This
study identifies the major factors responsible for determining
the attitudes and trading behavior of stock market investors.
The main factors which have been identified from the review
of literature are confidence level that an investor has
as compared to informal sources, control over his investments,
risk taking ability, confidence of the investor as compared
to formal sources such as financial analysts, and advisors,
expectation to perform better than the stock market and
short-term investment attitude. Based on these identified
dimensions, a survey was carried out to understand this
complex behavior of individual investors. Factor analysis
was done to get down to the main factors that influence
the investor behavior. Further, the individual investors
were segmented. The segmentation was based on their shared
investing attitudes and behavior. Cluster analysis was used
to carry out the segmentation. Cluster segmentation approach
identified two main segments of individual investors: aggressive
investors, and non-aggressive investors.
In
the recent past, after second wave of reforms program, finances
of Sri Lanka assumed utmost importance and attracted the
concentration of experts, analysts, policymakers and regulatory
bodies. The country has initiated reforms process to overcome
the poor position of its finances. The finances of the country
deteriorated over last one decade, eventually leading to
fiscal crisis in mid 2001. In the light of this, many research
studies have been conducted on the finances of Sri Lanka.
But, there are no works present that have actually measured
and ranked the fiscal performance of the country. Hence,
this paper is an attempt in this regard to evaluate as to
how the various important fiscal parameters of the country
have behaved in the last one-decade or so. The performance
of the country on fiscal front is measured using a multidimensional
composite index through which the country can be ranked
for its performance for each year. This paper also makes
an attempt to analyze the important aspects such as expenditure
management, debt management and revenue raising efforts
initiated by the country in the last one decade or so.
Automated Teller Machines (ATMs): The Changing Face of Banking in India
Bank Management
Information and communication technology has changed the way in which banks provide services to its customers. These days the customers are able to perform their routine banking transactions without even entering the bank premises. ATM is one such development in recent years, which provides remote banking services all over the world, including India. This paper analyzes the development of this self-service banking in India based on the secondary data.
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is playing a very important role in the progress and advancement in almost all walks of life. The deregulated environment has provided an opportunity to restructure the means and methods of delivery of services in many areas, including the banking sector. The ICT has been a focused issue in the past two decades in Indian banking. In fact, ICTs are enabling the banks to change the way in which they are functioning. Improved customer service has become very important for the very survival and growth of banking sector in the reforms era. The technological advancements, deregulations, and intense competition due to the entry of private sector and foreign banks have altered the face of banking from one of mere intermediation to one of provider of quick, efficient and customer-friendly services. With the introduction and adoption of ICT in the banking sector, the customers are fast moving away from the traditional branch banking system to the convenient and comfort of virtual banking. The most important virtual banking services are phone banking, mobile banking, Internet banking and ATM banking. These electronic channels have enhanced the delivery of banking services accurately and efficiently to the customers. The ATMs are an important part of a bank’s alternative channel to reach the customers, to showcase products and services and to create brand awareness. This is reflected in the increase in the number of ATMs all over the world. ATM is one of the most widely used remote banking services all over the world, including India. This paper analyzes the growth of ATMs of different bank groups in India.
International Scenario
If ATMs are largely available over geographically dispersed areas, the benefit from using an ATM will increase as customers will be able to access their bank accounts from any geographic location. This would imply that the value of an ATM network increases with the number of available ATM locations, and the value of a bank network to a customer will be determined in part by the final network size of the banking system. The statistical information on the growth of branches and ATM network in select countries.
Indian Scenario
The financial services industry in India has witnessed a phenomenal growth, diversification and specialization since the initiation of financial sector reforms in 1991. Greater customer orientation is the only way to retain customer loyalty and withstand competition in the liberalized world. In a market-driven strategy of development, customer preference is of paramount importance in any economy. Gone are the days when customers used to come to the doorsteps of banks. Now the banks are required to chase the customers; only those banks which are customercentric and extremely focused on the needs of their clients can succeed in their business today.
