

The role of financial intermediaries in monetary policy transmission

The recent financial crisis has stimulated theoretical and empirical research on the propagation mechanisms underlying business cycles, in particular on the role of financial frictions. Many issues concerning the interactions between banking and monetary policy forced policy makers to redefine economic policies, and motivated macroeconomists to focus on the implications of financial intermediation constraints for asset price fluctuations, the behavior of non-financial firms, households, governments and in turn for real macroeconomic performance. This paper surveys research on the role of financial intermediaries and financial frictions in the transmission of monetary policy and discusses how to design both the new banking regulatory and supervisory structures and monetary policy in order to stabilize the economy. It also serves as an introduction to this special issue.     

FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND BEHAVIORAL FINANCE: NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE ROLE OF INFORMATION IN FINANCIAL DECISIONS

Recent empirical evidence based on surveys and experimental activities within the fields of behavioral finance and financial education has offered economists new empirically based insights into how individuals use information in making financial decisions. Specifically, the importance of information in financial decisions may be reduced or eliminated by psychological aspects of the individual, such as a state of overconfidence that is individual or shared with a group, or by the individual's limited ability to process complex and abundant information. This paper aims to complement this emerging body of literature by studying how individuals perceive and process information when making financial decisions. We review these contributions and suggest a number of broad guidelines that can provide a framework for future discussion of this topic within financial decision theory.     

Interactions between financial constraints and economic growth

The financial economy and the real economy are interconnected through various, complex, and evolving transmission mechanisms, whose literary coverage is far from comprehensive. In this context, we wish to contribute to the literature on the interactions between financial constraints and economic growth. We introduce financial dynamics in the R&D-based growth literature, by bringing Bernanke, Gertler and Gilchrist’s (1999) informational asymmetries into Romer’s (1990) growth model. With the developed framework, our main goal is to examine if and how such asymmetries impact economic growth. We find that the overall impact of this form of financial constraints on long-term growth is negative.     

Financial Liberalisation and Economic Development: An Assessment

Abstract.  The financial sector has always played a central role in economic development, but analysis of its precise role has been hampered by the emphasis on 'real' factors in the main stream of economic thought and the static nature of financial theory. Empirical studies confirm the importance of finance to economic development, but are indecisive on the efficaciousness of the widely advocated policies associated with financial liberalisation. To be successful, strategies for financial liberalisation must deal with problems generated by asymmetric information and have policies to promote competition, the disclosure of information and the maintenance of governmental integrity.     

IFRS,financial development and income inequality: An empirical study using mediation analysis

Income inequality continues to be an issue of concern. Early work on economic development suggested that, as a country’s economy grows, incomes would rise and reduce any income disparities. However, there is growing evidence that as countries develop, income inequality actually worsens. Some studies argue that this is the result of financial development and the growth of the financial sector. Although there is a good deal of empirical research on the relationship between financial development and income inequality, there is no prior work that examines how accounting standards, in particular International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), might influence this relationship. This study examines the relationship of IFRS and financial development with income inequality using mediation analysis over the period from 1998 to 2018. The results indicate that the impact of IFRS on income inequality is mediated by financial development. Moreover, there is a direct relationship between IFRS and inequality.