IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wsi/serxxx/v63y2018i01ns0217590818410011.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Determinants And Barriers To Financial Inclusion In Myanmar: What Determines Access To Financial Services And What Hinders It?

Author

Listed:
  • KANITTHA TAMBUNLERTCHAI

    (Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Road, Bangkok 10330, Thailand)

Abstract

This paper examines two aspects of financial inclusion in the context of Myanmar. First, it examines the factors that determine access to formal savings products. Second, it looks at what the barriers to saving are. Using data from a nationally representative survey of 5100 individuals, the paper applies econometric estimation and qualitative data analysis methods to provide answers to these questions. Findings show a low level of saving in Myanmar, and that formal savings increase with income, education, and keeping a budget, among other factors. Policy recommendations include the design of financial literacy programs that are suitable to the Myanmar context, and providing access to financial services.

Suggested Citation

  • Kanittha Tambunlertchai, 2018. "Determinants And Barriers To Financial Inclusion In Myanmar: What Determines Access To Financial Services And What Hinders It?," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 63(01), pages 9-26, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:serxxx:v:63:y:2018:i:01:n:s0217590818410011
    DOI: 10.1142/S0217590818410011
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S0217590818410011
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1142/S0217590818410011?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chang-Keun Han & Michael Sherraden, 2009. "Attitudes and Saving in Individual Development Accounts: Latent Class Analysis," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 30(3), pages 226-236, September.
    2. Hakan Yilmazkuday, 2011. "Thresholds in the Finance-Growth Nexus: A Cross-Country Analysis," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 25(2), pages 278-295, May.
    3. Allen, Franklin & Demirguc-Kunt, Asli & Klapper, Leora & Martinez Peria, Maria Soledad, 2016. "The foundations of financial inclusion: Understanding ownership and use of formal accounts," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 1-30.
    4. Robert G. King & Ross Levine, 1993. "Finance and Growth: Schumpeter Might Be Right," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 108(3), pages 717-737.
    5. Nava Ashraf & Diego Aycinena & Claudia Martínez & Dean Yang, 2011. "Remittances and the Problem of Control: A Field Experiment Among Migrants from El Salvador," Working Papers wp341, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    6. Brune, Lasse & Gine, Xavier & Goldberg, Jessica & Yang, Dean, 2011. "Commitments to save : a field experiment in rural Malawi," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5748, The World Bank.
    7. Ashraf, Nava & Karlan, Dean & Yin, Wesley, 2010. "Female Empowerment: Impact of a Commitment Savings Product in the Philippines," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 333-344, March.
    8. Pascaline Dupas & Jonathan Robinson, 2013. "Savings Constraints and Microenterprise Development: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Kenya," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(1), pages 163-192, January.
    9. Nava Ashraf & Dean Karlan & Wesley Yin, 2006. "Tying Odysseus to the Mast: Evidence From a Commitment Savings Product in the Philippines," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 121(2), pages 635-672.
    10. Robin Burgess & Rohini Pande, 2005. "Do Rural Banks Matter? Evidence from the Indian Social Banking Experiment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(3), pages 780-795, June.
    11. Eric Neumayer & Richard Perkins, 2004. "Uneven geographies of organizational practice: explaining the cross-national transfer and adoption of ISO 9000," Industrial Organization 0403006, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Sajid Anwar & Lan Nguyen, 2011. "Financial development and economic growth in Vietnam," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 35(3), pages 348-360, July.
    13. Ximena Pena & Carmen Hoyo & David Tuesta, 2014. "Determinants of financial inclusion in Mexico based on the 2012 National Financial Inclusion Survey (ENIF)," Working Papers 1415, BBVA Bank, Economic Research Department.
    14. Anwar, Sajid & Sun, Sizhong, 2011. "Financial development, foreign investment and economic growth in Malaysia," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 335-342, August.
    15. Campero Alejandra & Kaiser Karen, 2013. "Access to Credit: Awareness and Use of Formal and Informal Credit Institutions," Working Papers 2013-07, Banco de México.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Thereza Balliester Reis, 2021. "What is financial inclusion? A critical review," Working Papers 246, Department of Economics, SOAS University of London, UK.
    2. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Wang, Chih-Wei & Ho, Shan-Ju, 2022. "Financial aid and financial inclusion: Does risk uncertainty matter?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    3. Ariel Herbert FAMBEU & Patricia Tchawa YOMI, 2022. "State fragility and the determinants of women’s financial inclusion in sub-Saharan Africa," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 56, pages 61-76.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dean Karlan & Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan & Jonathan Zinman, 2014. "Savings by and for the Poor: A Research Review and Agenda," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(1), pages 36-78, March.
    2. Masino, Serena & Niño-Zarazúa, Miguel, 2014. "Social service delivery and access to financial innovation. The impact of Oportunidades’ electronic payment system in Mexico," MPRA Paper 53430, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Pasali, Selahattin Selsah, 2013. "Where is the cheese ? synthesizing a giant literature on causes and consequences of financial sector development," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6655, The World Bank.
    4. Dean Karlan, Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan, Jonathan Zinman, 2013. "Savings by and for the Poor: A Research Review and Agenda-Working Paper 346," Working Papers 346, Center for Global Development.
    5. Singh, Nirvikar, 2018. "Financial Inclusion: Concepts, Issues and Policies for India," MPRA Paper 91047, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Grohmann, Antonia & Klühs, Theres & Menkhoff, Lukas, 2018. "Does financial literacy improve financial inclusion? Cross country evidence," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 84-96.
    7. Franklin Allen & Elena Carletti & Robert Cull & Jun QJ Qian & Lemma Senbet & Patricio Valenzuela, 2021. "Improving Access to Banking: Evidence from Kenya [A matter of experience? Understanding the decline in group lending]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 25(2), pages 403-447.
    8. Brigitte C. Madrian, 2012. "Matching Contributions and Savings Outcomes: A Behavioral Economics Perspective," NBER Working Papers 18220, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Dan Ma & Wenchun Wang, 2023. "Mandatory inclusive finance policy and small banks' operating performance: Evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(4), pages 4761-4777, December.
    10. Jesse Atkinson & Alain de Janvry & Craig McIntosh & Elisabeth Sadoulet, 2013. "Prompting Microfinance Borrowers to Save: A Field Experiment from Guatemala," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 62(1), pages 21-64.
    11. Dalla Pellegrina, Lucia & De Michele, Angela & Di Maio, Giorgio & Landoni, Paolo, 2021. "Fostering savings by commitment: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment at The Small Enterprise Foundation in South Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    12. Paul Hagstrom & Javier Pereira, 2021. "Financial inclusion of individuals who arrived as refugees to the United States," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(4), pages 752-779, May.
    13. Brune, Lasse & Gine, Xavier & Goldberg, Jessica & Yang, Dean, 2011. "Commitments to save : a field experiment in rural Malawi," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5748, The World Bank.
    14. Cyn-Young Park & Rogelio Mercado Jr., 2018. "Financial Inclusion: New Measurement and Cross-Country Impact Assessment," Working Papers wp29, South East Asian Central Banks (SEACEN) Research and Training Centre.
    15. Ximena Pena & Carmen Hoyo & David Tuesta, 2014. "Determinantes de la inclusion financiera en Mexico a partir de la ENIF 2012," Working Papers 1414, BBVA Bank, Economic Research Department.
    16. Anzoategui, Diego & Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli & Martínez Pería, María Soledad, 2014. "Remittances and Financial Inclusion: Evidence from El Salvador," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 338-349.
    17. Ghosh, Saibal & Vinod, D., 2017. "What Constrains Financial Inclusion for Women? Evidence from Indian Micro data," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 60-81.
    18. Luisa Blanco & Salvador Contreras & Amit Ghosh, 2022. "Impact of Great Recession bank failures on use of financial services among racial/ethnic and income groups," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 88(4), pages 1574-1598, April.
    19. Masino, Serena & Niño-Zarazúa, Miguel, 2014. "Social service delivery and access to financial innovation. The impact of Oportunidades’ electronic payment system in Mexico," MPRA Paper 53430, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Anat Bracha & Stephan Meier, 2014. "Nudging credit scores in the field: the effect of text reminders on creditworthiness in the United States," Working Papers 15-2, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wsi:serxxx:v:63:y:2018:i:01:n:s0217590818410011. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Tai Tone Lim (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.worldscinet.com/ser/ser.shtml .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.