MAPPING THE ECONOMIC GROWTH USING NON-PARAMETRIC APPROACHES: INSIGHTS FROM FINANCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY INDICATORS IN THE SELECTED OIC COUNTRIES.

Abstract This study investigates the complex relationship between financial development (FD), institutional quality (IQ), and economic growth (EG) across five selected OIC countries—Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey—using a non-parametric approach. Spanning the period from 1990 to 2020 and segmented into pre- and post-Global Financial Crisis (GFC) eras, the study employs scatter plot visualization to identify heterogeneous growth patterns and the role of institutional and financial resilience. The results categorize economies into four distinct typologies: fragile, stagnant, resilient, and governance-led, thereby offering new insights into how differing levels of FD and IQ influence economic performance under external shocks. Findings reveal that countries with strong institutional frameworks and diversified financial systems, such as Turkey and Malaysia, displayed greater economic resilience, while others like Pakistan and Indonesia remained vulnerable due to weak governance and financial fragility. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating the value of distributional and structure-sensitive non-parametric tools in capturing nuances often missed by traditional econometric models. These insights provide a robust foundation for policy reforms targeting institutional strengthening and financial diversification in the OIC region.