Non-performing assets: navigating the banking woes through an integrative review

Abstract

The literature on non-performing assets (NPAs) in the banking sector, though vast, lacks cohesiveness. This article aims to review, synthesize, and track the evolution of research on NPAs in the banking sector. The study undertakes a comprehensive integrative review of the literature, focusing on the quantitative aspects through a bibliometric analysis, and qualitative aspects through a systematic approach. A total of 1,285 research articles, retrieved from the Scopus database, were analyzed for 27 years. The study unveils the theoretical foundations and current status of literature on NPAs. The findings capture the evolution of various themes in the NPA domain across three phases, and the co-citation analysis leads to the identification of six distinct themes that have developed. It also provides an overview of the emerging keywords that present opportunities for further investigation and highlights the gaps for future research. The reliance on a single database for sourcing relevant documents, and the use of a pre-set screening criteria may have led to the exclusion of articles that might have been suitable, but outside the scope of our source. However, by enhancing the understanding of the researchers on the topic, and enabling banks as well as policymakers to have a holistic insight for better decision-making on NPAs, this article has academic as well as practical implications for the banking sector. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to combine a qualitative review with a quantitative technique to identify the developments in the NPA literature comprehensively.

Keywords:

• Banking
• bibliometric analysis
• integrative review
• literature review
• non-performing assets

Notes

1 Echo chamber effect refers to a situation where a person is exposed to an idea or information that reinforces their previous beliefs or knowledge, thereby isolating them from any new or alternative perspective, opinion, or viewpoint.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Varda Sardana

Varda Sardana is currently working as an Assistant Professor at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida. Her research interests include Banking, Finance, Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility. Her research articles have been published in ABDC listed and Scopus indexed journals.

Shubham Singhania

Dr. Shubham Singhania is currently working as an Assistant Professor (Finance and Accounting) at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Jaipur. He is an avid researcher and has published more than 20 research papers and book chapters in Scopus indexed & ABDC listed journals of reputed publishing houses (Emerald, Sage, Springer, and Taylor Francis etc.). He is an expert in the area of Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis and has been taking several workshops and FDPs on the same.

Kavita Chavali

Dr. Kavita Chavali is a doctorate in Finance with more than two decades of experience teaching graduate and undergraduate students. She is currently working as Associate Professor & Chair – Department of Finance & Economics, College of Commerce and Business Administration, Dhofar University, Sultanate of Oman. Dr Kavita has numerous publications indexed in Scopus and peer reviewed refereed journals. She is the Reviewer of a number of journals in the area of Accounting and Finance.

Majdi Quttainah

Dr. Majdi Quttainah is an Associate Professor at Kuwait University College of Business Administration. His research interests are corporate governance and strategies. He is an active scholar, presently working as senior editor of FIIB Business Review (Scopus, WoS, Published by the Sage Publishing). His research has won several recognition and awards globally.