Article Title: Challenges and Opportunities in Cross-Disciplinary Research in Financial Systems and Banking Sector of Ethiopia
Volume Number: 1
Issue: 1
Year: 2025
Article Type: Review
Author Names: Michael Senbeta Feyisa
Page Number: 59-67
Affiliations: Director of Research and Development, Siket Bank Share Company, Ethiopia, Email Address: kenaket@gmail.com
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.64368/ejmi.vol.1.issue1.4
Keywords: Collaboration; CDR; Digitalization; Financial inclusion; Innovation; Integration
Abstract: This paper explores the critical role of cross-disciplinary research (CDR) in shaping and transforming financial systems and banking practices in Ethiopia. As Ethiopia’s banking sector undergoes significant reforms, including liberalization, digitalization, and regulatory overhaul, traditional mono-disciplinary approaches are proving insufficient to address the sector’s complex and interconnected challenges. Drawing from a wide body of literature spanning economics, law, behavioral finance, information technology, and development studies, the paper systematically reviews Ethiopian studies, regional case evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa, and selected international experiences to frame the analysis. This literature-based approach highlights how CDR can inform inclusive finance, fintech innovation, and sustainable banking solutions tailored to Ethiopia’s context. However, CDR in Ethiopia faces major obstacles, including institutional silos, epistemological divides, underdeveloped research infrastructure, and limited funding for integrated initiatives. The reviewed literature also points to opportunities such as policy innovation, improved risk modelling, and financial inclusion through interdisciplinary collaboration. The paper concludes that CDR offers not just a complementary approach to traditional financial research in Ethiopia, but a strategic imperative for building a more resilient, equitable, and forward-looking financial system. By investing in cross-disciplinary collaboration, Ethiopia can lay the groundwork for a more inclusive and adaptive financial future.
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