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Women’s empowerment and gender equality contribute to the achievement of a sustainable world according to United Nations and Agenda 2030. Previous research highlights the impact of microfinance program on women’s empowerment. Through a lack in previous research, the aim of this report emerged. The aim is to describe and analyse women’s experience of how a microfinance program focused on women’s economic empowerment in the Philippines affect their financial literacy and in what ways financial literacy can be related to their empowerment. The study consists of a qualitative methodology and elements of a deductive approach. The collected empirical data consist of documents, observations and interviews. The results show that, through seminars and participation, the women got increased their knowledge in economics. Women’s participation in the microfinance program also lead to empowerment. The result shows that the women bring the knowledge from the program home to their personal finances and affects the individual’s environment. The impact of the microfinance program has larger effects for many women, not only the one participating in the program. Therefore, to understand the phenomena in this study, it is necessary to include experiences from outside the microfinance program. Because on the result in this report, the suggestions for future research is to investigate the correlation between the microfinance program and women’s personal finances. / Enligt FN:s mål Agenda 2030 är jämställdhet och att alla kvinnor har makt att bestämma över sina liv en förutsättning för en hållbar utveckling i världen. Tidigare forskning lyfter fram vad mikrofinans program har för inverkan på kvinnors egenmakt (empowerment). På grund av brist i tidigare forskning har syftet med denna studie tagits fram. Syftet är att beskriva och analysera kvinnors egna uppfattningar om hur ett mikrofinans program, vars syfte är att öka kvinnors egenmakt i Filippinerna påverkar finansiell läskunnighet (financial literacy). Vidare studeras hur ekonomisk läskunnighet kan relateras till kvinnors egenmakt. Studien utgår från en kvalitativ metod och inslag av deduktiv ansats. Det empiriska materialet har samlats in genom dokument, observationer samt intervjuer. Resultatet av kvinnornas uppfattning är att de ökat sin ekonomiska läskunnighet genom seminarier och deltagande i programmet. Kvinnors deltagande resulterar också i att de ökat sin egenmakt. Resultatet visar också på att kvinnorna tar med sig den nya kunskapen från programmet hem till den privata ekonomin och påverkar individens miljö. Uppfattningen är att mikrofinans programmet har större effekter än bara för de som deltar i programmet. Därmed, för att förstå fenomenet i denna studie är det nödvändigt att ta in effekter och erfarenheter utifrån mikrofinans programmet. För vidare forskning föreslår vi att djupare analysera sambandet mellan mikrofinans program och kvinnors privata ekonomi. Med tanke på resultatet i denna rapport, föreslår vi att fortsatt forskning djupare analysera sambandet mellan mikrofinans program och kvinnors privata ekonomi.

This thesis aims to capture the notion of "Financial iliteracy" as a phenomenon of the present in the context of the Czech Republic, or of the region with the highest unemployment and specific problems - the Most region. The introductory part defines basic concepts connected with financial iliteracy, its education support in the Czech Republic and the measurement possibilities. The next part concentrates on the Most region, on the concrete examples of financial iliteracy support on this location and it is followed by a survey. The conclusion will look at the evaluation of results gained by the survey and recommendations for financial iliteracy support optimization.

Consumers need to acquire financial knowledge and confidence in order to take effectual actions to accumulate adequate retirement wealth and improve their overall financial well-being. Thus, quality financial education programs are needed to empower consumers to achieve these goals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Utah State University (USU) Retirement and Savings Seminar as measured by participant satisfaction and participants‘ financial knowledge, financial confidence, and financial behavior change compared to a similar group of non-participants. The program evaluation was guided by a logic model developed for the seminar. Data for this study were collected with three online questionnaires emailed to USU employees who enrolled in the seminar as well as a comparison group matched by gender and employment category. A total of 188 individuals responded to the surveys, with subsamples of 54 treatment group participants and 134 comparison group participants. Results from chi-square crosstabulations and an independent samples t test revealed that age, total household income, and current retirement assets were the only significant group differences between seminar participants and non-participants. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the Retirement and Savings Seminar is a beneficial program. Overall, seminar participants reported that they were very satisfied with the seminar and would recommend it to other university employees in the future. Results from the hierarchical regression models found a significant increase in seminar participants‘ financial knowledge and financial confidence from the pretest to the posttest. Additionally, seminar participants improved their financial knowledge and financial confidence scores more than non-participants above and beyond group differences in age, total household income, and pretest scores. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA found that financial behavior also increased more for seminar participants than for non-participants two months after completing the seminar. According to the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM), individuals progress through five stages of behavior change to modify a problem behavior or acquire a positive behavior. Consistent with this theory, a Wilcoxon signed-ranks test indicated that the seminar helped seminar participants to progress to a higher TTM stage of change more than non-participants.

Abstract Preparing for retirement is a complex task at which some individuals succeed while others do not, often with dire consequences. A model of investor behavior including retirement planning and saving is tested in a Taiwanese sample of full-time working adults. 134 participants completed a questionnaire about future time perspective, retirement goal clarity, financial literacy, retirement planning activity level and monthly savings contributions. Results indicated that FTP was a significant predictor of savings contributions and goal clarity which in turn predicted financial literacy and planning activity level. Financial literacy predicted planning activity level. No support was found for planning activity level as a predictor of monthly savings contributions. A three-way interaction with FTP, financial risk tolerance and financial knowledge as predictors of savings contributions was approaching significance, but small sample size likely limited statistical power. Path analysis shows some support for a model of retirement planning proposed by Hershey (2004) though data do not fit models previously tested by Hershey, Jacobs-Lawson, McArdle, and Hamagami (2007) and Stawski, Hershey and Jacobs-Lawson (2007). Instead a new model of retirement planning and savings contributions is proposed. However it is likely that savings norms affect contributions such that those who do not plan for retirement do not save at a rate lower than those who do. It is also likely that those who do plan for retirement invest rather than save disposable income. Keywords: retirement planning, personality, future time perspective, financial planning, financial literacy

Objectives: This study aimed to assess residents' and fellows' knowledge of finance principles that may affect their personal financial health. Methods: A cross-sectional, anonymous, web-based survey was administered to a convenience sample of residents and fellows at two academic medical centers. Respondents answered 20 questions on personal finance and 28 questions about their own financial planning, attitudes, and debt. Questions regarding satisfaction with one's financial condition and investment-risk tolerance used a 10-point Likert scale (1=lowest, 10=highest). Of 2,010 trainees, 422 (21%) responded (median age 30 years; interquartile range, 28-33). Results: The mean quiz score was 52.0% (SD = 19.1). Of 299 (71%) respondents with student loan debt, 144 (48%) owed over $200,000. Many respondents had other debt, including 86 (21%) with credit card debt. Of 262 respondents with retirement savings, 142 (52%) had saved less than $25,000. Respondents' mean satisfaction with their current personal financial condition was 4.8 (SD = 2.5) and investment-risk tolerance was 5.3 (SD = 2.3). Indebted trainees reported lower satisfaction than trainees without debt (4.4 vs. 6.2, F (1,419) = 41.57, p < .001). Knowledge was moderately correlated with investment-risk tolerance (r=0.41, p < .001), and weakly correlated with satisfaction with financial status (r=0.23, p < .001). Conclusions: Residents and fellows had low financial literacy and investment-risk tolerance, high debt, and deficits in their financial preparedness. Adding personal financial education to the medical education curriculum would benefit trainees. Providing education in areas such as budgeting, estate planning, investment strategies, and retirement planning early in training can offer significant long-term benefits.

Financial literacy has been identified in previous studies as an area that has not been researched extensively in South Africa. This is particularly true for Black South Africans who have been previously disadvantaged and excluded from the mainstream economy and financial services in the apartheid regime. Lower savings and over-indebtedness amongst this group can be attributable to the lower financial literacy levels emanating from the inequalities of the past. This study aims to assess the financial literacy of Black South Africans with a commercial tertiary qualification working in Pretoria and Johannesburg based on descriptive research and structured questionnaires. The study first establishes that although people with a commercial tertiary qualification are more financially literate than those with non-commercial tertiary qualification, Black South Africans are nevertheless less financially literate than their Coloured, Indian and White contemporaries. Secondly, those who have savings have higher financial literacy than those who do not have savings. / Mini Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Financial Management / MCom / Unrestricted

The topic of the thesis is to analyze the debt of Czech households from 1993 to 2012. The main goal is to map the development of indebtedness of Czech households in these years and to discuss the reasons of increasing Czech households debt mainly including drop in inflation and interest rates, the desire of the population for their own living and the tendency towards the consumer life despite the decrease in growth of indebtedness of households till 2009. The thesis tries to answer the question whether Czech households are over indebted and whether they are threatened by falling into a debt trap. Although the increments of debt were considerable in the recent years, in the international comparison the indebtedness of Czech households is very low and the fall to a debt trap is not actual because the majority of loans are used for purchase of real estate. The risk is represented by substantial growth of interest rates, prices of real estate and increase in the unemployment rate together with low economic performance. In conclusion, the thesis tries to formulate the disposal against over indebtedness. As one of the most effective implement is considered the increase in financial literacy of wider population and the change of social atmosphere in which the debt was perceived least risky.

This paper investigates how individuals in emerging markets, specifically South Africa, approach their savings decision. The researcher attempts to identify those attributes most desirable to emerging market consumers, in so far as the allocation of their disposable income to saving is concerned. In the wake of one of the biggest financial crises to hit the modern world, there is going to be increased scrutiny into how financial institutions and countries capitalise their balance sheets. The manner in which financial advice is given to individuals will face similar scrutiny as such the subject matter requires even greater understanding. Human beings in some parts of the world are living increasingly longer. Longevity risk is the risk that people may live for longer than the average expected. This poses risks of uncertainty of the quantum of financial assets to build up in preparation for retirement. These are pertinent reasons for the need for a study of this nature. The research found that stereotypical understandings of the profile of a typical emerging market individual are being challenged. As such organisations looking to take advantage of business opportunities present in these markets need to be cognisant of this change in shaping their business strategies. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Recent studies have indicated that only 6% of South African citizens can maintain their standard of living during retirement. This is of great concern to both the government and individuals. In an attempt to counter this dilemma, the government has implemented several new tax exemptions and deductions to encourage taxpayers to increase their retirement savings. However, uncertainty exists regarding the effectiveness of these exemptions and deductions. For individuals to benefit from same, they will need to be informed on and understand the principles on which they are based. Above all, South African citizens need to grasp the importance of ensuring their financial security during retirement, which will hopefully create a culture of saving for that purpose. South Africans therefore need to increase their level of financial and tax literacy, either by informing themselves in that regard, or by consulting with professionals. This study was conducted from a South African perspective and focused on the probability of financial and tax literacy increasing financial independence during retirement. The data presented in this study was collected by means of two questionnaires, which were emailed to a selection of participants. The purpose of this study was first to determine the financial and tax literacy of South Africans with regard to retirement planning and second, to determine whether financial and tax literacy could increase financial independence during retirement. This study is an empirical study since primary data was collected specifically for this research project. Based on the data obtained by means of the questionnaires, it was concluded that the financial and tax literacy of the majority of South Africans is not sufficient to intentionally benefit from tax-beneficial retirement funds and investments. It was further concluded that although the majority of South Africans are not sufficiently financially literate to be able to optimise their retirement savings, they are willing to improve their level of financial and tax literacy and increase their savings towards retirement once they have been informed and have gained some understanding in this regard. Therefore, financial and tax literacy can potentially increase financial independence during retirement. / Mini Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Taxation / MCom / Unrestricted