Asian Development Bank Institute Research Paper Series, 2021
We provide an overview of productivity development and other related indicators in Asia and Pacif... more We provide an overview of productivity development and other related indicators in Asia and Pacific (APAC) countries, with comparisons with the Europe region. We use the seventh vintage firm-level data from the Productivity Research Network in the APAC region and CompNet in Europe for our study. The overall results show that the productivity growth in developed APAC countries (Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea) is significantly ahead of the growth in developing APAC countries (India and the People’s Republic of China) and on par with the EU’s growth. There is an ongoing process of bottom firms catching up with top firms in the Republic of Korea and the richest EU countries. Regarding employment and labor skills, employment growth has generally been quite stagnant in all regions. Labor skills, for which we use the wage premium as a proxy, are quite similar across most regions, with the richest EU countries showing a higher premium than the rest. Our test of the produc...
Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, 2021
The increasing frequency and intensity of disasters has made resilient and sustainable urban syst... more The increasing frequency and intensity of disasters has made resilient and sustainable urban systems a primary goal for cities around the world. According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (Wallemacq and House, 2018), climate-related and geophysical disasters have caused $2.9 trillion in direct economic losses over the past 20 years, a 151% rise from the previous 20-year period. Such catastrophes also push 26 million people into poverty annually. Urban areas, with structural and functional complexities, are projected to account for 68% of the world’s population by 2050 (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2018). Their rapid expansion could affect disaster vulnerability in unforeseen ways and poses significant local and global challenges. While some cities and countries have implemented strategies to address disaster risks, considerable investment will be needed in the short to medium-term to improve the resilience of...
Financial literacy is gaining increasing importance as a policy objective in many countries. Howe... more Financial literacy is gaining increasing importance as a policy objective in many countries. However, internationally comparable information on financial literacy is still scarce. Recently, the Bank of Japan conducted a major survey of financial literacy and financial behavior covering 25,000 individuals aged from 18 to 79. We used this database to analyze the determinants of financial literacy and the effects of financial literacy on other behaviors. Generally, our study corroborated the findings of studies on other countries, but it uncovered some differences as well. We found that the main determinants of financial literacy are the educational level, income, age, and occupational status and that both financial literacy and general education levels are related positively and significantly to savings behavior and financial inclusion.
Financial inclusion is receiving increasing attention as having the potential to contribute to ec... more Financial inclusion is receiving increasing attention as having the potential to contribute to economic and financial development, while at the same time fostering more inclusive growth and greater income equality. However, although substantial progress has been made, there is still much to achieve. East Asia, the Pacific, and South Asia combined account for 55% of the world’s unbanked adults, mainly in India and the People’s Republic of China.
The Working Paper series is a continuation of the formerly named Discussion Paper series; the num... more The Working Paper series is a continuation of the formerly named Discussion Paper series; the numbering of the papers continued without interruption or change. ADBI’s working papers reflect initial ideas on a topic and are posted online for discussion. ADBI encourages readers to post their comments on the main page for each working paper (given in the citation below). Some working papers may develop into other forms of publication. Suggested citation:
Financial inclusion and financial literacy are receiving increasing attention for their potential... more Financial inclusion and financial literacy are receiving increasing attention for their potential to contribute to economic and financial development while fostering more inclusive growth and greater income equality. In general, the progress of financial inclusion and financial development in the economies in Central Asia and the South Caucasus (CASC) has lagged that of other Asian economies, partly due to the disruptions and instabilities following the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. The purpose of this study is to survey the experiences of the CASC economies to assess factors affecting the ability of low-income households and small and medium-sized firms to access financial services, including financial literacy, financial education programs, and financial regulatory frameworks, and to identify policies that can improve their financial access while maintaining financial stability. It aims to identify successful experiences and lessons that can be adopted by other emerging eco...
This paper argues that there is a role for regional-level institutions of banking regulation in t... more This paper argues that there is a role for regional-level institutions of banking regulation in the ASEAN region. This is particularly important in an environment of increasing financial integration and harmonization, including exposures to shocks from volatile capital flows and cross-border banking institutions. The paper examines four aspects of financial regulation: microprudential regulation, macroprudential regulation, resolution capacity and deposit insurance, and a financial safety net. The paper argues that EU regional banking regulation provides a useful reference point, but the lower degree of credit market openness in ASEAN implies that a more nuanced approach can be adopted, and makes specific recommendations.
Developing economies are seeking to promote financial inclusion, i.e., greater access to financia... more Developing economies are seeking to promote financial inclusion, i.e., greater access to financial services for low-income households and firms. This raises the question of whether greater financial inclusion tends to increase or decrease financial stability. A number of studies have suggested both positive and negative impacts on financial stability, but very few empirical studies have been made. This study focuses on the implications of greater financial inclusion for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for financial stability. It estimates the effects of measures of the share of bank lending to SMEs on two measures of financial stability — bank nonperforming loans and bank Z scores. We find some evidence that an increased share of lending to SMEs aids financial stability by reducing non-performing loans (NPLs) and the probability of default by financial institutions.
Asian Development Bank Institute Research Paper Series, 2021
We provide an overview of productivity development and other related indicators in Asia and Pacif... more We provide an overview of productivity development and other related indicators in Asia and Pacific (APAC) countries, with comparisons with the Europe region. We use the seventh vintage firm-level data from the Productivity Research Network in the APAC region and CompNet in Europe for our study. The overall results show that the productivity growth in developed APAC countries (Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea) is significantly ahead of the growth in developing APAC countries (India and the People’s Republic of China) and on par with the EU’s growth. There is an ongoing process of bottom firms catching up with top firms in the Republic of Korea and the richest EU countries. Regarding employment and labor skills, employment growth has generally been quite stagnant in all regions. Labor skills, for which we use the wage premium as a proxy, are quite similar across most regions, with the richest EU countries showing a higher premium than the rest. Our test of the produc...
Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, 2021
The increasing frequency and intensity of disasters has made resilient and sustainable urban syst... more The increasing frequency and intensity of disasters has made resilient and sustainable urban systems a primary goal for cities around the world. According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (Wallemacq and House, 2018), climate-related and geophysical disasters have caused $2.9 trillion in direct economic losses over the past 20 years, a 151% rise from the previous 20-year period. Such catastrophes also push 26 million people into poverty annually. Urban areas, with structural and functional complexities, are projected to account for 68% of the world’s population by 2050 (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2018). Their rapid expansion could affect disaster vulnerability in unforeseen ways and poses significant local and global challenges. While some cities and countries have implemented strategies to address disaster risks, considerable investment will be needed in the short to medium-term to improve the resilience of...
Financial literacy is gaining increasing importance as a policy objective in many countries. Howe... more Financial literacy is gaining increasing importance as a policy objective in many countries. However, internationally comparable information on financial literacy is still scarce. Recently, the Bank of Japan conducted a major survey of financial literacy and financial behavior covering 25,000 individuals aged from 18 to 79. We used this database to analyze the determinants of financial literacy and the effects of financial literacy on other behaviors. Generally, our study corroborated the findings of studies on other countries, but it uncovered some differences as well. We found that the main determinants of financial literacy are the educational level, income, age, and occupational status and that both financial literacy and general education levels are related positively and significantly to savings behavior and financial inclusion.
Financial inclusion is receiving increasing attention as having the potential to contribute to ec... more Financial inclusion is receiving increasing attention as having the potential to contribute to economic and financial development, while at the same time fostering more inclusive growth and greater income equality. However, although substantial progress has been made, there is still much to achieve. East Asia, the Pacific, and South Asia combined account for 55% of the world’s unbanked adults, mainly in India and the People’s Republic of China.
The Working Paper series is a continuation of the formerly named Discussion Paper series; the num... more The Working Paper series is a continuation of the formerly named Discussion Paper series; the numbering of the papers continued without interruption or change. ADBI’s working papers reflect initial ideas on a topic and are posted online for discussion. ADBI encourages readers to post their comments on the main page for each working paper (given in the citation below). Some working papers may develop into other forms of publication. Suggested citation:
Financial inclusion and financial literacy are receiving increasing attention for their potential... more Financial inclusion and financial literacy are receiving increasing attention for their potential to contribute to economic and financial development while fostering more inclusive growth and greater income equality. In general, the progress of financial inclusion and financial development in the economies in Central Asia and the South Caucasus (CASC) has lagged that of other Asian economies, partly due to the disruptions and instabilities following the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. The purpose of this study is to survey the experiences of the CASC economies to assess factors affecting the ability of low-income households and small and medium-sized firms to access financial services, including financial literacy, financial education programs, and financial regulatory frameworks, and to identify policies that can improve their financial access while maintaining financial stability. It aims to identify successful experiences and lessons that can be adopted by other emerging eco...
This paper argues that there is a role for regional-level institutions of banking regulation in t... more This paper argues that there is a role for regional-level institutions of banking regulation in the ASEAN region. This is particularly important in an environment of increasing financial integration and harmonization, including exposures to shocks from volatile capital flows and cross-border banking institutions. The paper examines four aspects of financial regulation: microprudential regulation, macroprudential regulation, resolution capacity and deposit insurance, and a financial safety net. The paper argues that EU regional banking regulation provides a useful reference point, but the lower degree of credit market openness in ASEAN implies that a more nuanced approach can be adopted, and makes specific recommendations.
Developing economies are seeking to promote financial inclusion, i.e., greater access to financia... more Developing economies are seeking to promote financial inclusion, i.e., greater access to financial services for low-income households and firms. This raises the question of whether greater financial inclusion tends to increase or decrease financial stability. A number of studies have suggested both positive and negative impacts on financial stability, but very few empirical studies have been made. This study focuses on the implications of greater financial inclusion for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for financial stability. It estimates the effects of measures of the share of bank lending to SMEs on two measures of financial stability — bank nonperforming loans and bank Z scores. We find some evidence that an increased share of lending to SMEs aids financial stability by reducing non-performing loans (NPLs) and the probability of default by financial institutions.
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Papers by Peter Morgan