Risk Analyses on Islamic Banks in Indonesia

This study aims to analyze the risks on Islamic banks in Indonesia by identifying which risk is significantly dominant in triggering other risks to happen. For that purpose, the study uses time series data on a monthly basis from 2010:M1 to 2018:M8. The data are obtained from the Financial Services Authority (OJK) Indonesia and analyzed using vector autoregression (VAR). Some variables are employed to proxy risk vulnerability including financing-to-deposit ratio (FDR) as a proxy of liquidity risk, nonperforming financing (NPF) as a proxy of financing risk, and cost-to-income ratio (BOPO) as a proxy of operational risk. The findings suggest that financing risk is the most dominant risk triggering vulnerability on Islamic banks in Indonesia.

A New Approach for Assessing Credit Risks under Uncertainty

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce a new approach for an assessment of the credit risks. The initial part of the chapter is to briefly discuss the existing models of assessment of the credit risks and justify the need for a new approach. Since a new approach is created for conditions of uncertainty, we cannot do without fuzzy mathematics. The proposed approach is based on group decision-making, where experts’ opinions are expressed by trapezoidal fuzzy numbers. The theoretical basis of the offered approach is laid out in the metric space of trapezoidal fuzzy numbers. The new approach is introduced and discussed, and two realization algorithms are given. The toy example of application of the introduced approach is offered as well.

The Relationship between Economic Uncertainty and Firms’ Balance Sheet Strength

This chapter aims to elaborate on the relationship between economic uncertainty and balance sheet strength of nonfinancial firms in Turkish economy. In order to effectively measure the balance sheet strength, we make use of a multivariate indicator, namely, the Multivariate Firm Assessment Score (MFA Score), which is a composite index to gauge the credit risk of nonfinancial firms quoted in Borsa İstanbul. MFA scores are compared with some uncertainty indicators for the period of 2005–2019. Our results suggest that when the uncertainties in global or Turkish economy are high, we observe a significant causal relationship from uncertainty indicators to firms’ balance sheet strength. More specifically, economic uncertainties negatively affect firms’ balance sheet performance in such an environment. Moreover, different types of uncertainties such as trade policy uncertainty and consumer perceptions about the economy are found to have differential impacts on exporter and non-exporter firms.

Bank Service Delivery in Nigeria

Nigeria as a country has recorded significant efficiency in bank service delivery considering her history of banking services. This assertion reflects in the views of banking sector stakeholders in the country and foreign assessors. One milestone was the introduction and effective use of electronic banking system in the last two decades which eliminated hurdles overt with the conventional banking era. Today, banking activities in Nigeria are possible at any time of the day and anywhere without any stress. This is not to say that it has fully complied with global best practices as there are still pockets of complaints from stakeholders especially customers which have expressed dissatisfaction in the quality of banking services rendered to them. In spite of the level of customers’ dissatisfaction, bank service delivery is better than what it was, and the Nigerian banking sector is presently at the front burner in terms of banking service delivery in Africa. Although challenges of employees’ knowledge gaps, technology, inadequate legal framework, incompetent manpower and staff improper attitude remain contentious in the Nigerian banking system, efforts from stakeholders especially the regulator to eliminate these challenges would bring about improved banking service delivery in Nigeria and make it close to global best practices, if not achieve it.

New Malaysia, Brexit and US-China Trade War: Credit Risk to Malaysian Banks

A country’s economic prosperity is intimately linked to the external and internal forces that exert influences on its economy. While some of these forces may not be under the overt control of the country’s economic planners, any disruption to the economy by these forces may just tip the balance that causes financial hardship to millions of people. Certainly, national governments through fiscal and monetary policy measures may attempt to prevent such a catastrophe, but what happens if at such a critical time, the needed government leadership is suddenly not available? In such a situation, what will be the most appropriate reaction from the central bank and what is the likely effect to the country’s banking industry? While this scenario might sound like an interesting thought experiment in a banking classroom, a similar situation is in fact unfolding in real life at this very moment in Malaysia.

Sales and Conformity of Goods: A Legal Discourse

This chapter is primarily concerned with the fact that the concept of conformity is dynamic and amorphous as it is recognised as an impetus to economic development and plays a major role in matters of sale of goods within an economy. In making an assessment of the seller’s duty of conformity to a contract of sale of goods as governed by the OHADA Uniform Act on General Commercial Law, this study argues that the concept of conformity is limited rather than broad that should appropriately encapsulate the physical and non-physical things that could form the object of a contract of sale. It therefore explores other aspects that could be considered as part of the ‘goods’ for the purposes of the conformance duty in establishing the limits of the seller’s liability. Thus, adopting an empirical and in-depth analysis of primary and secondary data, this study therefore holds that the question of conformity of goods can conveniently be addressed from a number of different angles: contract law, consumer patterns, local and international standards, and the principles of caveat venditor and caveat emptor.

Climate Change, Credit Risk and Financial Stability

Climate change is one of the greatest global challenges, posing an unprecedented challenge to the governance of global socioeconomic and financial systems. This chapter examines the climate change science and uncertainties associated with climate change, while identifying and explaining climate-related risks, the financial aspect of climate change, credit implications of climate change, integration of climate-related risks into credit risk assessment, and climate risk management. The chapter pays special attention to the triangular relationship between the three notions of climate-related risks, credit risk, and financial stability by enumerating the channels through which climate risks can cause credit risks and affect the stability of the financial system. Approaches to incorporate climate change into corporate risk management are also discussed.

Internal Controls and Credit Risk in European Banking: The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision Framework Approach

Poor corporate governance practices have been cited as contributory to the 2007 global financial crisis. The chapter explores a qualitative self-regulation approach to address a major risk facing banks using the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) framework of internal controls. The study examines the effect of the qualitative principles of the BCBS internal control framework on credit risk. Corporate institutions use internal control frameworks to address the most operational risks, but the current study hypothesizes a possible relation with the credit risk. This research covers banks from selected EU countries covering some period before and after the 2007 financial crisis using a fixed-effect model. We report a significant relationship between board functions and activities, board structure and board monitoring, and credit risk. The results indicate that investment in high-risk assets, bank profitability and board chair being ex-CEO increases credit risk in European banking. The chapter extends the scope of a previous work that used the elements of the COSO internal control framework on a single country. This quantitative measure of qualitative constructs of the framework complements existing research that uses algorithms and simulations to study credit risk.

Relevance of Shari’ah Governance in Driving Performance of Islamic Banks during the Financial Crisis: International Evidence

This study aims to examine the impact of Shari’ah governance mechanism on the performance of Islamic banks (IBs) during the financial crisis of 2008. Data were collected from 66 IBs over 18 countries covering the period of 2007–2015 and analyzed using the System-GMM estimator. The findings indicate that an increase in SSB effectiveness increases IBs’ performance even during the crisis periods. A possible justification for this positive effect is related to the SG structure of IBs that allows them to undertake higher risks to achieve a high efficiency level. For this, the IBs, policymakers and practitioners should consider these findings when aiming to improve SG practices in the Islamic banking industry, which in turn may help in protecting IBs during crisis and non-crisis periods. More specifically, they should give due importance to SSB (size, cross-membership, educational qualification, reputation and expertise) in enhancing the performance of IBs during the crisis and non-crisis periods. This study provides additional evidence on how IBs can sustain their performance during either crisis or non-crisis periods through adopting appropriate SG structure. However, the study only focuses on a small sample of 66 IBs due to lack of the data.

Green Banking

Green banking being a new trend deserves more attention. Understanding green banking, its nature, importance, impact on spreading green, its link to sustainable development goals (SDGs), and Maqasid Shariah is vital. Therefore, this chapter is going to cover the abovementioned essentials. Banks’ financing that care about the environment is green banking. Banks can contribute enormously to restore environmental balance and to preserve a livable condition for future generation through green banking. Only binding regulation can ensure the involvement of banks in green practices, for example, Bangladesh. To face the reality, when leaders are committed to implement SDGs by 2030, involvement of banks in green practices could accelerate the process of implementation. Coincidently, green banking features and objectives are very close to Maqasid Shariah. Based on desk research and document analysis technique, this chapter is going to establish that green banking, SDGs, and Maqasid Shariah are complementary to each other.