The thesis investigates the nature of the relationship between the banking sector depth and long-term economic growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States, assesses the banking sector development status in each of the States, and underlines the policy implications in the light of the banking-growth nexus and the banking development benchmarking models’ findings for the region by undertaking three projects. The thesis examines the nature of the relationship between banking sector depth and long-term economic growth in the NRBC—as a proxy for the GCC States— vis-à-vis the rest of the world countries. For the empirical investigation, a dynamic panel data approach, i.e. Generalised Method of Moments (GMM), is adopted over the period 1961 to 2013. By utilising mixed effects and System GMM frameworks, the research identifies the countries with the strongest banking-growth relationships and establishes the banking sector development determinants in those countries. Employing a novel benchmarking process, the thesis assesses the status of the banking sector development in each of the GCC member countries and simulates the change in the banking sector depth across the Gulf region over a period of ten years to highlight the potential policy implications for the sector development. The findings of the thesis suggest that the relationship between banking sector depth and long-term economic growth in the NRBC is non-linear, where the relationship between the banking sector depth and economic growth turns from positive to negative beyond certain levels of sector depth. In comparison to other countries, the results indicate that the banking-growth nexus in the NRBC exhibits a smaller total effect magnitude as well as a shorter time between the change in the sector depth and its effect on economic growth. The benchmarking of the banking sectors in the GCC region suggests that in five of the six member countries the banking sectors are underdeveloped. The simulation results predict that the banking sectors will develop further in half of the countries in the region, given their current levels of banking sector development determinants, while two countries require reforms in terms of undertaking regulations and policies to avoid seeing their sector development levels deteriorate. The thesis contributes to theory by confirming findings in the literature and expanding the body of knowledge through novel findings. This research also contributes to policy by demonstrating the significance of the banking sector development for long-term economic growth in the NRBC, providing policymakers in the Gulf States with the status of their banking sectors, and underlining the banking sector depth determinants that ought to be considered when setting regulations and policies that are aimed at developing the banking sector further.

The thesis investigates the nature of the relationship between the banking sector depth and long-term economic growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States, assesses the banking sector development status in each of the States, and underlines the policy implications in the light of the banking-growth nexus and the banking development benchmarking models’ findings for the region by undertaking three projects. The thesis examines the nature of the relationship between banking sector depth and long-term economic growth in the NRBC—as a proxy for the GCC States— vis-à-vis the rest of the world countries. For the empirical investigation, a dynamic panel data approach, i.e. Generalised Method of Moments (GMM), is adopted over the period 1961 to 2013. By utilising mixed effects and System GMM frameworks, the research identifies the countries with the strongest banking-growth relationships and establishes the banking sector development determinants in those countries. Employing a novel benchmarking process, the thesis assesses the status of the banking sector development in each of the GCC member countries and simulates the change in the banking sector depth across the Gulf region over a period of ten years to highlight the potential policy implications for the sector development. The findings of the thesis suggest that the relationship between banking sector depth and long-term economic growth in the NRBC is non-linear, where the relationship between the banking sector depth and economic growth turns from positive to negative beyond certain levels of sector depth. In comparison to other countries, the results indicate that the banking-growth nexus in the NRBC exhibits a smaller total effect magnitude as well as a shorter time between the change in the sector depth and its effect on economic growth. The benchmarking of the banking sectors in the GCC region suggests that in five of the six member countries the banking sectors are underdeveloped. The simulation results predict that the banking sectors will develop further in half of the countries in the region, given their current levels of banking sector development determinants, while two countries require reforms in terms of undertaking regulations and policies to avoid seeing their sector development levels deteriorate. The thesis contributes to theory by confirming findings in the literature and expanding the body of knowledge through novel findings. This research also contributes to policy by demonstrating the significance of the banking sector development for long-term economic growth in the NRBC, providing policymakers in the Gulf States with the status of their banking sectors, and underlining the banking sector depth determinants that ought to be considered when setting regulations and policies that are aimed at developing the banking sector further.

Cette thèse examine (i) l'impact du secteur bancaire et des marchés financiers sur la croissance économique, (ii) l'effet de la qualité institutionnelle sur la détermination du développement financier, (iii) Comment la qualité des institutions affecté la relation entre le développement financier et la croissance économique. A cette fin, nous construisons un indice de qualité institutionnel pour les pays de la région MENA. Appliquant la méthode d'estimation des moindres carrés généralisés (MCG) pour un échantillon de 18 pays de la région MENA pour la période de 1984-2007 nous constatons que ni le secteur bancaire ni les marchés financiers ne contribuent à la croissance économique et qu'ils l'affectent même négativement. Adoptant l'approche d'estimation sur données de panel et celle des variables instrumentales (IV) nos résultats montrent l'importance de l'environnement institutionnel dans la détermination du développement financier de la région MENA. En outre, nos résultats montrent que la qualité des institutions a un important effet dans la relation entre développement financier et croissance économique. Plus précisément, elle permet d'atténuer l'effet négatif du développement financier sur la croissance économique. Par conséquent, nos résultats fournissent une évidence empirique, que pour que le développement financier puisse contribuer à la croissance économique, les pays de la région MENA doivent avoir un certain niveau de développement institutionnel. Examinant l'effet non-linéaire de la qualité des institutions sur la relation entre développement financier et croissance économique nos résultats montrent que la relation entre développement du secteur bancaire et croissance économique présente la forme du "U-inversé", par contre cette forme n'est pas observée lorsque les marchés financiers sont considérés. / This thesis examines (i) the impact of banks and stock markets on economic growth (ii) the effect of institutional quality in determining financial development and (iii) how institutional quality affects the finance-growth nexus in the MENA region. To this end, we construct a yearly institutional index for MENA countries. Applying the generalized method- of-moments (GMM) estimators developed for dynamic panel data for a sample of 18 MENA countries over 1984-2007 period, we find that both bank and stock market development are unimportant or even harmful for economic growth. Considering both a panel data and the instrumental variable (IV) approaches of estimation, our results outline the importance of institutional quality in determining financial development in MENA region. Moreover, our results show that institutional quality affects the finance growth nexus in MENA countries. In fact, it mitigates the negative effect of financial development on economic growth. Therefore, our results provide empirical evidence that in order for financial development to contribute to economic growth, MENA countries must possess certain level of institutional quality. Examining the non-linear effect of institutional quality on the finance-growth nexus, our results show that banking sector development and growth exhibit an inverted-U shaped relationship. However, we do not find the same pattern in the stock market-growth relationship

The thesis examined the comprehensive causal relationship between the banking sector, stock market development and economic growth in a multi-variate framework using Zimbabwean time series data from 1988 to 2015. Three banking sector development proxies (total financial sector credit, banking credit to private sector and broad money M3) and three stock market development proxies (stock market capitalization, value traded and turnover ratio) were employed to estimate both long and short run relationships between banking sector, stock market and economic growth in Zimbabwe. The study employs the vector error correction model (VECM) as the main estimation technique and the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach as a robustness testing technique. Results showed that in Zimbabwe a significant causal relationship from banking sector and stock market development to economic growth exists in the long run without any feedback effects. In the short run, however, a negative yet statistically significant causal relationship runs from economic growth to banking sector and stock market development in Zimbabwe. The study further concludes that there is a unidirectional causal relationship running from stock market development to banking sector development in Zimbabwe in both short and long run periods. Nonetheless this relationship between banking sector and stock markets has been found to be more significant in the short run than in the long run. The thesis adopts the complementary view and recommends for the spontaneity implementation of monetary policies as the economy grows. Monetary authorities should thus formulate policies to promote both banks and stock markets with corresponding growth in Zimbabwe’s economy. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)