An analysis of institutional structure and saving rates in transtion economies

Savings, which is a precondition for a sustainable economic structure, are an important source of funding for investments and growth. One of the main obstacles to development is seen as an insufficient level of savings especially in underdeveloped and developing countries. The importance of savings in terms of economy has led researchers to investigate the determinants of savings and a wide range of literature has been developed in this regard. However, unlike the empirical literature on the determinants of savings, besides the basic macroeconomic variables, the effect of the institutional structure on saving rates was investigated in this study. In this direction the relationships between institutional structure and savings were investigated. Panel data analysis method is used for the study of 12 transition economies in 1996-2016 period. Findings obtained in the study; democracy, civil liberties and regulatory quality indices as indicators of institutional structure are important factors as well as macroeconomic factors affecting savings rates.