The effect of financial literacy and the role of social capital in the relationship between financial inclusion and sustainable development in Iraq

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Thesis Type: Doctorate

Institution Of The Thesis: Anadolu University, LİSANSÜSTÜ EĞİTİM ENSTİTÜSÜ, İŞLETME ANABİLİM DALI, Turkey

Approval Date: 2025

Thesis Language: English

Student: MUSTAFA HASAN HAMAD AMEEN HAMAD AMEEN

Supervisor: Aslı Afşar

Open Archive Collection: AVESIS Open Access Collection

Abstract:

This study investigates the interplay between financial inclusion (FI), financial literacy (FL), social capital (SC), and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with a specific focus on the provinces of Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaymaniyah. Based on survey data from 650 respondents across these three cities and analyzed using Hayes' PROCESS macro, the findings demonstrate that financial inclusion has a significant direct positive effect on sustainable development (β = 0.44, p < 0.001). Additionally, the findings indicate that financial literacy functions as a partial mediator in the relationship between financial inclusion and sustainable development. Social capital acts as a positive moderator, strengthening the direct FI-SDGs link. The findings underscore that the developmental influence of financial inclusion is enhanced when individuals are financially literate and embedded in strong social networks. The study provides a critical evidence base for policymakers to design integrated strategies that simultaneously