Research Methodology (BS4S14-V1-43211)

Assignment 2

A critical self reflection of the process of completing assignment 1

Submitted by
Ibiyinka Oluwatoyin Okeowo
74112359

Tutor: Michael Doros

25th June 2023
Table of Contents

1. Introduction…………………………...……………………………………………...3

2. What did I expect to learn……………………………………………………………3

3. What I learnt and how it will be applied….…………………………………….……4

4. My actions and next steps…………………………………………………………….6

5. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….....6

6. References…………………………………………………………………………….7
Introduction

According to Moon (2001), learning can only be observed by its effects on practice and
behavior, which is known as the representation of learning. Dewey (1938) also asserted that
we learn through doing and the outcomes of our actions. I had believed the Research was going
to be a walkover going by my experience in the Banking Sector, I was wrong.
Prior to commencing the course, I was looking forward to working with my course mates on
sharing insights, tasks review and all that comes with preparing for a Research like this. I
quickly found out that most people in my group prefer to work alone and hardly participated
in the Group Discussions. I quickly adjusted and started the requirement gathering process.
I was very ill prior to the initial submission of this paper and missed the submission deadline.
It was a major setback for me as I spent the first three months of the year 2023 trying to get
Student Support and Extenuating Circumstances to respond favourably. I had to provide
evidence of the illness and eventually had to pay extra for this re-submission. This informed a
different kind of reflective writing for me.
This simple re-submission and the activities leading up to it as well as the activities resulting
from it changed my way of thinking, my attitude to tasks and brought up endearing qualities I
didn’t know I possess. From the First instinct of jettisoning the entire program, to the residual
feeling of perseverance, I came up with the paper, completed and my thoughts are outlined as
follows:

What did I expect to Learn?

I hope to receive responses to a wide range of queries, such as why my research study was
conducted, how the research problem was defined, how and why the hypothesis was developed,
what data have been collected and what specific method has been adopted, why particular
technique of data analysis has been used, and a host of other queries of a similar nature.
Additionally, I thought that the module would provide me with the ideal environment for
planning my research, developing the project, and making informed judgments when they came
up. I also believe that the research design will encourage me to take part and be proactive in
the investigation.
The research methodology was helpful in directing me in the appropriate direction because the
study's objective and its subject are frequently distinct. The idea of the right research approach
serves as the foundation for the entire research plan. The external environment also influenced
the study using the research methodology by carefully describing how to choose the appropriate
research objective, which was followed by the point of view of the literature. I had some
reservations about the reliability and accessibility of the sources of my data, but those doubts
were allayed by the information's availability on each company's website, which made it
straightforward to draw the main conclusion of my research.
What I learnt and how it will be applied
Having worked in different finance institutions over the years, reviewing the non-performing
loans book of each Financial Institution was not entirely new to me. However, this Research
provided the opportunity to review the non-performing loans of the Top Five Banks in my
country, conduct a trend analysis on the progression of the loan portfolio and the rationale
behind the performance for a period of three years. This was an area I’ve never paid much
attention to. Consequently, I had to review the financial statements of the referenced Banks,
returns filed with the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Company (NDIC), amount of loan loss
provisioning made with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) coupled with the attendant
implication on each Bank’s profitability year in year out.

This afforded me the opportunity to learn about other Financial Institutions whilst leveraging
on the insights gleaned from the research to arrive at a detailed conclusion.
In addition to the above, I also learnt to resilience and tenacity, I enrolled in this course on the
verge of so many personal incidents. I was on the verge of changing jobs, moving house and
then I fell ill. It was a good reason to be discouraged and provide excuses because so much was
happening at the same time. Instead, I had to prioritize by staying back at work , finishing other
tasks ahead of time to concentrate, action out my tasks and having a daily review of task
completed each day so I could conclude within the timeframe allotted.
Finally, conducting research involving top 5 Banks in my country and their non-performing
loans has given me insight into the common cause of delinquent loans and measures taken by
each bank to curtail them. These measures are really insightful to me because of my role as a
Credit Risk Management Lead in the Institution where I work.
My actions and next step

I will make sure that these three pitfalls are avoided at all costs in the Institution I work for
after observing that major causes of high non-performing loans can be applied to almost all
five banks reviewed, especially in the areas of corporate governance, insider related loans, and
inadequate underwriting. I have started a detailed risk analysis of our procedures in these areas,
and the Management Team and I will address any potential areas for improvement.

Conclusion

Finding the root causes of loan defaults is a crucial component of study on NPLs. NPLs are
caused by a variety of reasons, including economic conditions, regulatory frameworks, and
bank-specific characteristics including subpar risk management procedures, according to this
research. There is still a lot to learn about how these variables interact and affect loan defaults
in various situations.
The effects of NPLs on the banking sector and the larger economy are a key subject of
investigation. NPLs can have major negative repercussions on banks, including decreased
profitability and a higher chance of insolvency, according to studies. NPLs can also have an
impact on the economy more broadly by limiting credit availability and impeding economic
expansion.
However, there is still much to learn about the extent and nature of these effects, and how they
vary across different countries and economic contexts.
The study of potential remedies for the NPL issue is equally crucial. This entails examining the
efficacy of various NPL management techniques, such as loan restructuring, asset management
firms, and debt-for-equity swaps. Research is also required to understand how regulatory
structures, such as bankruptcy laws, prudential rules, and other legal frameworks, function in
tackling the NPL issue.
In essence, it is abundantly clear that the profitability of any Commercial Bank depends heavily
on a thorough credit underwriting procedure, a Credit Policy Guide that follows a top-down
approach in terms of corporate governance, and an aggressive collections behavior like that
used by the Central Bank of Nigeria to recover outstanding loans.
 References

Beginning Reflective Practice by Melanie Jasper

Enhancing skills of critical reflection to evidence learning in professional practice

Colin Paterson, Judith Chapman