scholarly journals Is Income Inequality Influenced by Financial Knowledge? A Macroeconomic and Longitudinal Analysis

Author(s):  
Francisco J. Oliver-Márquez ◽  
Almudena Guarnido-Rueda ◽  
Ignacio Amate-Fortes ◽  
Diego Martínez-Navarro

AbstractOur objective is to analyze whether financial knowledge influences income inequality. For this purpose, we resort to a new index of financial knowledge that differs from the existing ones in that it is both longitudinal and macroeconomic. We use this index as one of the explanatory variables of the Net Gini Index in our panel data estimations. Based on a sample of 63 countries over the period 2008–2014, our results allow us to conclude that financial knowledge is related to income inequality and that, moreover, this relationship is non-linear. Thus, increases in financial knowledge could reduce income inequality when starting from relatively low levels of such knowledge. However, at a certain threshold, the income redistributive effect of financial knowledge could disappear or even reverse. Even so, national strategies for financial education could be useful to achieve economic equity in those countries where financial knowledge levels are low. In addition, we shed light on the effect that other variables (such as institutional quality or under-education) have on income inequality.

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiing Jia Loke

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to identify the determinants of the probability of living beyond one’s means. The paper also explores the coping mechanisms of those financially distressed as well as the debt taking behaviour of consumers. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses data obtained from the OECD International Network on Financial Education pilot study on Measuring Financial Literacy in 2010 for the case of Malaysia. A logistic regression model is used to identify the main determinants of the probability that a consumer will live beyond his/her means. The analysis is carried out by using a set of socio-economic factors and the individual’s financial behaviour and attitudinal characteristics as explanatory variables. Findings – The findings indicate that low income and seasonal income earners are more vulnerable to financial distress. Furthermore, having a higher education, higher financial knowledge and prudent financial behaviour and attitude do not necessarily translate into better financial management. Family and friends provide the main source of financial assistance in times of need. Research limitations/implications – The assessment of financial knowledge should go beyond individual’s knowledge on financial concepts and theories. Practical knowledge on financial and cash flow management should be assessed. Practical implications – The study reiterates the importance of financial education. It is imperative to include financial education as part of the schools’ curriculum and also to be incorporated as part of the Continuous Professional Development modules for working adults. Originality/value – The study is based on the first nationwide study of consumer finances in Malaysia. It contributes to the literature by integrating financial behaviour and attitudinal factors into the analysis of the ability of individuals to live within their means. The findings also show the limitations of the existing self-assessment of financial behaviour and attitude and the assessment of financial knowledge.


2021 ◽  
pp. 39-54
Author(s):  
Tiit Tammaru ◽  
Anastasia Sinitsyna ◽  
Alireza Akhavizadegan ◽  
Maarten van Ham ◽  
Szymon Marcińczak ◽  
...  

AbstractBasedonextensiveresearchwithdistinguished scholars within the book project ‘Socioeconomic Segregation in European Capital Cities’, this chapter summarizes the key trends in income inequalityand socioeconomic segregationin Europe. We draw our data from the two last census rounds, and we focus on the most common indicators of incomeinequality(Gini Index) and residential segregation(DissimilarityIndex). We find that levels of residential segregation grew between the two last censuses in most of the cities included in our study. Changes in residential segregation follow changes in income inequality with a time lag, and it tends to happen in both directions. Low levels of income inequality relate to low levels of segregation after 10 years, and high levels of inequality relate to high levels of segregation after 10 years.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1038
Author(s):  
Atta Ullah ◽  
Zhao Kui ◽  
Saif Ullah ◽  
Chen Pinglu ◽  
Saba Khan

This study aims to determine the role of globalization, electronic government, financial development, concerning the moderation of institutional quality in reducing income inequality and poverty in One Belt One Road countries. The electronic government and regional integration of the economies of the One Belt One Road countries has increased globalization and can play a vital role in reducing income inequality and poverty. However, this globalization and digital transformation of government systems can only be beneficial in the presence of good institutional quality. The sample includes 64 One Belt One Road countries from 2003 to 2018. We employed a two-step system generalized method of moment (Sys-GMM) and a robustness check through Driscoll–Kraay standard errors regression. Our findings show that globalization, economic growth, e-government development, government expenditure, and inflation have a statistically significant and negative impact on income inequality and are key to eradicating income inequality and poverty. On the other hand, financial development, gross capital formation, and population size positively influence income inequality, which causes an increase in poverty and income inequality as financial development and population levels increase. Moderating variable institutional quality also positively impacts income inequality, which means that institutional quality in Belt and Road Countries is weak, as they are mostly developing countries that need to improve their systems. Moreover, the marginal effect also revealed that institutional quality has a corrective effect on the factors’ relationship with income inequality. Our findings endorse and conclude that globalization and e-government development improve economic growth and eradicate poverty and income inequality by boosting digitalization, investments, job creation, and wage increases for semi-skilled and unskilled human capital in Belt and Road countries. The sustainable utilization of financial and institutional resources plays a vital role in reducing income inequality and poverty in Belt and Road countries.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
GILLES LE GARREC

AbstractIn most industrial countries, public pension systems redistribute from workers to retired people, not from high-income to low-income earners. They are close actuarial fairness. However, they are not all equivalent. In particular, some pension benefits are linked to full lifetime average earnings, while others are only linked to partial earnings history. In the latter case, we then show in this article that an actuarially fair pay-as-you-go pension system can both reduce lifetime income inequality and enhance economic growth. We also shed light on the dilemma between inequality and economic growth in retirement systems: greater progressivity results in less lifetime inequlity but also less growth.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e16089-e16089
Author(s):  
Jean Henri Schoueri ◽  
Luis Eduardo Werneck De Carvalho ◽  
Isabella Batista Martins Portugal ◽  
Manuela de Almeida Roediger ◽  
Edige Felipe de Sousa Santos ◽  
...  

e16089 Background: There are substantial disparities in esophageal cancer mortality across different social groups, including sex, race/ethnicity, geographical location and socio-economic status. Methods: This is an ecological study with secondary data from 2016 to 2018 that evaluated the effects of income-inequality and number of doctors per inhabitant on esophageal cancer mortality in Brazil and its Federative Units. The amount of deaths and the overall number of doctors were obtained from the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System. Mortality was estimated per 100,000 individuals and age-standardized through the World Health Organization’s population, whereas the rate of doctor per inhabitant was calculated per 1,000 inhabitants. Income-Inequality was measured by the Gini index, obtained from the United Nations Development Programme. Linear regression was performed by the stepwise backward method. Results: Sex, Gini index values and oncology surgeons were all related to lower mortality rates (p < 0.05), whereas clinical oncologists and general surgeons were both associated with higher mortality (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Esophageal cancer mortality rates were influenced by both the type and amount of doctors per inhabitant of any given administrative region in Brazil, however there was no association found with regards to income inequality.[Table: see text]


2019 ◽  
pp. 106-133
Author(s):  
Francesco Grigoli ◽  
Adrian Robles

The linearity of the relationship between income inequality and economic development has been long questioned. While theory provides arguments for which the shape of the relationship may be positive for low levels of inequality and negative for high ones, most of the empirical literature assumes a linear specification finding conflicting results. Employing an innovative empirical approach, robust to endogeneity, we find pervasive evidence of nonlinearities. In particular, similar to the debt-overhang literature, we identify an inequality-overhang level, in that the slope of the relationship between income inequality and economic development switches from positive to negative at a net Gini coefficient of about 27 per cent. We also find that in an environment characterized by widespread financial inclusion and high income concentration, rising income inequality has a larger negative impact on economic development because banks may curtail credit to customers at the lower end of the income distribution. On the positive side, a sufficiently high female labor participation can act as a shock absorber reducing such a negative impact, possibly through a more efficient allocation of resources.


Author(s):  
Rodolfo Hoffmann

Income inequality in Brazil, already high, increased after the military coup of 1964 and remained very high even after democratization in the 1980s. It decreased substantially in the period 2001–2014, after inflation was controlled. The Gini index of the per capita household income dropped from 0.594 in 2001 to 0.513 in 2014. The determinants of this decline in inequality are analyzed considering the components of that income and how each one affected changes in inequality, showing the impact of changes in the remuneration of private sector employees and in pensions paid by the government, as well as federal transfer programs. Changes in education lie behind the first of these effects, and the increase of the minimum wage reinforced all three. The economic crises after 2014 interrupted the process of decline, and among economically active persons, inequality even increased from 2014 to 2015. Measures to further reduce inequality are suggested.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 103
Author(s):  
Jasmina Okicic ◽  
Meldina Kokorovic Jukan ◽  
Mensur Heric

The purpose of this research is to provide some insights into financial literacy among undergraduate students focusing primarily on the relationship between financial knowledge, financial attitudes and financial behavior and on possible gender and financial education gap in financial literacy. Using the purposive sampling technique, data collection was carried out from April to June 2020, yielding a sample of 1,046 valid responses. To gain a better understanding of the relationship between financial behaviour, financial attitudes and financial knowledge, we, primarily, use exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression model. The research findings have revealed several important issues. First, findings have suggested that financial knowledge, financial attitudes and gender may be considered as an antecedent of the financial behaviour of undergraduate students. Second, findings have also suggested a statistically - significant difference between the financial literacy of undergraduate students concerning their exposure to formal financial education.


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