Conceptualization of the real economy and Islamic finance: Transformation beyond the asset‐link rhetoric

A key factor behind the chronic crises in modern economies is the growing dominance of financialization and the resulting disconnect between the real economy and the financial sector, to which conventional financial industry is a key contributor. In contrast, Islamic finance claims to be real‐economy‐oriented, as all transactions must be asset‐linked (asset‐backed or asset‐based). However, is Islamic Finance based on proper conceptualization of the real economy? What is the real economy and its dynamics? How Islamic finance is interfaced with the real economy? In this article, the claimed real‐economy‐orientation is examined by presenting a conceptualization of the real economy and then evaluating the related discourse accordingly. The analysis presented, especially for noneconomists, exposes a serious gap between the claims about Islamic finance and the real economy it is supposed to advance. Appropriate conceptualization of the real economy can help the industry to be relevant and effective for broader socioeconomic transformation.     

A cluster driven log-volatility factor model: a deepening on the source of the volatility clustering

We introduce a new factor model for log volatilities that considers contributions, and performs dimensionality reduction, at a global level through the market, and at a local level through clusters and their interactions. We do not assume a-priori the number of clusters in the data, instead using the Directed Bubble Hierarchical Tree algorithm to fix the number of factors. We use the factor model to study how the log volatility contributes to volatility clustering, quantifying the strength of the volatility clustering using a new nonparametric integrated proxy. Indeed finding a link between volatility and volatility clustering, we find that a global analysis reveals that only the market contributes to the volatility clustering. A local analysis reveals that for some clusters, the cluster itself contributes statistically to the volatility clustering effect. This is significantly advantageous over other factor models, since it offers a way of selecting factors in a statistical way, whilst also keeping economically relevant factors. Finally, we show that the log volatility factor model explains a similar amount of memory to a principal components analysis factor model and an exploratory factor model.     

Local institutions,external finance and investment decisions of small businesses in Vietnam

This study investigates the impacts of local institutions, external finance, and their joint effects on firm investment in Vietnam. Investment decisions are classified into two categories: fixed asset investment and non-fixed asset investment. Analysing a set of 1.3 million firm-year observations of businesses in Vietnam (2006–2016), we find evidence that local institutions (both formal and informal) positively influence fixed asset investment but negatively affect non-fixed asset investment. Also, we find that informal loans are positively associated with both types of firm investment while bank loans are negatively associated with both types of firm investment. More importantly, we find that the quality of local institutions is able to moderate firms’ external financing behaviour, leading to increased investment values.     

陕西省数字普惠金融与经济高质量发展耦合协调关系

基于2011—2020年统计数据，通过构建经济高质量发展指标体系对陕西省10个市区经济高质量发展水平进行测度，并运用耦合协调度模型、空间相关性分析以及泰尔指数对陕西省数字普惠金融与经济高质量发展的耦合协调关系进行研究。结果表明：陕西省经济高质量发展与数字普惠金融变化趋势有较强的一致性，整体在时序上呈上升趋势，发展状况良好；二者耦合协调度在空间上发展不平衡，失调区域多分布于陕北和陕南地区，协调区域聚集在关中地区；陕西省耦合协调水平总体差异明显，差异主要来自区域内差异，同时关中地区的内部差异明显大于陕北和陕南地区。     

Crowdfunding for the development of smart cities

In recent years, many cities have experienced new forms of collaboration that have an impact on citizens and entrepreneurs. The integration of this field of study with civic crowdfunding can influence economic growth and community building, which may be beneficial for both policymakers and practitioners alike. Civic crowdfunding is a financial model through which citizens, in collaboration with government and local authorities, fund projects to provide a community service. The development of smart cities is related to civic engagement, empowerment, and participation intended to be part of crowdsourcing or entrepreneurial activities. In this sense, cities play a vital role as drivers of (open) innovation and entrepreneurship. Based on these considerations, this study proposes an explorative and qualitative approach to investigate the civic crowdfunding phenomenon and its ability to promote community development. Our exploratory analysis of six projects highlights the challenges and opportunities of civic crowdfunding for the creation, development, and improvement of more inclusive cities.     

Accounting and finance in UK universities: Academic labour,shortages and strategies

This paper contributes to the literature on change in the higher education sector arising from massification, increased political control, international mobility and competition. Drawing on various data sources and labour shortage models, it considers academic labour in UK accounting and finance academia over the period 2000 to 2012. A disequilibrium between supply and demand is evidenced through the identification of recruitment problems, unfilled vacancies, and retirements. The impact of research assessment on faculty backgrounds is shown to result in inadequate supply of faculty with the required skills. Strategic responses to labour shortages include: increased recruitment efforts, early promotions, enhanced remuneration and reducing restrictions on occupational entry. The consequences and future implications of shortages and strategies are considered. In particular, the decoupling of research and teaching in accounting is challenging the future existence of accounting as an academic discipline. The current generation of accounting academics is also under threat – if they neither excel at research nor are professionally-qualified they risk becoming undesirable.     

Tax Benefits of Open Individual Private Pension Plans

This article describes the open private pension plans offered in Brazil, which is one of the four pillars of the Brazilian retirement system. A framework is created to describe and analyze the impact of the transaction costs and tax advantages one can obtain from these financial products. This framework allows us to show and measure the advantages of these products versus other alternatives for long-term investment in the Brazilian financial market. It is shown that private plans are better than direct investment in funds in a high interest rate environment.     

科技金融支持中小企业进行新旧动能转换的路径研究

科技金融作为中小企业进行新旧动能转换过程中的重要融资渠道，需要进一步完善其服务路径，在保证政策性优势的基础上，增强市场化程度，为中小企业的新旧动能转换提供有针对性的金融工具。在梳理中小企业新旧动能转换中的问题，以及科技金融与中小企业新旧动能转换的关系的基础上，提出了一系列促进科技金融支持中小企业新旧动能转换的路径建议。     

From aperture satellite to "Internet finance": Institutionalization of ICTs in China's financial sector since 1991

China's financial industries started the process of marketization only two decades ago, but by 2017 its financial technology or fin-tech sector had taken half of the global market. The exponential diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Chinese financial contexts have generated new organizational structures and socio-political relations that have the capacity to change China's position in the world economy. Drawing upon the sociological concept of institutionalization, this paper examines how the Chinese state has integrated ICT diffusion in its formal policies and its informal rules in China's financial development since 1991. Further, it addresses the political and socio-economic consequences of these developments. Based on the analyses of government documents and sources, trade journals, and statistic data from business databases, this paper divides the Chinese institutionalization of financial technologies into three stages and identifies the primary actors and paradigms for ICT diffusions in each stage. ICT diffusion has been constitutive but also disruptive to the existing financial policies, instrumental to the commercialization of state-owned banks, and has gradually transformed into a set of formal and informal rules accepted by a network of professionals, corporations, and government agencies. The institutionalization of ICT diffusion has engendered the continuous adjustment of financial policies and propelled innovations in China's financial economy.     

财务共享平台下业财融合模式研究——以海尔集团为例

在大数据盛行的时代背景下,随着世界经济的快速发展与国内科技信息水平的上升,传统意义上单一的财务管理模式已经不能满足当下企业应对国内外激烈的竞争从而满足其持续发展的需要。随着企业财务共享平台的创建与完善,业财融合模式正逐渐被越来越多的企业所提倡与实行。大数据、云计算、物联网的新生与发展使得在财务共享平台下,企业的业务活动和财务活动结合得更为紧密。论文对海尔集团业财融合模式进行分析。