Essays on access to finance, financial literacy and development.

Summary The objective of this thesis is to examine both the supply and demand dimensions of financial inclusion. This research presents a comprehensive body of empirical evidence regarding access to financial services at both the macro and micro levels. The third chapter provides an exploration of this critical hypothesis. Using structural country data, it shows the effects of financial inclusion on reducing poverty and inequality. In addition, it shows the beneficial effects of new technologies on expanding financial inclusion and reducing poverty. The fourth chapter argues that financial literacy is an important determinant of household financial inclusion and well-being. Based on survey data, it further suggests that access to and use of new technologies increases the likelihood of financial inclusion. The objective of the fifth chapter is to determine whether the adoption of new technologies promotes financial inclusion among SMEs in Pakistan. The analysis reveals an association between ICT adoption and firm access to financial services, implying that firms with greater access to or use of new technologies are likely to derive greater benefits from financial markets than others.This research contributes to the literature on access to financial services by expanding the examination of several significant dimensions and complements studies on the impact of financial depth, financial stability, and financial literacy.