Competitive Inclusion Research Articles

The major integration features of banking system

The internationalization of the banking sector in developing countries brings both significant benefits and challenges. Foreign banks promote competition, efficiency and financial inclusion, which accelerates the integration of local banking systems into the global economy. However, the arrival of large international players may increase risks and force local banks to make significant changes. Studies show that the influence of foreign banks is ambiguous and depends on the level of economic development of the country. When assessing the effects of globalization, it is important to consider the differences between developed and developing countries. In periods of economic crisis, foreign banks can play a stabilizing role, but they can also import shocks from their own countries. To maximize benefits and minimize risks, it is necessary to develop a strategy that ensures a balanced presence of foreign banks, supports competition and innovation, but does not allow excessive concentration of bank capital. In this context, the internationalization of financial services becomes an important tool for strengthening and liberalizing the financial systems of developing countries, opening new opportunities for their economic growth and sustainable development. Since the collapse of the Bretton Woods system and the beginning of the era of financial liberalization, one of the most important manifestations of the process of integration of the banking sector into the world economy has been the expansion of foreign banking capital into foreign markets. Financial sector liberalization is intended to provide equal opportunities for financial institutions to access the international market or reduce restrictions from local regulators. Liberalization of the banking industry is one of the most important financial sector liberalization programs.

Unraveling the nexus: intellectual capital, Fintech innovation, competitive agility, and financial inclusion

Purpose This study empirically explores the impact of human capital, structural capital, relational capital and absorptive capacity on Fintech innovation. This study aims to investigate the potential impact of Fintech innovation on competitive agility and financial inclusion. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected from 283 participants in Jordan. Smart PLS software was used to test the hypotheses. Findings The findings reveal that human capital, structural capital, relational capital and absorptive capacity plays a significant role in Fintech innovation. Also, the outcome of path analysis confirms a significant impact of Fintech innovation on competitive agility and financial inclusion. Originality/value This study emphasizes the practical value of intellectual capital in fostering Fintech innovation for managers, banks, financial institutions and policymakers. Prioritizing investment in human, structural and social capital enhances organizational innovation.

Reaching for a hybrid and networked university through lifelong learning initiatives

Working life is transforming, including an emerging digitalisation of its products and processes. Due to such transformation, competencies need to be developed in organisations that suit the emerging conditions for performing work. In the growth of these competencies, higher education is a key player. Its role is twofold, including preparing students for working life and being involved in professional development through continuous education and lifelong learning initiatives. This role as a key player has the potential to assist in the development of competencies at both an individual and organisational level. Another movement in society is the dissolution of boundaries between organisations, leading to the emergence of networked and hybrid organisations. Digitalisation is a driving force in this phenomenon. Even within universities, this trend has grown and impacted the relationship between the university and the surrounding society. In a hybrid and networked university, its operations are closely linked to the surrounding society, including the interplay of the needs of both parties; a balance of power; and weak boundaries between the university and organisations in the surrounding society. Another trend in the higher education sector is the emphasis on lifelong learning policies. Such policies link lifelong learning to global competition and social inclusion for all. The project reported in this paper builds on the ideas of lifelong learning from a university that aims to be hybrid and networked. The reported initiative builds on data from an early phase of a development project that aims at developing new forms of lifelong learning and professional development. Thematically analysed Post-it Notes from workshops supported the answering of the following research question: How do higher education staff perceive development of lifelong learning? The following four main categories were generated: (1) the hybrid and networked university, (2) pedagogical models, (3) internal organisation, and (4) quality. The conclusion includes staffs’ positive attitude towards lifelong learning initiatives. They emphasise the university as an open space and as a partner for agents in the surrounding society. Moreover, they stress lifelong learning initiatives for staff; further development of educational models; scientific legitimacy and high-quality deliverance; flexible internal organisation and structures; and finally, the importance of collaboration and networking. Further data collection is needed to validate the results and the potential for developing theoretical insights that could inform lifelong learning initiatives in emerging digitally infused societies.

Financial inclusion, competition and financial stability: New evidence from developing economies

This study utilizes cross-country data from 2002 to 2019 from 60 selected developing countries to explore the impact of competition and financial inclusion on financial stability. Employing the system GMM estimator, compelling evidence is revealed, highlighting a number of key findings. Firstly, it is observed that financial inclusion has a weakening effect on financial stability within developing countries. Conversely, competition among these nations demonstrates a significant capacity to bolster financial stability. Additionally, the study underscores the pivotal role of financial development, identifying it as a primary driver that enables financial inclusion to positively influence financial stability within developing nations. Furthermore, the introduction of the square term of financial inclusion yields noteworthy insights, revealing a nonlinear relationship. Specifically, the findings suggest that strategic investments in the financial inclusion of developing countries have the potential to enhance financial stability up to a certain threshold. Therefore, for emerging economies seeking to fortify their financial stability, prioritizing efforts to augment financial inclusion is imperative. Over the long term, such endeavors have the potential to yield tangible improvements in financial stability.In conclusion, the research offers valuable policy implications. These include recommendations aimed at fostering greater financial inclusion within developing economies as a means of bolstering overall financial stability. By heeding these suggestions and implementing targeted policies, policymakers can work towards cultivating a more resilient and robust financial landscape within their respective nations.

The Interplay between Digital Financial Inclusion, Bank Stability and Economic Growth in Zimbabwe

The aim of this study is to investigate the digital financial inclusion, bank stability and economic growth nexus in Zimbabwe over the period 2014 to 2022. The results of the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) estimation model reveals that digital financial inclusion and bank stability significantly affects economic growth in Zimbabwe. The findings also reveals a positive relationship between bank competition and digital financial inclusion and also between bank stability and digital financial inclusion suggesting that digital financial inclusion enhances the soundness of individual banks in Zimbabwe through competition. On the other hand, the study found an inverse relationship between digital financial inclusion and corruption; bank stability and inflation; and also between bank competition and bank stability in support of the competition-fragility view. From the policy perspective, the government should implement policies that eradicate corruption and barriers into the financial system to deepen bank competition which is good for bank stability. Banks should create strategic alliances with Fintech Companies in order to boost digital financial inclusion which is a recipe for bank competition and soundness through stability. Future researchers can cross compare countries conditions using panel data rather than time series data as in this study.

A study of the effects of regional competition and digital financial inclusion on urban carbon emissions

A study of the effects of regional competition and digital financial inclusion on urban carbon emissions

Fluorescence detection of amantadine based on competitive β-Cyclodextrin host-guest inclusion process

Cyclodextrin-based fluorescent probes are promising candidates for chemical or biological sensing due to their wonderful sensitivity and selectivity. Typically, their recognition towards special analysts ascribed from hydrophobic cavity of cyclodextrins. In this work, a cyclodextrin-based fluorescent probe (DASP-β-CD) was synthesized by covalently linking trans-4-[4-(dimethylamino)styryl]-1-methylpyridinium (DASP) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). In aqueous dispersion, the DASP-β-CD molecules could form intermolecular inclusion complex which would then generate supramolecular aggregates when increasing DASP-β-CD concentration. However, after adding amantadine (AMD) to DASP-β-CD supramolecular system, AMD molecules would compete with DASP for the cavity site, leading to the destroy of DASP-β-CD intermolecular inclusion complex and disassembly of supramolecular aggregates. Moreover, this AMD-induced collapse of DASP-β-CD intermolecular inclusion complex would also result in the decrease of fluorescence intensity of DASP-β-CD. Based on this, a simple fluorescent assay for the detection of AMD was proposed. This approach provides a rapid, sensitive and selective method for AMD detection and may help designing other cyclodextrin-based sensing strategies for medical analysis and environmental monitoring.

Colorimetric Transition of Polydiacetylene/Cyclodextrin Supramolecular Assemblies and Implications as Colorimetric Sensors for Food Phenolic Antioxidants

AbstractMolecular self‐assembly has significant potential in the field of sensing. Polydiacetylenes (PDAs) are conjugated polymers possessing peculiar optical properties obtained by photopolymerization of self‐assembled diacetylene monomers. Herein, the blue‐to‐red phase transition upon either thermal stimulus or interaction with cyclodextrins (CDs) of two PDAs, bearing either carboxylic (PCDA) or amino (PCDA‐NH2) polar heads, is investigated to develop a colorimetric sensor for food phenolic antioxidants. The change in the PDA polar head does not affect significantly thermo‐chromatic transition. Upon thermal stimulus, in both PDAs, color transition occurs straightforward between two distinct stable states and does not involve the disordering of the PDA crystal phase, as revealed by UV–vis spectroscopy and SAXS analysis. Contrarily, PDA/α‐CD interaction is influenced by intermolecular forces among PDA polar heads and is more efficient for PCDA. α‐CDs presumably cause changes in both PDA backbone conformation and local environment surrounding the individual PDA chains. The PCDA/α‐CD assemblies are investigated as colorimetric sensors for the detection of Tyrosol (Ty) and caffeic acid (CAF), by using the principle of competitive inclusion complex formation. The system results to be more sensitive to CAF than Ty and may permit the determination of CAF in concentration ranges suitable for different food products.

Critical Optical Depth Hypothesis for Phytoplankton Growth and Bloom. A New Graphical Approach to the Classic Sverdrup Critical Depth Model

A modification to the classic Sverdrup Critical Depth Model relating phytoplankton light-limited net growth in a mixed water column to its depth is presented by introducing optical depth in place of the physical depth of the column, as well as by the inclusion of self-shading and competition among phytoplankton species for light. The concept of critical optical depth of a well-mixed column is used to establish criteria for phytoplankton growth and competitive exclusion. This model shows not only the direction of the growth for a given column, such as the classic Sverdrup model, but also the magnitude of that growth. The model relies on plots of the average specific (per unit biomass) rate of this growth in the column against the optical depth of that column. These graphs are invariant under changes of light absorbers in the column as well as the depth of the column. In particular, these graphs do not change in the presence of competing species or with changes in column biomass, thus facilitating the analysis of these processes. Also, for this purpose, the concept of opacity load is introduced to name the optical depth. Such an extended Sverdrup model provides a simple visual, qualitative way of obtaining results consistent with Huisman and Weissing’s (1994) critical light theory. It is convenient for considering more complex phytoplankton growth scenarios.

Switching of Guest Selectivity for the Inclusion of Regioisomers of Monosubstituted Phenols with Crystals of p-tert-Butylcalix[4]arene

To develop an inclusion method for hard-to-separate organic molecules with wide guest scopes, we examined the control of guest selectivity via external factors such as solvents, temperature, and additives for the competitive inclusion of monosubstituted phenol isomers with crystals of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene 1. Guest selectivity was thus switched between two isomers in the inclusion of cresol, fluorophenol, and bromophenol and between three isomers in the inclusion of chlorophenol. The mechanism of guest selectivity in chlorophenol inclusion was mainly determined using X-ray crystal structural analysis and a comparison of the thermal stabilities and the formation rates of inclusion crystals with each isomer. Under kinetic control, the inclusion from decane at a low temperature selectively yielded type-A (host/guest = 1:1) inclusion crystals of p-isomer (1·p-chlorophenol) in which the host and guest molecules exhibited CH−π and OH–π interactions. In aqueous solutions at high temperatures, where water molecules inhibited the inclusion of m-isomer, thermally stable type-B (host/guest = 2:1) crystals of o-isomer (12·o-chlorophenol), in which a guest molecule was included in a capsule constructed by two host molecules, selectively formed. Furthermore, the inclusion from decane in the presence of methanol produced a co-inclusion crystal of type-C (host/guest/additive = 2:1:1) in which a 1:1 complex of m-isomer and methanol, connected via an intermolecular hydrogen bond, was selectively included by the distorted capsule of two host molecules to form 12·m-chlorophenol·CH3OH.

Assessing bank default determinants via machine learning

The financial sector is very interested in Artificial Intelligence due to the opportunities that it offers, especially those related to methods of machine-learning. The aim of this paper is to employ a variety of machine-learning algorithms to identify the main determinants of bank default and to understand the impact of each variable on it. Bank default is one of the most studied topics in financial literature because of the severity of its consequences on the whole economic system. However, little attention has been paid to the identification of the major determinants of bank failures via machine-learning approaches. This paper employs several machine-learning algorithms, including a graph neural network that has never been used in a financial context. Another novelty is the implementation of a balanced dataset by customising the heuristic oversampling method based on k-means and synthetic minority over-sampling technique. This paper also deals with the inclusion of competition among the possible default determinants. The dataset consists of all the banks in the Euro Area in the period 2018–2020. The results obtained are useful from both micro- and macro-economic points of view.

Selective Confinement of Rare‐Earth‐Metal Hydrates by a Capped Metallo‐Cage under Aqueous Conditions

AbstractThe properties of rare‐earth‐metal ions in aqueous media often depend on their various hydration modes, which allow them to exist as monomeric or oligomeric species with different coordination numbers. Capturing rare‐earth‐metal ions in a confined cavity can fix their hydration modes and thus enable their intrinsic properties to be distinguished. However, the isolation of ionic species from bulk aqueous media is not an easy task due to competitive interaction with bulk water. Here, we report the encapsulation of hydrated rare‐earth‐metal ions in a hydrophobic cavity of a synthetic cage. Cap‐like counter anions located at the cage's portals play an important role in capturing the rare‐earth metals at a fixed position via electrostatic interactions. Preferential encapsulation of early lanthanoid (III) ions was observed even though all the rare‐earth metals have the same hydration number and geometry, as visualized by the competitive inclusion of a dye molecule. Accordingly, the early lanthanoid ion was selectively extracted from a mixture of two rare‐earth‐metal ions.

Selective Confinement of Rare-Earth-Metal Hydrates by a Capped Metallo-Cage under Aqueous Conditions.

The properties of rare-earth-metal ions in aqueous media often depend on their various hydration modes, which allow them to exist as monomeric or oligomeric species with different coordination numbers. Capturing rare-earth-metal ions in a confined cavity can fix their hydration modes and thus enable their intrinsic properties to be distinguished. However, the isolation of ionic species from bulk aqueous media is not an easy task due to competitive interaction with bulk water. Here, we report the encapsulation of hydrated rare-earth-metal ions in a hydrophobic cavity of a synthetic cage. Cap-like counter anions located at the cage's portals play an important role in capturing the rare-earth metals at a fixed position via electrostatic interactions. Preferential encapsulation of early lanthanoid (III) ions was observed even though all the rare-earth metals have the same hydration number and geometry, as visualized by the competitive inclusion of a dye molecule. Accordingly, the early lanthanoid ion was selectively extracted from a mixture of two rare-earth-metal ions.

Bitcoin is so Last Decade – How Decentralized Finance (DeFi) could Shape the Digital Economy

Ever since the Global Financial Crisis, the financial system has seen an accelerated level of innovation. Bitcoin offered a decentralized alternative to money, with thousands of other cryptoassets quickly emerging. Most recently, Decentralized Finance (DeFi) promises to offer a new digital economy, with smart contracts replacing the need for financial intermediaries. This new market aims to reinvent traditional financial products in a more transparent and interoperable way. In this paper we aim to undertake an extensive literature review of the financial stability risks posed by the fast-growing DeFi market and assess these using the Financial Stability Board’s fintech framework. We find that DeFi could pose several challenges to traditional financial infrastructure, primarily by increasing interlinkages between cryptoassets and traditional financial markets. However, if DeFi evolves in a safe way, it could increase competition and financial inclusion with overall positive implications for financial stability.

Investigating path dependence and spatial characteristics for retail success using location allocation and agent-based approaches

Agent-based models (ABMs) have been widely used to represent and investigate complex systems and are a contemporary modelling approach used in the study of land-use change. While many ABMs have been constructed to address research associated with residential land development and human choices, agricultural land transition and farmer decision-making, and transportation networks and planning, less attention has been given to improving our understanding about the drivers and agent behaviours associated with commercial and retail competition, which subsequently affects land-use change. Among existing ABMs that represent the retail system, the focus has been on understanding consumer behaviours, but the inclusion of store competition is lacking, and most retail competition models still use a top-down modelling framework. The presented research contributes to the gap in agent-based models of commercial land use through the development and use of a retail-competition agent-based model (RC-ABM). Utilizing empirical research on consumer expenditures and retail location site selection, competition for home-improvement expenditures is simulated within the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. A model-to-model comparison of the RC-ABM against the historically used location-allocation model showed distributional equivalence. Results exhibit a high level of alignment between the RC-ABM and a traditional Location-Allocation Model (LAM) in estimating market capture and store revenue acquisition. While modelled competition cannot solely reproduce the observed spatial pattern of home-improvement stores in our study area, outcomes identified local market saturation, path-independent areas where store survivability is highest, and the relative influence of store and geographic characteristics on retail success. The presented model and case study highlight the potential to enrich future land-use models by better representing commercial development.

What evidence exists on the effects of competition on trees\u2019 responses to climate change? A systematic map protocol

BackgroundProjections of climate change impacts upon forests are likely inaccurate if based on the premise that only climate controls tree growth. Species interactions control growth, but most research has ignored these effects on how trees respond to climate change. Climate change is inducing natural species selection. However, this selection does not occur at the community level. Species selection starts with competition amongst individual trees. Competition is an individual-to-individual antagonistic interaction that, if severe, can constrain the presence of trees within a particular environment. Thus, climate change impacts individual tree selection within forests. Projecting climate change impacts on forests should account for the effects of climate on tree growth and the effects of competition. The inclusion of competition can increase the predictive power of simulations.MethodsWe propose a protocol to systematically map the available literature on climate change impacts on forests and produce a comprehensive list of methods applied to measure competition and model the competition effects on tree growth responses to climate change. This systematic map is not limited to any country or continent or specific tree species or forest type. The scope of the search focuses on time (when the evidence was published), location (geographic location of the evidence) and research design (competition indices and modelling methods). We will evaluate articles at three levels: title, abstract and full text. We will conduct a full-text assessment on all articles that pass a screening at the title and abstract stages. We will report the extracted evidence in a narrative synthesis to summarize the evidence’s trends and report knowledge gaps.

Bank competition and financial inclusion in GCC banks

Bank competition and financial inclusion in GCC banks

Mechanistic Consideration for the Selective Inclusion of Disubstituted Benzene Isomers with p-tert-Butylcalix[4]arene Crystals

p-tert-Butylcalix[4]arene (1) crystals can selectively include one regioisomer from a mixture of the three regioisomers for eight kinds of disubstituted benzenes. In this study, the mechanisms for the guest selectivity in the inclusion of nitrotoluene, xylene, and cresol isomers, which were chosen as representative guests showing different guest selectivity, were investigated in detail. In the competitive inclusion of three regioisomers of nitrotoluene, xylene, and cresol, crystals of compound 1 selectively include p-nitrotoluene, p-xylene, and o-cresol, respectively. Time course of the change in isomer selectivity in the competitive inclusion experiment and comparison of thermogravimetric analysis profiles of the inclusion crystals with each of the isomers revealed that the selectivity for p-nitrotoluene and o-cresol was achieved under kinetic control, whereas the selectivity for p-xylene was achieved under thermodynamic control. X-ray crystallography of the inclusion crystals revealed that p-nitrotoluene and o-cresol form type A (host/guest = 1:1) inclusion crystals, in which a guest molecule is included in the cavity of a host molecule. On the other hand, o- and m-nitrotoluene and m- and p-cresol form thermodynamically stable type B (host/guest = 2:1) inclusion crystals, in which a guest molecule is included in a capsule constructed by gathering of two host molecules in a head to head manner. The selectivity for p-nitrotoluene and o-cresol could be explained by the effective host–guest interaction during the formation of type A inclusion crystals, which tends to be kinetically favored over the formation of type B inclusion crystals. X-ray structure analysis and Hirshfeld surface analysis of the inclusion crystals revealed that the inclusion of xylene isomers in the crystals of compound 1 resulted in the formation of type B inclusion crystals for all the three isomers. The CH−π interaction between the two methyl groups of the p-isomer and the benzene rings of the two host molecules encapsulating the isomer is the most effective. Therefore, the inclusion crystal with p-xylene is the most stable among the three isomers, resulting in p-isomer selectivity. In this way, the crystals of compound 1 precisely distinguish different disubstituted benzene isomers under kinetic or thermodynamic control by the virtue of various host–guest interactions with the guest substituents in the cavities of type A and type B inclusion crystals.

Inclusion of Amine Isomers with Open-Chain Hosts Having a Partial Structure of p-tert-Butylthiacalixarene

Porous materials, which can capture a specific compound from a hard-to-separate molecular mixture, are strongly desired for practical separation and purification processes. Aiming to develop such materials, we have investigated the performance of our original host compounds, [3,3'-thiobis(5-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzene)-1,1'-diyl]diacetic acid (2) and its monopropyl ester (3), in discriminating among regio- or stereoisomers of three groups of amines, 2-, 3-, and 4-methylpyridine, 2-, 6-, and 8-methylquinoline, and cis- and trans-4-cyclohexanamine. Diacid 2 selectively included 4-methylpyridine in hexane and 3-methylpyridine in toluene in competitive inclusion among the three regioisomers. Mechanistic studies revealed that the inclusions of 3- and 4-methylpyridine are favored under kinetic and thermodynamic control, respectively. Solvent-dependent switching in guest selectivity was also observed in competitive inclusion among the methylquinoline isomers with diacid 2, whereas trans-4-methylcyclohexanamine was selectively included over the cis-isomer by monoester 3, as well as diacid 2, regardless of the solvent employed. X-ray crystallographic analysis of the resulting inclusion crystals suggests that the wide guest scope of the host compounds originates from their flexible ability to form complexes with amines.

Competitive host-guest recognition initiated by DNAzyme-cleavage cycling for novel ratiometric electrochemical assay of miRNA-21

A novel ratiometric electrochemical biosensor was designed for sensitive miRNA-21 detection by combining Mg2+-dependent DNAzyme-cleavage cycling with competitive host-guest inclusion. The dual ferrocene-labeled hairpin DNA (2Fc-DNA)-assembled triple-helix magnetic probe (THMP) and methylene blue (MB)-immobilized reduced graphene oxide/β-cyclodextrin nanocomposites-modified glassy carbon electrode (RGO/β-CD/GCE) were served as target recognition and signal transformation units, respectively. Upon the hybridization reaction between target miRNA-21 and two auxiliary probes, the active DNAzyme was liberated from the caged structure, which bound with 2Fc-DNA to catalyze its cleavage in the presence of Mg2+, and triggered continuous cleavage reaction to obtain a large number of Fc-labeled DNA fragments. After magnetic separation, Fc-labeled DNA fragments could replace MB by the competitive host-guest recognition reaction and accumulate on the electrode surface, resulting in the gradually enhanced Fc and weakened MB signals, respectively. Under the optimal conditions, the constructed biosensor with ratiometric detection mode showed wide concentration range (10 fM−0.1 nM), low detection limit (1.8 fM), high sensitivity, and good selectivity, as well as satisfactory reproducibility and stability. And the developed sensing strategy may provide a new pathway in molecular diagnosis and bioanalysis.