Participation banks and the functioning of the private pension system

This study intends to reveal the need for the newly introduced private pension system and what instruments are used to evaluate individual pension system funds in normal course of business, in the area of participation banking. Following the annulment of the former requirement for holding State Bonds and Treasury Bills by at least 30% in the private pension system, which was introduced by the Official Gazette of 12 January 2008, the private pension system was granted a green light, in participation banking.The introduction of beholders of interest sensitive savings into the system will have significant impacts on the development of participation banking. The evaluation of funds in non-interest bearing private pension system is a newly emerging practice and new domain in this area. The few number of published scientific reference texts in this particular area adds on to the significance of the present study.The very short past of PPS in participation banks along with the very limited nature of statistical data, as well as scholarly articles available on the system may be denoted as constraints. Furthermore, unavailability of certain information due to competition remaining high in the current system of banking can also be enumerated as a limitation of the study. This study followed the descriptive survey model, supported with scholarly literature scans, to the extent of requirement.The first part of the study gives a brief view of the place and role of participation banking within the system of banking as currently operative, along with an assessment of the Turkish system of banking and makes a research on generic characteristics of participation banking. After getting into some depth for bringing forth an overview of the rise, existing status in Turkey and general modus operandi of participation banking, highlight is made to the importance of it, in the Turkish financial sector. Spotlight is directed to the techniques employed and methods followed by participation bankers for collecting and evaluating, as well as provisioning and facilitation of funds, in an effort to unveil the significance of participation banks, exploiting various bibliographical texts dealing with their structure and characteristics.The second part of the study pulls the probe on operation of the private pension system in participation banks, based on a review. Research focuses first on the requirement for, the rise and characteristics of the private pension system. Next, it considers, with a comparative approach, the differences between the various aspects and characteristics of the private pension system implemented at participation banks and the private pension schemes implemented by commercial banks. Besides, it pulls through some further research on the initial rise and various characteristic features of non-interest bearing pension funds necessary for an effective PPS to be established in participation banks. Definitions are brought to non-interest bearing instruments comprised by non-interest bearing pension funds, with indicative representations of their rates of shares in the same, in percentage.The third and final part of the study makes comparison of PPS in participation banks versus those available in deposit banks. Their various similar and different aspects are investigated. Moreover, the performances of non-interest bearing funds during the last years are put under the magnifying glass. In conclusion, highlight is made to the need for redirecting the focus of interest towards non-interest bearing, fixed-yield securities, in order to render private pension schemes more efficient and better performing, at participation banks.Keywords: Bank, participation bank, private pension system, non-interest bearing instruments.