Thesis (M.F.A.), University of Central Oklahoma, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-111).

This thesis employs economic experiments and empirical methods to understand the role of comparison income in the demand of individuals' debt. It then investigates the determinants of UK individuals' attitude towards debt, focusing on the role played by comparison income. It uses data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) and the New Earnings Survey (NES). The central contributions of this thesis include: (i) the implementation of a life-cycle experiment testing for the differences in consumption levels between Individual and Group treatments; (ii) the computation of a proxy for comparison income using both the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) and the New Earnings Survey (NES); and (iii) the extension of individual demand for debt models with comparison income as main factor. This is achieved by designing and conducting human-subject experiments, wherein individuals execute life-cycle tasks. Results show evidence of larger consumption levels in the Group treatment as compared to the Individual treatment; supporting the notion of comparison consumption. In addition, the empirical methods consist in a tobit and fixed effect models, where individuals' demand for debt is function of several financial and demographic factors, including comparison income. Results show that comparison income plays a significant part in the individuals' demand for mortgage debt and non-mortgage debt. Besides, findings suggest that debtors are more likely to hold favourable attitude towards debt; and this is exacerbated by household relative income. Overall, results support the hypothesis of aspiration paradox (Olsen, 2008); which affirms individuals' aspirations may lead them to incur debt beyond their financial means.

Thesis (M.A. in communication)--Washington State University, June 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 111-118).

Dissertation (MA) -- AUT University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references. Also held in print ( leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.) in the Archive at the City Campus (T 332.7430993 THO)

The primary purpose of the research was to develop a quantitative model which can be used for screening retail revolving charge applicants. In addition to achieving this goal, four other objectives were met.

This study was aimed at investigating the high level of consumer indebtedness in the South African retail market more specifically factors that contribute to consumer indebtedness. Recommendations on how to control the level of consumer indebtedness are also presented. Consumer indebtedness is a problem in many countries around the world and as witnessed during the 2008 global financial crisis, its impact can be disastrous. Not only does it create problems for the families but also for a country and even to the extent of the whole world. The literature conducted did not reveal a study undertaken to investigate factors that impact consumer indebtedness. Eight factors were identified and explored further in this study. Results were analysed in chapter three and outcomes presented in chapter four. The method used in conducting this study is the quantitative method. A questionnaire was developed based on the literature review conducted. The questionnaire was a five point Likert scale and was distributed to the respondents in the southern area of Tshwane Municipal district. In view of a manageable number of responses, results were analysed using an excel spreadsheet. Results were verified by an independent expert. From the eight factors that are identified, one (easy access to credit) was found to impact the high level of consumer indebtedness. Although there are other weaknesses, easy access to credit is found to be the main contributor. Recommendations on the findings are presented in chapter five of this study.

Materialism has long been a subject of interest to researchers. More negative than positive consequences have been reported from studies on the lifestyles of materialists. For example, increased consumer and credit card debt, shrinking saving rates, increased number of consumers filing for bankruptcy, lower levels of life satisfaction and the depletion of natural resources are reported to be emanating from the increasing levels of materialism in societies. It is thus important to investigate the factors that can be implicated for the growth of materialism. Most of the studies attempt to explain materialism at a given point in time in isolation of the events people have experienced in their early life or childhood. Realizing that this practice is a shortcoming in consumer research, there is a call that consumer behaviour, such as materialism, be studied as a function of past life experiences using the life-course approach. While few studies have applied this approach to understanding materialism, little is known about the psychological processes that link childhood family structure to materialism. It is against this background that this study used the life-course approach to study how childhood family structure affects materialism through psychological processes of perceived family resources (tangible and intangible), perceived stress from the disruptive family events, and money attitudes of Generation Y South Africans. The study also assessed the moderating role of money attitudes on the relationship between childhood family experiences and materialism. Money attitude dimensions of status, achievement, worry, security and budget were introduced to broaden the life-course study of materialism because they are reported to begin in childhood, to remain in adulthood and they function in the background of every behavioural intention and action. Generation Y (commonly reported to be born between 1977 and 1994) were the subject of this study, because the literature reviewed revealed that these emerging consumers are not only numerous (about 30 percent of South Africans are Generation Y), have considerable influence and spending power, but most have been raised in disrupted single-parent/income families. With reports from family sociologists on the outcomes of divorce and single-parenthood (for example, stress, inadequate family resources, and low self-esteem) questions were raised as to how these outcomes would affect Generation Y money attitudes and materialistic values. Ten hypotheses were formulated to empirically answer the research questions. Using quantitative methodologies based on the nature of the research questions and problems, data were collected through online questionnaire from 826 business undergraduate students from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan and Western Cape Universities. University-aged respondents were appropriate for this study since they are ideally suited to remember their past family circumstances and must have already formed consumption habits, attitudes and values at their age. The first research problem was to evaluate how two of the life-course theoretical perspectives (i.e., family resources and stress) selected for this study would explain the materialistic values of Generation Y South Africans raised in non-intact (did not live with both biological parents before 18th birthday) and intact (lived with both biological parents before 18th birthday) family structures through the money attitudes adopted. The results showed that even though a significant difference in perceived family resources (both tangible and intangible) and stress was found between subjects raised in non-intact (or disrupted) and intact families, the difference in materialism as a whole was not significant. In terms of the three materialistic values of success, happiness and centrality, subjects raised in disrupted families significantly scored higher in the happiness dimension. For the money attitude dimensions of status, achievement, worry, budget and security they significantly scored higher in the worry money attitude. Results of the correlation analyses showed that perceived decrease in tangible (food, clothing and pocket money) family resources was a childhood factor that affected later worry money attitude to significantly and positively influence all of the three materialistic values. Perceived decreases in intangible family resources (for example, love and emotional support) negatively affected the symbolic money attitudes of status and worry, which in turn, positively affected only the happiness dimension of materialism. Perceived increase in stress positively affected all of the symbolic money attitudes of status, worry and achievement. These, in turn, positively influenced only the success and happiness materialistic values. The second research problem was based on an assessment of the moderating role of money attitudes on the childhood family experiences to materialism relationship. Using hierarchical regression analyses, it was found that only the achievement and worry money attitude dimensions moderated the family resources to materialism relationship. This means that when subjects hold higher worry and achievement money attitudes, an increase in family resources (tangible and intangible) will have less effect in reducing materialistic tendencies. For the stress to materialism relationship, only the worry money attitude dimension had a moderating effect, meaning that when higher worry money attitude is held, an increase in stress from family disruptions would have a greater effect in increasing materialistic tendencies. None of the five money attitude dimensions did, however, moderate the childhood family structure to materialism relationship. The results of this study do not only have theoretical implications, but also provide valuable information to consumer-interest groups, banks and retailers, especially in terms of the money attitudes of Generation Y consumers in South Africa.

This paper verifies the positive relationship between consumer credit and the four categories of consumption spending in South Africa. The study utilised data sourced from the South African Reserve Bank for the period 1975-2011. The study was conducted via regression analysis to determine the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. A significant positive relationship was found between the independent variable household debt and the four categories of consumption. The results are statistically significant for non-durable and durable goods and although significant for services and semi-durable goods, the relationship is less strong in these two instances. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 2015. / Standard survival analysis methods model lifetime data where cohorts are tracked from the point of origin, until the occurrence of an event. If more than one event occurs, a special model is chosen to handle competing risks. Moreover, if the events are defined such that most subjects are not susceptible to the event(s) of interest, standard survival methods may not be appropriate. This project is an application of survival analysis in a consumer credit context. The data used in this study was obtained from a major South African financial institution covering a five year observation period from April 2009 to March 2014. The aim of the project was to follow up on cohorts from the point where vehicle finance loans originated to either default or early settlement events and compare survival and logistic modeling methodologies. As evidenced by the empirical Kaplain Meier survival curve, the data typically had long term survivors with heavy censoring as at March 2014. Cause specific Cox regression models were fitted and an adjustment was made for each model, to accommodate a proportion p of long term survivors. The corresponding Cumulative Incidence Curves were calculated per model, to determine probabilities at a fixed horizon of 48 months. Given the complexity of the consumer credit lifetime data at hand, we investigated how logistic regression methods would compare. Logistic regression models were fitted per event type. The models were assessed for goodness of fit. Their ability to differentiate risk were determined using the model Gini Statistics. Model assessment results were satisfactory. Methodologies were compared for each event type using Receiver Operating Characteristic curves and area under the curves. The Results show that survival methods perform better than logistic regression methods when modelling lifetime data in the presence of competing risks and long term survivors.

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