Search Results (10)

The adoption of Intelligent Virtual Assistants (IVAs) in the banking sector presents new opportunities to enhance customer service efficiency, reduce operational costs, and modernize service delivery channels. However, the factors driving IVA adoption and usage, particularly in specific regional contexts such as Portugal, remain underexplored. This study examined the determinants of IVA adoption intention and actual usage in the Portuguese banking sector, drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as its theoretical foundation. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed to 154 banking customers after they interacted with a commercial bank’s IVA. The analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that perceived usefulness significantly influences the intention to adopt, which in turn significantly impacts actual usage. In contrast, other variables—including trust, ease of use, anthropomorphism, awareness, service quality, and gendered voice—did not show a significant effect. These results suggest that Portuguese users adopt IVAs based primarily on functional utility, highlighting the importance of outcome-oriented design and communication strategies. This study contributes to the understanding of technology adoption in mature digital markets and offers practical guidance for banks seeking to enhance the perceived value of their virtual assistants. Full article

The aim of this article is to assess the most relevant factors influencing customer trust in the Portuguese banking sector following the Global Financial Crisis. It also aims to evaluate the impact of trust on satisfaction and satisfaction on loyalty. To address the research objectives and the hypotheses posed, a quantitative study with a descriptive design was conducted. Data was collected through an online survey administered to a sample of bank clients residing in Portugal. The findings indicate that respondents generally trust Portuguese banking institutions, although this trust has been affected by the Global Financial Crisis. The bank’s reputation and financial performance were identified as critical factors in the respondents’ choice of bank. Additionally, the results suggest that both global and domestic financial conditions, bank reputation, client satisfaction, and overall trust significantly influence client loyalty to the bank. This study provides valuable insights into client behavior and perceptions of banks, emphasizing the importance of factors such as trust, client satisfaction, and bank reputation in shaping client loyalty. Full article

This study addresses the implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standard 9 (IFRS 9) in the European Union as of 1 January 2018, replacing the International Accounting Standard 39 (IAS 39) to introduce a new model for recognizing Loan Loss Provisions (LLP), based on Expected Credit Loss (ECL). This model responds to criticisms of the former Incurred Credit Loss (ICL) system for its inability to reflect credit losses in a timely manner, potentially exacerbating the effects of financial crises. This study focuses on the effects of adopting the ECL model on the level of Loan Loss Allowances (LLA) in loans, own equity, and the Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio across 13 Portuguese commercial banks. A mean comparison test is used to evaluate scenarios before and after the application of the ECL model, highlighting the importance of regulator actions and the adequacy of loss recognition policies, including the effects of European Union. The results obtained demonstrate significant negative impacts on the net values of loans, own equity, and the CET1 ratio upon adopting the IFRS 9 ECL model due to the widespread increase in LLAs. Full article

This article delves into the pro-cyclicality of loan loss provisions (LLPs) and earnings management, along with equity management, in Portuguese banks against the backdrop of implementing the IFRS 9’s expected credit loss (ECL) model. It concentrates on how LLPs mirror economic cycles and financial management practices, providing valuable insights into the operational dynamics of the Portuguese banking sector, marked by distinct economic and regulatory challenges. The research examined a sample of five Portuguese commercial banks, chosen from a group of seventeen in the Portuguese Banking Association. Data spanning from 2013 to 2022 were manually gathered. A multiple linear regression model was employed to scrutinize the relationship between LLPs and variables indicative of economic cycles and the earnings and equity management. The methodology use was a multiple linear regression model. The analysis indicates a pro-cyclicality in LLPs within the Portuguese context, with a positive response of LLPs to economic indicators like unemployment. Contrarily, the extent of earnings and equity management under the ECL model was less marked compared to the incurred credit loss (ICL) model, suggesting the impact of more stringent regulatory measures. The research corroborates the pro-cyclicality of LLPs in Portuguese banks under the ECL framework, underscoring the necessity for ongoing monitoring and refinement of models for forecasting and recognizing credit losses. The findings point to an area for improvement in financial management practices, despite regulatory enhancements, to promote transparency and ensure financial stability. Full article

The main purpose of this study is to understand how Portuguese restaurants’ solvency was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, considering the factors that influence it. Financial information was collected for the years 2019 and 2020 in the SABI database to elaborate a quantitative methodology; a descriptive analysis was used and Pearson’s correlation coefficient, a Paired t-test, a one-way ANOVA test, and a multiple linear regression were used to test the formulated hypotheses. The findings confirm that solvency is affected by several determinants, such as financial autonomy, indebtedness, financial leverage, asset turnover, return on equity, and long-term bank debt. Solvency is influenced positively by financial autonomy and financial leverage. In contrast, solvency is negatively influenced by indebtedness, asset turnover, and long-term bank debt. Additionally, this paper represents the first study, in the restaurant sector in Portugal, which analyses the importance of solvency and its determinants, by facing a normal year with a crisis year. The paper is innovative in terms of knowledge about restaurant solvency behavior in periods of financial crisis and also because the COVID-19 pandemic has added an additional variable to restaurant solvency: short-term bank debt. In terms of theoretical implications, this study provides further insights about the factors influencing solvency in restaurant businesses during periods of a financial crisis. The main practical contributions are linked to improving the leadership skills of restaurant owners and managers to deal with periods of crisis in general, thus improving the solvency of their businesses and decreasing the risks associated with bankruptcy. Full article

In this study, we analyzed the feeling of loneliness in leadership in the Portuguese banking sector, seeking to identify variables that may instigate this feeling, such as gender, age, academic qualifications, function/position, number of working hours per week, and years of work/seniority, and the consequences that it may have, namely in terms of the decision-making process and the motivation of leaders. For this study, a quantitative research tool was used in the form of a questionnaire, which was applied to a group of collaborators, with leadership responsibilities, of the financial institutions authorized to operate in Portugal. We concluded that while some variables influence the feeling of loneliness in leadership (years of work, position, and academic qualifications), others do not (gender, age, and hours of work per week). We also found a relationship between loneliness and demotivation and proved that the feeling of loneliness affects leadership but does not affect decision making. The results are relevant, especially for the banking sector, which has undergone major restructuring in the Portuguese economy and needs guidance to face the country’s financial challenges. Full article

Risk analysis and scenario testing are two of the core activities carried out by economists at central banks. With the increasing adoption of machine learning to enhance decision-support systems, and the amount of collected data spiking, institutions provide countless use-cases for the application of these innovative technologies. Consequently, in recent years, the term sup-tech has entered the financial jargon and is here to stay. In this paper, we address risk assessment from a central bank’s perspective. The uptrending number of involved banks and institutions raises the necessity of a standardised risk methodology. For that reason, we adopted the Risk Assessment Methodology (RAS), the quantitative pillar from the Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process (SREP). Based on real-world supervisory data from the Portuguese banking sector, from March 2014 until August 2021, we successfully model the supervisory risk assessment process, in its quantitative approach by the RAS. Our findings and the resulting model are proposed as an Early Warning System that can support supervisors in their day-to-day tasks, as well as within the SREP process. Full article

As a core activity in the tourism sector, hospitality accounts for the largest share of the sector’s revenue. The last few years, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, have been years of strong growth both in the number of hotel companies and in the number of available rooms. The hospitality industry has also been betting on diversification as well as on the quality of its services. This activity has a strong impact on the various agents in the sector, thus it makes it essential to measure and analyze the sustainability of these hotels. One of the indicators that proficiently measure short-term sustainability is the company’s liquidity level, as it demonstrates its ability to meet short-term financial obligations. This type of indicator is useful since it provides relevant information not only for managers, but also for banks and lenders, and investors. Volatility is a characteristic of hotels which are associated with geographic location, implying changes in the main operating revenue indicators. In this sense, this research aimed to investigate if the ability to reimburse short-term responsibilities differs according to the geographic location, food and beverage service existence, official stars classification, and hotel size. Portuguese hotels with and without restaurants were analyzed in the 2013–2017 period and the number of available rooms and star rating were included in the database. All the information was obtained on SABI (a database of detailed financial information of Portuguese and Spanish companies) and RNET (the Portuguese Register of Tourist Enterprises). Findings show that the behavior of some hotels concerning short-term obligations does not differ much considering the location of the hotels. However, the Algarve and the North region have the highest values. In fact, the official star rating proved to have the greatest influence. The size of the hotels, as well as the existence of restaurants negatively influences liquidity. This information is very important for hotel investors. This study can also provide management information that allows more informed decision-making as well as the definition of corrective measures if necessary. Full article

This paper aims to analyze the determinants of profitability and bank efficiency in the Iberian Peninsula. To achieve the proposed objective, a sample of 66 Portuguese and Spanish banks was analyzed. To test the hypotheses formulated according to the proposed literature review, the panel data methodology was used; specifically, the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) system model proposed by and the Tobit model. The results point out that the banking performance, measured in terms of profitability and efficiency, in the Iberian Peninsula, is influenced by internal management variables, but also by the macroeconomic environment. More interestingly, and new in the Iberian banking sector literature, the results prove a positive and negative non-linear relationship between bank size and their levels of profitability and efficiency, respectively. Full article

Crises in the banking and sovereign debt sectors give rise to heightened financial fragility. Of particular concern is the development of self-fulfilling feedback loops where crisis conditions in one sector are transmitted to the other sector and back again. We use time-varying tests of Granger causality to demonstrate how empirical evidence of connectivity between the banking and sovereign sectors can be detected, and provide an application to the Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish (GIIPS) countries and Germany over the period 2007 to 2016. While the results provide evidence of domestic feedback loops, the most important finding is that financial fragility is an international problem and cannot be dealt with purely on a country-by-country basis. Full article