Small Payments Research Articles

Has Demonetization Made Indians to Embrace Digital Technology in Banking?

This research investigates the differences in the technology adoption behaviour of customers of Indian banks during the pre and post demonetization phase. The Survey results of 200 bank customers in India find that the Indians are still holding back from embracing the digital platforms to make payments. The study could not establish the constructive effects of demonetization in e-banking adoption behaviour, despite the significant growth in the use of small digital payment platforms like Paytm. However, the usage of Point of Sale (POS) machines for transacting payments has increased tremendously. The research finds drastic reductions in the use of other e-payment modes during and after demonetization. In that sense, the study concludes that the demonetization negatively affects the technology banking adoption behaviour of customers of Indian banks.

Upaya PLN Dalam Mengatasi Pencurian Aliran Listrik (Studi Kasus Di Kecamatan Siak Hulu Kabupaten Kampar)

This study aims to find out what are the factors causing the phenomenon of electricity theft in the District of Siak Hulu Kampar Regency. This type of research is descriptive and the method I use is qualitative. The location of the research in this study will be the author to do in the District of Siak Hulu Kampar Regency. The reason the author chose this location is because this location is a place where people steal electricity. In this study the key informants were PLN officials, especially P2TL. Data collection techniques that are usually carried out include observation, interviews, and documentation. The data analysis technique of this study will use descriptive analysis of qualitative data. Based on the results of the study, it was found that the economy was one of the reasons informants committed theft of electricity. The low level of public knowledge about the effects of flow theft and many sources is a factor in electricity theft. The reason is the lack of awareness of consumers or customers, besides that the average consumer wants a small or low electricity payment but wants to use as much power as possible. In addition, PLN has attempted to carry out various methods such as socialization of the community or residents who do not understand the theft of electricity, causing the informant to lose direction and decide to steal electricity and to misuse electricity for things prohibited by PLN regulations even in law. Indonesian.

Easy Money, Cheap Talk, or Spuds: Inducing Risk Aversion in Economics Experiments

Experiments typically rely on small payments to incentivize participants. This works if participants view these payments as fungible with their own money, but if participants view the payments as a windfall, they may behave differently in experiments than in real life. We modify standard risky choice protocols by making participants earn their money at risk by completing manual tasks such as peeling potatoes. This leads to less risk-taking and to choices more consistent with those online survey respondents anticipate making with their own money. When realistic levels of risk aversion are important, experiments should require participants to earn their stakes.

Partnering with cattle ranchers for forest landscape restoration.

Transforming Latin America's extensive grazing systems is critical for forest landscape restoration (FLR) but conservation initiatives rarely make efforts to include cattle ranchers. Engaging ranchers requires understanding their perceptions about how improved management and conservation practices fit into their overall production strategy. To assess ranchers' motivations and limitations for adopting conservation-friendly practices, I surveyed 191 ranchers and extension agents participating in a silvopastoral project in Colombia. I found that ranchers are integrating multiple practices they perceive as complementary for achieving their goals: practices aimed at improving productivity are motivated by utilitarian values, while practices targeting environmental degradation and climate change are driven by stewardship and identity values. Input costs and labor shortages currently limit the expansion of conservation-friendly practices, but in-kind support and small cash payments could potentially alleviate these barriers. Silvopastoral ranchers can be instrumental partners in FLR provided that initiatives are designed with their perspectives in mind.

Reconnecting the Dots for the Payment Service Directive 2 - Compatible Asian Financial Network

Unlike the popular belief, digital transformation mainly gets stymied by legal and regulatory issues related with legacy institutions in Asia rather than technical difficulties. The real challenges triggered by the PSD2 (Payment Services Directive 2) are how the region would overcome the overly fragmented, centralized, and hierarchical legacy framework to allow necessary changes to respond to the digital single market initiatives as promulgated by the European counterpart. The PSD2 is expected to bring about substantial changes in the payment ecosystem by allowing payment service providers to access customers’ accounts and transactions information via API that have been traditionally controlled by banks. This paper suggests an incentive-compatible mechanism design for open collaboration among legacy institutions in the region to help them adapt to the PSD2. As evidenced by case studies in Korea, the Asian equivalent of PSD2 can be implemented and further expanded to create region-wide PCS (payment-clearing-settlement) network by reconnecting the dots of legacy infrastructures. These decentralized, diverse, small payment networks can be further combined with the expanded RTGS-CDS platform to evolve into the next phase of Asian Financial Network.

Implementation Research to Strengthen Health Care Financing Reforms Toward Universal Health Coverage in Indonesia: A Mixed-Methods Approach to Real-World Monitoring.

Universal health coverage reforms are complex and impact numerous processes, institutions, and individuals. To know whether reforms are being implemented as planned and working as envisioned, policy makers and managers need information and insights on bottlenecks. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided support to build implementation research (IR) capacity and to conduct cycles of research to help Indonesia understand how its single-payer national insurance reform, Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (JKN), was affecting primary care. Two cycles of IR in Indonesia focused on effects of JKN financing on primary care, as determined through a consultative process with stakeholders at national and district levels. This process generated questions relevant for implementers and policy makers and strengthened government interest in findings. Research was conducted in 5 diverse districts, and methods included key informant interviews, focus groups, document review, health worker surveys, and analysis of service delivery data. Cycle 1 findings showed an uneven understanding of JKN regulations, unequal implementation readiness, and limited evidence of improved productivity. JKN capitation payments did not increase health worker satisfaction or motivate additional effort. Informed by these findings, regulations were rewritten and the capitation payment formula was redesigned to include payment conditional on performance. Cycle 2 found that health workers experienced increased workloads because of increased enrollment in JKN and the requirement that people access primary care before being referred to higher levels of care. In addition, health workers indicated they did not experience the payment system to be fair. Instead of payment being conditional on performance, they indicated it was primarily determined by education and tenure, with only some districts incorporating a small payment component based on behaviors, such as attendance, and performance. The health workers said they preferred to be paid based on achieving primary care targets. Conducting IR so that questions are relevant and the process of finding and sharing answers is timely and cost-effective requires high-level skills, but support to build IR capacity has potential to make a lasting impact.

Mapping the Merchant’s Mind: An Analysis of Digital Payment Behaviors by Fixed Store Merchants in Jaipur

The outlook for digital payments in India is promising, which bodes well for broader financial inclusion through digital channels. Significant shifts have occurred in the policy & regulatory landscape as well as public infrastructure creation to enable a push from cash to digital. These changes have resulted in the opening of hundreds of millions of new bank accounts; an open API platform that supports paperless, presenceless and cashless transactions at scale; and new cohorts of small finance & payment banks with greater agility to drive banking & finance for undeserved segments. At the same time, disruptive innovation in the private sector has galvanized a fast emerging fintech sector (enabled by open APIs), deeper smartphone penetration, and precipitous reductions in data costs.

“… a life broken in two” Walter Pagel (1898–1983)—Famous pathologist and victim of Nazi Germany

There is no doubt that Walter Pagel (1898–1983) is one of the most outstanding figures in the history of pathology. Not only his fundamental research on tuberculosis and various other fields of pathology but also his historicomedical publications set international standards and earned him numerous honors throughout the scientific world.Far less known is the fact that Pagel, as a German Jew, was one of the victims of the “Third Reich”: He was dismissed from his job in Heidelberg, felt forced to emigrate in 1933 and fought for reparation after 1945. Accordingly, this article deals with Pagel’s role and fate as a politically persecuted and disenfranchised Jew. It focuses on the general circumstances of his dismissal and forced emigration, but also on Pagel’s treatment in post-war Germany. In addition, the influences of this biographical break on Pagel’s further research career are investigated.The study is based on archival sources and on a re-analysis of the relevant research literature.It points out that Pagel’s emigration took place under difficult circumstances and without clear job prospects. Enormous discipline and mental strength as well as successful networking with supporting mentors allowed Pagel to continue his career in his exile country of England despite poor health. The way in which Pagel was treated in post-war Germany, on the other hand, was less satisfactory: the University of Heidelberg did not offer him any prospect of employment and the “reparation procedure” (“Wiedergutmachungsverfahren”) resulted in only small pension payments. Instead, Pagel was awarded an honorary doctorate at his home university in 1966. Of the numerous “stumbling blocks” (n = 183) laid in Heidelberg, not one reminds us of Walter Pagel to date.

Enhancing outdoor recreation and biodiversity through payments for ecosystem services: emerging potentials from selected Natura 2000 sites in Italy

Efforts in preserving natural and seminatural ecosystems and associated ecosystem services are affected by scarce financial resources. Payments for ecosystem services (PES) are increasingly recognised for creating additional funding, as in protected areas, and outdoor recreation is one important ecosystem service that is promising for successfully implementing PES. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and evaluate potentials for PES schemes related to recreational services in Natura 2000 sites. For 10 sites in different Italian regions, the study first assessed the ecosystem service outdoor recreation and analysed managerial and economic aspects of Natura 2000 sites. Then, various options for PES schemes were defined in a participatory process. Furthermore, we developed a dynamic model for evaluating the effects of PES on ecosystems and related recreational ES. Whereas the provision of recreational opportunities was mostly at a high level, the potential demand varied greatly among the sites, depending on the spatial distribution of potential beneficiaries. Moreover, we found great differences in visitation rates and consequently the actual recreational value. The PES schemes included small payments (€1) via mobile phone by visitors, contributions from regional government and tourism businesses, and visitor fees or tourist taxes among others. This study highlights how economic agreements, such as PES schemes, may support funding of Natura 2000 sites for biodiversity conservation by valorising the benefits of recreational ecosystem services; however, further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of PES in the long term.

Mainstreaming the Financial Inclusion Agenda in India - Lessons from the Genesis and Growth of Canara Bank, 1906-1969

Financial Inclusion has always been a much touted policy agenda since India’s Independence. The State played a key role through promoting cooperative credit societies, nationalising big private sector banks and facilitating several supply side measures to ease access to credit. Post 90s, the accent was more on demand led private initiatives through self help groups and microfinance institutions. Today, there seems to be a policy turn again towards formal institutions like Banks. In 2015, in a rare move, the Reserve Bank of India granted licenses to differentiated banks like the Small Finance Banks and Payments Banks. Given these policy reversals, the state seems to be grappling with implementing a proven agenda towards mainstreaming financial inclusion through banks. To this end, we turn back to a period of Indian banking history to derive lessons from the trajectories of the indigenous joint stock banking companies, often termed swadeshi banks that spontaneously emerged, especially in southern India, at the turn of the 20th century. We focus on the Dakshin Kanara district in coastal Karnataka where between 1880 and 1935, 22 banking companies were established. We take up this district for two reasons (a) Three nationalised banks of the country today, out of the total of 21, had their origins in this district - Corporation Bank, Canara Bank and Syndicate Bank (b) All the three banks were closely associated with a minority community in that district, namely the Gowd Saraswat Brahmins (GSBs). Many of the founders and initial Board members of the three banks were lawyers, teachers, doctors and philanthropists from this community. Commissioned biographies of all the three banks point to the ethos of this community (gameinscaft) in initiating these banking companies. These were in the nature of small finance banks of today, primarily catering to the needs of the community. Among the three, we take up the study of Canara Bank – the most successful among its peers in terms of growth. Our methodology will rely both on primary, secondary sources and oral histories dealing specifically with the genesis and growth of the bank. We will focus from the early 19th century (the time the bank had its origin as a banking company) to 1969, after nationalisation. India’s Independence and the Banking Regulation Act (BRA), 1949 will be another time-marker. By beginning its journey as a small banking company in the pre-industrialised period and growing to become one of the key players in the banking sector in India, Canara Bank offers a compelling narrative for understanding the future trajectories of the Small Finance Banks of the country.

Value-based provider payment: towards a theoretically preferred design.

Worldwide, policymakers and purchasers are exploring innovative provider payment strategies promoting value in health care, known as value-based payments (VBP). What is meant by 'value', however, is often unclear and the relationship between value and the payment design is not explicated. This paper aims at: (1) identifying value dimensions that are ideally stimulated by VBP and (2) constructing a framework of a theoretically preferred VBP design. Based on a synthesis of both theoretical and empirical studies on payment incentives, we conclude that VBP should consist of two components: a relatively large base payment that implicitly stimulates value and a relatively small payment that explicitly rewards measurable aspects of value (pay-for-performance). Being the largest component, the base payment design is essential, but often neglected when it comes to VBP reform. We explain that this base payment ideally (1) is paid to a multidisciplinary provider group (2) for a cohesive set of care activities for a predefined population, (3) is fixed, (4) is adjusted for the population's risk profile and (5) includes risk-mitigating measures. Finally, some important trade-offs in the practical operationalisation of VBP are discussed.

An American-Style Transfer Union in Europe, A First Glance at How Much It Might Cost

:Since 1992, the European Union has been reallocating resources among its members through, among others, so-called cohesion funds. However, there is a growing perception among economists and politicians that the scope and magnitude of those transfers is inadequate. In this paper we compare the degree of fiscal transfers in the EU to those in the U.S. and estimate the changes needed to make the EU more like the U.S. Data on American inter-state fiscal transfers show that, on average, the most affluent states consistently make significantly larger payments to the federal government than they receive from it and that the opposite is true for the less affluent states. Our research shows that, unlike in the U.S., fiscal transfers in the EU are not closely related to a member state’s standard of living. We also find that, compared to the U.S., the least affluent nations in the EU receive disproportionally small net payments from the common budget. An American-style fiscal union would require more affluent EU members to make net contributions many times over their actual net payments.

Practice funding and socioeconomic deprivation in English general practices: a longitudinal study 2013–2017

BackgroundThe NHS general practice payment formula has no specific measures of socio-economic deprivation, an important health determinant. Variables related to population health needs are poor predictors of cross-sectional variations in practice payments. Additional years of payments data allow longitudinal analyses.AimDo deprivation scores predict variations in the slope over time of NHS practice payments, after adjusting for organisational and population factors?MethodThe sample was 6898 English practices with more than 500 patients, studied over 4 financial years, 2013–2014 to 2016–2017. The dependent variable was total NHS payments per registered patient (after deductions). The independent variable was the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2015 score for each practice (range: 3.2 to 66.5). 17 Confounders were selected for conceptual plausibility and data availability at practice level, and included organisational variables and population variables A random intercepts and random slopes model was fitted to adjust for clustering of measurements within practices. The linear effects of independent variables on payments over time were modelled by fitting interaction terms (product of variable with year). Descriptive statistics and univariable analyses were undertaken.ResultsPractice IMD scores were very weak predictors of longitudinal variations in total payments’ slopes (4.9p/patient/1 unit increase in IMD). We also found that our confounders had very small predictive effects, and payments and IMD were not correlated in any year (Spearman correlation coefficients ranging from 0.01 to 0.06). The median of payments increased from £102.77 (2013–2014) to £115.43 (2016–2017).ConclusionTotal payments increased very slightly more in practices with higher deprivation scores. This suggests that the NHS general practice payment formula may not adequately compensate practices whose populations have greater health needs.

Delivering Vitamin A Supplements to Children Aged 6–59 Months: Comparing Delivery through Campaigns and through Routine Health Services in Senegal

BackgroundUsing twice-yearly campaigns such as Child Health Days to deliver vitamin A supplements has been a key strategy over the last 2 decades, and was an important component in helping reach the Millennium Development Goals in child health. As countries move to strengthen their routine health services under the Sustainable Development Goals, efforts are underway to shift supplementation from campaign to routine delivery. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to compare cost, coverage, and user satisfaction between twice-yearly campaigns and routine delivery of vitamin A supplements in Senegal. MethodsInformation was collected on cost, coverage, and user satisfaction with both types of delivery, using administrative data, interviews at various levels in the health system, and focus group discussions with caregivers. Both qualitative and quantitative information were obtained, for 2 regions using routine delivery and 2 regions using campaign delivery. ResultsRoutine delivery receives fewer dedicated resources. Coverage is lower, especially of children >12 mo of age. Districts undertake outreach (“mini-campaigns”) to try to improve coverage in regions using routine delivery, in effect using a hybrid approach. Some mothers prefer the administration of supplements at a health facility as it is perceived as more hygienic and involving professional health workers, but others, especially those living further away, prefer house-to-house delivery which was the norm for the campaign mode. ConclusionsAdvance planning for the shift to routine delivery is important in maintaining coverage, as is strengthening the primary health care system by having an appropriate ratio of salaried workers to population. When the system relies heavily on volunteers, and the small incentive payments to volunteers are discontinued, coverage suffers. Routine delivery also relies on good record-keeping and hence literacy. Community understanding of, and support for, supplementation are even more important for routine than for campaign delivery.

REASONS OF APPEARANCE AND ASSESSMENT FEATURES OF RISK IN ELECTRONIC PAYMENT SYSTEMS

In this era of digital technology, when many new technologies were aimed at integrating new technologies, the blockchain turned out to be the most effective. Blockchain is an innovation in the virtual business world for creating a payment gateway that allows you to create a more secure environment for users. If we are talking about blockchain wallets, they are mainly designed to quickly and securely manage online payments. In this regard, the demand and popularity of the development of blockchain collages is constantly increasing. This article development of electronic payment systems study is devoted. The article discusses the issues of modeling and risk assessment, approaches to risk prevention in the field of electronic payments. In particular, a new blockchain technology wallets is being considered, which will make it possible to prevent a number of risks in electronic payment systems, allow payments to be made at high speed, ensuring a high level of security. Ultimately, companies are looking for convenient, fast and reliable payment systems to streamline processes, and blockchain technology has the potential to make all this a reality - and therefore we expect companies to increasingly look for payment service providers who can help them with access to blockchain . This is likely to be particularly relevant in areas with high levels of exposure, such as multicurrency payments or multi-country payments, which relatively small payment gateways comprehensively cover even in the world, not connected by a single chain. Entering the partner market of other states also apply for legal audits.

“A Little Is Better Than Zero” or “Pay Enough or Don’t Pay at All”? Evidence on the Size of Pay-for-Performance Across the Sectors

Regarding the effect of pay-for-performance (PFP), standard economic reasoning suggests that “a little is better than zero,” meaning that even small performance payments can improve employees’ work morale. An alternative view, “pay enough or don’t pay at all,” suggests that paying too little may instead erode employees’ work morale. Using the U.S. General Social Survey (GSS) data, the present study finds evidence that the two views actually complement each other: Small payments can improve employees’ work effort (e.g., working hours), but can also potentially compromise their work attitudes (e.g., job satisfaction). In addition, employees in different working sectors may have different understanding of what “small size” really means. Findings are followed by theoretical and practical implications.

Can incentives improve survey data quality in developing countries?: results from a field experiment in India.

We report results of an experiment designed to assess whether the payment of contingent incentives to respondents in Karnataka, India, impacts the quality of survey data. Of 2276 households sampled at the city block level, 934 were randomly assigned to receive a small one-time payment at the time of the survey, whereas the remaining households did not receive this incentive. We analyse the effects of incentives across a range of questions that are common in survey research in less developed countries. Our study suggests that incentives reduced unit non-response. Conditionally on participation, we also find little impact of incentives on a broad range of sociodemographic, behavioural and attitudinal questions. In contrast, we consistently find that households that received incentives reported substantially lower consumption and income levels and fewer assets. Given random assignment and very high response rates, the most plausible interpretation of this finding is that incentivizing respondents in this setting may increase their motivation to present themselves as more needy, whether to justify the current payment or to increase the chance of receiving resources in the future. Therefore, despite early indications that contingent incentives may raise response rates, the net effect on data quality must be carefully considered.

Cash Transfers Enable Households to Cope with Agricultural Production and Price Shocks: Evidence from Zambia

ABSTRACTClimate change is projected to dramatically disrupt rainfall patterns and agricultural yields in sub-Saharan Africa. These shocks to food production can mire farming households in poverty traps. This study investigates whether unconditional cash transfers can help households cope with agricultural production and price shocks. We find that cash empowers poor, rural households facing these negative shocks to employ coping strategies typically used by the non-poor and enables them to substantially increase their food consumption and overall food security. Extending relatively small cash payments unconditionally to the rural poor is a powerful policy option for fostering climate-resilient development.

Power, profits and payments for ecosystem services in Hilsa fisheries in Bangladesh: A value chain analysis

Commitments for sustainable growth often look good on paper but are messy in the practice. The Government of Bangladesh shows huge initiative towards SDG 14 (conservation and sustainable use of marine resources) by establishing measures to improve the stock of hilsa fish in the country, thus ensuring the supply of a valuable and charismatic fish species. Initial reports of the measures are optimistic, suggesting larger sizes of fish caught across the seasons. Bigger hilsa fetches better prices – as high as US$25 per kilo in niche markets. It is conservation business with profits. Yet the costs of these regulations are falling squarely on the shoulders of small fishermen who are poor, uneducated and in permanent debt. The government offers a small in-kind payment for ecosystem service (PES) in the form of rice, which is good but does not compensate for the loss of revenues and household protein during bans. These small fishers have no bargaining power and no voice in the design of policies that affect them. A common problem in policy design is the lack of clarity of the markets they affect, especially if they are informal. This study uses value chain models to unpick the hilsa value chain. It study provides hard data and evidence on processes, power, and profit creation. This consultation can help policy makers design better strategies to re-govern markets in more inclusive ways and help to achieve Sustainable Development Goals commitments.

Better is worse, worse is better: Reexamination of violations of dominance in intertemporal choice

AbstractRecently, Scholten and Read (2014) found new violations of dominance in intertemporal choice. Although adding a small receipt before a delayed payment or adding a small delayed receipt after an immediate receipt makes the prospect objectively better, it decreases the preference for that prospect (better is worse). Conversely, although adding a small payment before a delayed receipt or adding a small delayed payment after an immediate payment makes the prospect objectively worse, it increases the preference for that prospect (worse is better). Scholten and Read explained these violations in terms of a preference for improvement. However, to produce violations such as these, we find that the temporal sequences need not be constructed as Scholten and Read suggested. In this study, adding a small receipt before a dated receipt (thus constructed as improving) or adding a receipt after a dated payment (thus constructed as improving) decreases preferences for those prospects. Conversely, adding a small payment after a dated receipt (thus constructed as deteriorating) or adding a small payment before a delayed payment (thus constructed as deteriorating) increases preferences for those prospects.