Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Sonya L. Britt / This dissertation, consisting of three studies, explores the factors that influence the financial wellness of employees participating in a workplace financial education program. This dissertation also explores the influence that financial wellness has on the intention to engage in retirement planning activities and perceived retirement preparedness. Data for all three essays was obtained from a Financial Wellness Assessment instrument used in conjunction with a workplace financial education program provided by Financial Finesse (2013). The primary conceptual framework used to guide the three studies was Joo’s (2008) conceptual framework of financial wellness. The first essay examined factors that have been conceptualized as components of financial wellness—financial behaviors, perceived financial knowledge, and financial attitudes. Results showed that employees comfortable with their current level of non-mortgage debt and those with perceived financial knowledge had a greater sense of overall financial wellness. Core financial behaviors and advanced financial behaviors were also found to be associated with financial wellness with core financial behaviors having the biggest effect on financial wellness. Maintaining an emergency fund, having a handle on cash flow, paying credit card balances off in full each month, and paying bills on time were significantly related to greater financial wellness. Personal factors associated with a greater sense of financial wellness included household income, being under age 30, homeownership, being married, and not having children in the household. The second essay examined the influence of various subcomponents of financial wellness on retirement planning intention. Results indicated that retirement was the leading financial topic of interest of employees. Findings also demonstrated that desirable core financial management behaviors and a financial attitude of comfort regarding current non-mortgage debt increased the likelihood of employee intentions to engage in retirement planning activities. Specific financial behaviors associated with retirement planning intention included having a handle on cash flow, paying bills on time, and paying off credit card balances in full each month. Personal factors such as age and income also influenced retirement planning intention as older employees and those with greater household income were more likely to intend to plan for retirement. Having children in the household and non-Caucasian/White ethnicity decreased the likelihood of retirement planning intention. Finally, the third essay utilized Joo’s (2008) conceptual framework of financial wellness to explore factors that predict perceived retirement preparedness. Higher levels of financial satisfaction, perceived financial knowledge, and confidence in current asset allocation increased the likelihood employees demonstrated a sense of retirement preparedness. Core and advanced financial behaviors were also associated with perceived retirement preparedness. Younger employees and household income of $100,000 or more increased the likelihood of perceived retirement preparedness. Results of these three studies demonstrate that financial wellness has a significant influence on perceived retirement preparedness of employees engaged in information seeking activities as part of a workplace financial education program. Key components of financial wellness such as objective financial status, financial knowledge, financial attitudes, financial satisfaction, and financial behaviors were also found to be associated with the intention to engage in retirement planning activities. These findings are relevant to financial counselors, financial planners, financial educators, academicians, and employers dedicated to promoting increased financial wellness among employees.

Financial stress is a condition that is becoming more prevalent in today’s society. Factors such as high debt levels, low savings and economic recessions all contribute to the financial stress experienced by people across all nations. Research has found that financial stress negatively affects employees’ performance at work. Quality employees play a vital role in the success of a business. As a result, employers should strive to ensure employees’ well-being. With these increasing pressures on personal finance and its interference on work, should management attempt to improve employees’ financial well-being? Management needs to be convinced that their actions can improve their employees’ financial well-being. This study established and measured the relationship that the subjective measures financial efficacy and satisfaction with remuneration have on personal financial well-being. A sample size of 9 057 employees from different sectors in South Africa was used. Data was analysed using Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis. Three hypotheses were tested. Hypothesis 1: There is a relationship between satisfaction with remuneration and personal financial well-being. Hypothesis 2: There is a relationship between personal financial well-being and personal financial efficacy. Hypothesis 3: Personal financial efficacy moderates the relationship between satisfaction with remuneration and personal financial wellbeing. The study found that all three hypotheses were supported. Personal financial efficacy and satisfaction with remuneration were found to have a large positive relationship with personal financial well-being. The study also established that the relationship between satisfaction with remuneration and financial well-being was stronger in people with higher personal financial efficacy. It is argued that management can intervene with employees’ financial well-being by improving financial efficacy through financial literacy education and by improving their satisfaction with remuneration. / MCom (Management Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Financial stress is a condition that is becoming more prevalent in today’s society. Factors such as high debt levels, low savings and economic recessions all contribute to the financial stress experienced by people across all nations. Research has found that financial stress negatively affects employees’ performance at work. Quality employees play a vital role in the success of a business. As a result, employers should strive to ensure employees’ well-being. With these increasing pressures on personal finance and its interference on work, should management attempt to improve employees’ financial well-being? Management needs to be convinced that their actions can improve their employees’ financial well-being. This study established and measured the relationship that the subjective measures financial efficacy and satisfaction with remuneration have on personal financial well-being. A sample size of 9 057 employees from different sectors in South Africa was used. Data was analysed using Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis. Three hypotheses were tested. Hypothesis 1: There is a relationship between satisfaction with remuneration and personal financial well-being. Hypothesis 2: There is a relationship between personal financial well-being and personal financial efficacy. Hypothesis 3: Personal financial efficacy moderates the relationship between satisfaction with remuneration and personal financial wellbeing. The study found that all three hypotheses were supported. Personal financial efficacy and satisfaction with remuneration were found to have a large positive relationship with personal financial well-being. The study also established that the relationship between satisfaction with remuneration and financial well-being was stronger in people with higher personal financial efficacy. It is argued that management can intervene with employees’ financial well-being by improving financial efficacy through financial literacy education and by improving their satisfaction with remuneration. / MCom (Management Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Submitted by Fabio Gadelha (fabio.gadelha@gmail.com) on 2017-07-17T15:08:31Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Os efeitos do estresse financeiro no ambiente de trabalho brasileiro - Fabio Tosta Gadelha Souza (final).pdf: 1162439 bytes, checksum: 328fc7a94cea04c0f310a40a4e091b37 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Joana Martorini (joana.martorini@fgv.br) on 2017-07-17T15:21:39Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Os efeitos do estresse financeiro no ambiente de trabalho brasileiro - Fabio Tosta Gadelha Souza (final).pdf: 1162439 bytes, checksum: 328fc7a94cea04c0f310a40a4e091b37 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-17T16:02:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Os efeitos do estresse financeiro no ambiente de trabalho brasileiro - Fabio Tosta Gadelha Souza (final).pdf: 1162439 bytes, checksum: 328fc7a94cea04c0f310a40a4e091b37 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-07-06 / The main objective of this paper was to determine whether Brazilian employee’s level of financial stress affects their behavior in the workplace. Specifically, it was tested if individuals with a higher level of financial stress are more likely to: i) miss work, in general; ii) miss work unjustifiably; have excused absences from work; and iv) being subject to punishments at work, as compared to their less stressed colleagues. The study was performed based on a research with 673 employees of 10 different Brazilian companies from different industries, in which participation was voluntary. The level of individual financial stress was determined by the InCharge Financial Distress/Financial Well-Being Scale, created by Prawitz et. al. (2006), in order to use the subjective level of financial stress of the respondents. The tests were applied using the Linear Probability, Probit and Logit models. Our findings were that the financial stress does increase, in a statistically significant manner, the chances of absences from work in general/regardless of motives and of unexcused absences. All three models pointed out in that direction. We have not been able, however, to find significant results in any of the three models that financial stress does increase the chances of excused absences and punishments. / A proposta do presente trabalho foi averiguar se, no Brasil, o nível de estresse financeiro dos empregados afeta seu comportamento no trabalho. Especificamente, foi testado se pessoas com maior nível de estresse financeiro têm maior probabilidade de: i) faltar, de uma maneira geral; ii) faltar de maneira injustificada; iii) terem faltas abonadas por seus superiores; e iv) sofrerem punições, em relação aos seus colegas menos estressados. O estudo foi feito a partir de uma pesquisa com 673 funcionários de 10 grupos empresariais brasileiros de diferentes setores de atuação, cuja participação foi voluntária. O grau de estresse financeiro individual foi determinado a partir da Escala InCharge de Estresse Financeiro/Bem-Estar Financeiro, criada por Prawitz et al. (2006), a fim de que se pudesse utilizar o nível subjetivo de estresse financeiro dos respondentes. Os testes foram realizados utilizando os modelos de Probabilidade Linear, Probit e Logit. Nossas conclusões foram de que estresse financeiro aumenta, de maneira estatisticamente significativa, a probabilidade de faltas em geral e de faltas injustificadas. Todos os três modelos apontaram neste sentido. Contudo, não encontramos resultados significativos em nenhum dos três modelos de que o estresse financeiro aumenta a probabilidade de faltas abonadas e punições.

Submitted by Farah Diba Mary Anni Abrantes Braga (farahdiba2010@hotmail.com) on 2018-04-06T20:06:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Versao Final 2018.pdf: 1089729 bytes, checksum: 97fc99ec7c690fe5a2013481054451ac (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Debora Nunes Ferreira (debora.nunes@fgv.br) on 2018-04-06T21:46:58Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Versao Final 2018.pdf: 1089729 bytes, checksum: 97fc99ec7c690fe5a2013481054451ac (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Suzane Guimarães (suzane.guimaraes@fgv.br) on 2018-04-09T12:55:27Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Versao Final 2018.pdf: 1089729 bytes, checksum: 97fc99ec7c690fe5a2013481054451ac (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-09T12:55:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Versao Final 2018.pdf: 1089729 bytes, checksum: 97fc99ec7c690fe5a2013481054451ac (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-09 / The findings of this research bring out how relevant are personal factors (e.g., traits), buying, and financial behaviors in predicting individuals’ indebtedness and financial well-being, if compared to predictors of debt and determinants of credit limits commonly used in used in academia and the finance industry (e.g., income, debt/income ratio, past credit usage behavior, the number of credit cards, past debt behavior, gender, age, schooling, marital status). Consumer credit has undergone a tremendous increase during recent decades in both developed and emerging economies. Brazil, which has one of the highest consumer credit interest rates in the world, has also experienced a substantial credit expansion, providing credit access to consumers who had never had access to it before, notably those in the low-income group. Both previous experience and the literature associate the access to massive amounts of credit with suboptimal and destructive forms of behavior such as impulsive buying and over-indebtedness. This kind of behavior undermines the individual’s financial well-being. In the context of financial services and the emerging Brazilian economy, this research project proposes the concept of financial preparedness for emergency (FPE), defined as ‘an individual’s state of being financially prepared to cope with a financial shock. This research posits that FPE is a critical component of financial well-being and extending on previous literature framework of drivers and consequences of financial well-being, it proposes an integrative model that investigates the role of consumer credit, money attitudes, impulsive buying and indebtedness behavior, in predicting consumers’ financial preparedness for an emergency. Employing a covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) method to test the proposed model empirically, this study finds that personal factors, buying, and financial behaviors play a key role as antecedents of individuals’ financial preparedness. The findings suggest that individuals who see their credit limits as part of their income or are anxious about money are more prone to engage in impulsive buying and risky indebtedness behavior. Consequently, by engaging in such patterns of behavior, individuals weaken their state to cope with financial shock, which in its turn might affect their financial well-being. This research further finds that the belief that credit limits serve as income does not change the risky indebtedness behavior of low-income consumers. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the number of credit cards, gender, schooling, and age does not play any role in financial preparedness nor any of the model’s relationships. An explanation of the outcomes and various of their implications is addressed in this study. Overall, the recommendations made focus on individuals, institutions, and policymakers and the responsibility of each of these players to adopt sustainable forms of behavior, such as, building credit usage awareness, adopting and regulating tools that better identify consumers’ traits and behaviors that might lead them, and eventually society as a whole, into sound financial well-being. / Os resultados desta pesquisa revelam quão importantes são os fatores pessoais (por exemplo, traços de comportamento), o comportamento de compra e crenças financeiras, na previsão do endividamento e bem-estar financeiro dos indivíduos, em comparação indicadores financeiros comumente utilizados pela a academia e indústria financeira (por exemplo, renda, relação dívida / renda, sexo, idade, escolaridade). O crédito ao consumo sofreu um tremendo aumento durante as últimas décadas, tanto em economias desenvolvidas quanto nas emergentes. O Brasil, que tem uma das maiores taxas de juros de crédito ao consumidor do mundo, também experimentou uma substancial expansão de crédito, proporcionando acesso ao crédito a consumidores que nunca tiveram acesso a ele antes, notadamente aqueles do grupo de baixa renda. A literatura e experiência de outros países associam o acesso a enormes quantidades de crédito a comportamentos não ideias e ou destrutivos, como, a compra impulsiva e o superendividamento. Esse tipo de comportamento prejudica o bem-estar financeiro do indivíduo. No contexto dos serviços financeiros e da economia brasileira emergente, este projeto de pesquisa propõe o conceito de ‘preparação financeira para emergências’ (FPE), definido como 'o estado de um indivíduo estar financeiramente preparado para lidar com um choque financeiro'. Esta pesquisa postula que FPE é um componente crítico do bem-estar financeiro, e empregando a literatura existente propõe um modelo integrativo de causas e consequências do bem-estar financeiro. Esse modelo investiga o papel do crédito ao consumidor, atitudes monetárias, comportamento impulsivo de compra e endividamento, na previsão da preparação financeira dos consumidores para uma emergência. Empregando um método de modelagem de equações estruturais baseado em covariância (CB-SEM) para testar o modelo proposto empiricamente, este estudo descobriu que fatores pessoais, compras e comportamentos financeiros desempenham um papel fundamental como antecedentes da preparação financeira dos indivíduos. As descobertas sugerem que indivíduos que veem seus limites de crédito como parte de sua renda ou estão ansiosos em relação ao dinheiro são mais propensos a se engajar em comportamentos impulsivos de compra e endividamento. Consequentemente, ao se envolver em tais padrões de comportamento, os indivíduos enfraquecem seu estado para lidar com o choque financeiro, o que, por sua vez, pode afetar seu bem-estar financeiro. Esta pesquisa revela ainda que a crença de que os limites de crédito servem como renda não altera o comportamento arriscado de endividamento dos consumidores de baixa renda. Além disso, os resultados sugerem que o número de cartões de crédito, sexo, escolaridade e idade não desempenha nenhum papel na preparação financeira nem em nenhum dos relacionamentos do modelo. Uma explicação dos resultados e várias de suas implicações é abordada neste estudo. No geral, as recomendações focaram nos indivíduos, instituições e formuladores de políticas e na responsabilidade de cada um deles em adotar formas sustentáveis de comportamento, tais como conscientizar o uso do crédito, adotar e regular ferramentas que identifiquem melhor os traços e comportamentos dos consumidores que possam levá-los, e eventualmente a sociedade como um todo, a um bem-estar financeiro sólido.

Lo scopo generale della presente tesi è quello di arricchire la letteratura sul benessere finanziario dei giovani adulti adottando metodologie di ricerca e tecniche statistiche mai applicate in questo filone di ricerca. Nello specifico, nel primo capitolo è stata utilizzata la scoping methodology, ovvero una metodologia di sintesi della letteratura, con l’obiettivo di identificare la definizione, le componenti, i predittori e gli outcome del benessere finanziario dei giovani. Nel secondo capitolo è stata applicata la Latent Transition Analysis, con l’obiettivo di identificare sottogruppi omogenei di giovani rispetto ai marcatori dell’adultità che essi hanno già raggiunto e di verificare la relazione di tali sottogruppi con il benessere finanziario dei giovani che ad essi appartengono. Il terzo capitolo propone una metodologia per sviluppare e validare nuovi strumenti di misurazione, sulla base della visione contemporanea della validità. Tale metodologia, composta da tre diversi step, è stata utilizzata per la creazione di uno strumento adatto a misurare, su un campione di giovani italiani, il benessere finanziario soggettivo. Infine, il quarto capitolo riguarda la multiple informant methodology, che è stata utilizzata per raccogliere informazioni da madre, padre e figlio sul processo di socializzazione finanziaria familiare ed il suo impatto sul benessere finanziario del figlio. / The general aim of this research work is to enrich the literature on emerging adults’ financial well-being with research methodologies and statistical techniques never previously applied in this research field. Specifically, the first chapter of this thesis concerns the scoping methodology, a knowledge synthesis methodology that I adopted to identify the emerging adults’ financial well-being definition, components, predictors and outcomes. The second chapter consists in the application of a new statistical technique, Latent Transition Analysis, that I used to identify subgroups of emerging adults homogeneous in their configuration of adult social markers already reached and to investigate the relation between these emerging adults’ subgroups and their financial well-being. The third chapter describes a three-step methodology to develop and validate new measurement instruments, based on the contemporary view of validity proposed in the last fifty years. This three-step procedure was here applied to develop and validate a new instrument measuring subjective financial well-being for an emerging adult target population. Finally, the fourth chapter concerns the multiple informant methodology that I applied to collect information about family financial socialization and its impact on the child’s financial well-being from mother, father and the emerging adult child.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The frightening growth of the number of Brazilian credit card users has generated concerns about the level of financial responsibility of those individuals in the use of the card. This work deals with this issue by seeking to assess the causes and consequences of credit card debt from behavioral factors. For this, we carried out a survey with 1.831 citizens users of credit card in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais and Maranhão. As an instrument for data collection was used a structured questionnaire consisting by 114 questions, that addressed demographic variables, cultural variables, usage characteristics of credit card and seven behavioral factors - financial literacy, compulsive shopping, materialism, behavior of using of credit card, credit card debt, financial well -being and emotions. The analysis of the main model was based in the Structural Equation Modeling. Already the evaluation of the influence of demographic variables and characteristics of the credit card about the debt were measured by parametric hypothesis tests. The main results show that the presence of high levels of financial knowledge, attitudes and positive financial behaviors and the responsible use of the card reduce the probability of an individual incurring in credit card debt. On the other hand, the presence of materialistic behavior and compulsive consumption increases the probability of debt. As consequences of the debt, it was reported the lowest level of well-being and financial satisfaction and the presence of negative emotions and feelings. The descriptive statistics showed that respondents maintain responsible behavior in time to use the credit, are neither materialistic nor compulsive shoppers, contributing to low levels of debt checked on the credit card. The results of hypothesis tests bring to light that male individuals , young people , with dependent and with children, low education level, low income, who are unaware of the value of the interest rate paid in the event of use of revolving credit and who hold a greater number of credit cards are more likely to have credit card debts. These results are of interest in the financial sector and bodies with policy-making power. The work points to the need to provide citizens with information about the proper use of credit tools and develop on them the necessary financial skills for making responsible decisions keeping in mind the negative consequences experienced as a result of the debt. / O crescimento assustador do número de brasileiros usuários de cartão de crédito tem gerado preocupações quanto ao nível de responsabilidade financeira desses indivíduos no uso do cartão. Esse trabalho lida com essa questão ao buscar avaliar as causas e consequências da dívida no cartão de crédito a partir de fatores comportamentais. Para tanto, realizou-se uma pesquisa survey com 1.831 cidadãos usuários de cartão de crédito dos estados do Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais e Maranhão. Como instrumento de coleta de dados adotou-se um questionário estruturado, composto por 114 questões, as quais abordaram variáveis demográficas, variáveis culturais, características de uso do cartão de crédito e sete fatores comportamentais alfabetização financeira, compras compulsivas, materialismo, comportamento de uso do cartão de crédito, dívida no cartão de crédito, bem-estar financeiro e emoções. A análise do modelo principal foi realizada com base na Modelagem de Equações Estruturais. Já a avaliação da influência das variáveis demográficas e das características do cartão de crédito sobre a dívida foi feita a partir de testes de hipóteses paramétricos. Os principais resultados apontam que a presença de bons níveis de conhecimento financeiro, atitudes e comportamentos financeiros positivos e o uso responsável do cartão reduzem a probabilidade de o indivíduo incorrer em Dívidas. Por outro lado, a presença de comportamentos materialistas e de consumo compulsivo aumenta essa probabilidade de endividamento. Como consequências da dívida, relatou-se o menor nível de bem-estar e satisfação financeira e a presença de emoções e sentimentos negativos. A estatística descritiva demonstrou que os respondentes mantem comportamentos responsáveis na hora de usar o crédito, não são materialistas e nem compradores compulsivos, o que contribuiu para os baixos índices de endividamento verificados no cartão de crédito. Os resultados do teste de hipótese trouxeram à tona que indivíduos do gênero masculino, jovens, com dependentes e filhos, baixo grau de escolaridade, baixa renda, que desconhecem o valor da taxa de juros paga em caso de uso do crédito rotativo e que detêm um maior número de cartões de crédito são mais propensos a apresentar dívidas no cartão. Os resultados auferidos são de interesse do setor financeiro e de órgãos com poder de decisão política. Esse trabalho aponta para a necessidade de prover os cidadãos de informações sobre o uso adequado das ferramentas de crédito e de desenvolver nos mesmos as habilidades financeiras necessárias para a tomada de decisões responsáveis tendo em mente as consequências negativas vivenciadas em decorrência da dívida.

Gauteng, one of the nine provinces of South Africa, has a high number of households as compared to the other provinces. Geographically the province has the smallest land size, however it forms the central part of the South African economy. From the total value of credit granted in all provinces, Gauteng has the highest. The province has a high number of registered debt counsellors and an increasing number of consumers who apply for debt counselling because of over-indebtedness. The high number of the registered debt counsellors and consumers seeking debt counselling service gave rise to the purpose of the study. The purpose of the study was to assess the role of debt counselling services provided by debt counsellors to consumers on the one hand, and to also assess whether debt counselling has had a positive effect on the personal financial well-being of consumers who participated in the debt counselling process on the other hand. Furthermore, the study aimed at developing a framework that will empower consumers to be self-sufficient with their finances. From the purpose of the study, two research questions were proposed: (1) How does the debt counselling service provided by debt counsellors assist consumers to manage their finances effectively? (2) Which role does the debt counselling service provided by debt counsellors play in terms of the personal financial well-being of consumers? In an attempt to answer research questions, the theoretical framework of both personal finance and debt counselling were studied. The importance of personal finance, personal financial planning, the evolution of debt counselling, the effectiveness and the ineffectiveness of debt counselling services were identified. A two-phased sequential design (qualitative and quantitative) was used. Fifteen debt counsellors were selected (for the first phase of the study) by making use of a purposeful sampling. These debt counsellors were interviewed and further requested to identify and send questionnaires to consumers whom they have rendered debt counselling service between the years 2007 and 2013. In the second phase of the study, 300 over-indebted consumers were surveyed through a snowball non-probability sampling technique and a response rate of 61% was realised. Data was analysed using ATLAS.ti and the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for the first and the second data collected respectively. Furthermore, the exploratory factor analysis was used to analyse the data, and the factorability of the data was assessed by means of two statistical measures, namely Bartlett’s test of sphericity and Kaizer Meyer-Olkin. It was observed that most debt counsellors lack financial management knowledge and do not have mechanisms to verify their clients’ financial well-being after debt counselling service had been completed. In addition, there was no evidence that consumers who received debt counselling improved in their financial well-being and that consumers also lacked personal financial management skills. The study concluded that, although debt counselling is essential, it does not necessarily assist consumers to effectively manage their finances. The study purports to suggest the following: Debt counsellors should be subjected to formal financial management training prior to their registration, debt counsellors should provide personal financial management education to their clients, and assess the financial management conduct of their clients once debt counselling process is complete, and debt counsellors should establish debt counsellors’ forums. The South African government (in conjunction with the Department of Education and Training) should introduce and implement personal financial management education in both primary and high schools’ curricula. Personal financial management should continue to be offered at adult learning centres as well as other institutions of higher learning. Employers should appoint employee wellness officers who will provide personal finance training to employees. Credit providers should take the responsibility of educating their clients on how to manage their accounts and the importance of paying debts on time. The South African media should also be used by the government and the NCR to educate and inform consumers about finance-related matters. Finally consumers should seek guidance and advice before making financial commitments. The study concluded by suggesting a framework that should help consumers to manage and sustain their financial well-being. / Business Management / DCOM (Business Management)

Gauteng, one of the nine provinces of South Africa, has a high number of households as compared to the other provinces. Geographically the province has the smallest land size, however it forms the central part of the South African economy. From the total value of credit granted in all provinces, Gauteng has the highest. The province has a high number of registered debt counsellors and an increasing number of consumers who apply for debt counselling because of over-indebtedness. The high number of the registered debt counsellors and consumers seeking debt counselling service gave rise to the purpose of the study. The purpose of the study was to assess the role of debt counselling services provided by debt counsellors to consumers on the one hand, and to also assess whether debt counselling has had a positive effect on the personal financial well-being of consumers who participated in the debt counselling process on the other hand. Furthermore, the study aimed at developing a framework that will empower consumers to be self-sufficient with their finances. From the purpose of the study, two research questions were proposed: (1) How does the debt counselling service provided by debt counsellors assist consumers to manage their finances effectively? (2) Which role does the debt counselling service provided by debt counsellors play in terms of the personal financial well-being of consumers? In an attempt to answer research questions, the theoretical framework of both personal finance and debt counselling were studied. The importance of personal finance, personal financial planning, the evolution of debt counselling, the effectiveness and the ineffectiveness of debt counselling services were identified. A two-phased sequential design (qualitative and quantitative) was used. Fifteen debt counsellors were selected (for the first phase of the study) by making use of a purposeful sampling. These debt counsellors were interviewed and further requested to identify and send questionnaires to consumers whom they have rendered debt counselling service between the years 2007 and 2013. In the second phase of the study, 300 over-indebted consumers were surveyed through a snowball non-probability sampling technique and a response rate of 61% was realised. Data was analysed using ATLAS.ti and the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for the first and the second data collected respectively. Furthermore, the exploratory factor analysis was used to analyse the data, and the factorability of the data was assessed by means of two statistical measures, namely Bartlett’s test of sphericity and Kaizer Meyer-Olkin. It was observed that most debt counsellors lack financial management knowledge and do not have mechanisms to verify their clients’ financial well-being after debt counselling service had been completed. In addition, there was no evidence that consumers who received debt counselling improved in their financial well-being and that consumers also lacked personal financial management skills. The study concluded that, although debt counselling is essential, it does not necessarily assist consumers to effectively manage their finances. The study purports to suggest the following: Debt counsellors should be subjected to formal financial management training prior to their registration, debt counsellors should provide personal financial management education to their clients, and assess the financial management conduct of their clients once debt counselling process is complete, and debt counsellors should establish debt counsellors’ forums. The South African government (in conjunction with the Department of Education and Training) should introduce and implement personal financial management education in both primary and high schools’ curricula. Personal financial management should continue to be offered at adult learning centres as well as other institutions of higher learning. Employers should appoint employee wellness officers who will provide personal finance training to employees. Credit providers should take the responsibility of educating their clients on how to manage their accounts and the importance of paying debts on time. The South African media should also be used by the government and the NCR to educate and inform consumers about finance-related matters. Finally consumers should seek guidance and advice before making financial commitments. The study concluded by suggesting a framework that should help consumers to manage and sustain their financial well-being. / Business Management / DCOM (Business Management)

This study aimed to identify how the beneficiaries of the “Minha Casa Minha Vida” Program (PMCMV), belonging to the Central-western Mesoregion of Rio Grande do Sul, manage their financial resources, including the payment of PMCMV funding, and how PMCMV, Attitude to Indebtedness, Financial Literacy, Financial Well-Being and Financial Management influence their Satisfaction with Life. For this, were applied 561 questionnaires, analyzed using descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, mean difference tests and regression analysis. The main results reveal that most of them have good financial habits, however, they have difficulty in saving money, have debts and have already had the name linked to the negative register. Majority of beneficiaries consider reasonable the value of the home financing payment. Among the beneficiaries of Range 1, most have already had or have arrears of the household, unlike those in Range 2 and Range 3. The main reason for default is that the installment money has been used for unexpected expenses (illness, unemployment). Individuals were satisfied with PMCMV, believing that life in general, the relationship with the neighborhood and financial life improved. Time spent with locomotion, the access to public health institutions and collective transportation, social work accomplishment and problems related to violence in the neighborhood are aspects that prevent greater satisfaction. Many have medium-to-high Financial Knowledge, develop good Financial Attitudes in relation to the concern with the financial future and savings, and good behavior regarding control and planning of expenses. They feel an intermediate level of Financial Well-Being and have a positive perception of Satisfaction with Life. The validity of all proposed behavioral constructs was confirmed; however, the scales of Satisfaction with PMCMV, Attitude to Indebtedness and Financial Attitude were quite reduced. It was found that individuals with monthly incomes between R$ 3.275,01 and R$ 5.000,00 have a higher Attitude to Indebtedness. The beneficiaries belonging to Ranges 2 and 3, men, married, with higher levels of schooling, civil servants and with income above R $ 5,000.00 have higher Financial Literacy and Financial Well-being. In relation to Satisfaction with Life, the beneficiaries of Ranges 2 and 3, men, who do not have dependents, over 48, widowed, retired, regular self-employed and public employees, with income above R$ 5.000,00 are the most satisfied. It was identified that the variables: Financial Well-Being, Financial Attitude and possessing a credit carnet exert a positive influence on Satisfaction with Life. However, the Financial Knowledge, having debts and being defaulted in PMCMV have a negative impact. Emphasis is placed on the need for greater investments in transportation and health around housing, and to offer to the beneficiaries an opportunity to learn about the importance of financial control, timely payment and savings, as well as a greater awareness that, once the beneficiaries gained the opportunity to own a house, with low installments, they need to pay the installments on time. More research is proposed on the individuals with potential to be beneficiaries and that have effective payment conditions. / O objetivo do estudo foi identificar como os beneficiários do Programa Minha Casa Minha Vida pertencentes à Mesorregião Centro-ocidental Rio-Grandense gerem seus recursos financeiros, incluindo o pagamento do financiamento do PMCMV e como o PMCMV, a Atitude ao Endividamento, a Alfabetização Financeira, o Bem-estar Financeiro e o Gerenciamento Financeiro influenciam sua Satisfação com a Vida. Para tanto foram aplicados 561 questionários, analisados através de estatística descritiva, análise fatorial confirmatória, testes de diferença de média e análise de regressão. Os principais resultados revelam que grande parte deles possui bons hábitos financeiros, contudo apresentam dificuldade para poupar, possuem dívidas e já tiveram o nome ligado ao cadastro negativo. A maioria considera o valor da prestação do financiamento da casa razoável. Entre os beneficiários da Faixa 1, a maioria já teve ou tem prestações da casa atrasadas, diferentemente daqueles das Faixas 2 e 3. O principal motivo da inadimplência é o dinheiro da parcela ter sido utilizado em despesas inesperadas (doença, desemprego). Os indivíduos demonstraram-se satisfeitos com o PMCMV, acreditam que a vida no geral, a relação com a vizinhança e a vida financeira melhoraram. O tempo gasto com locomoção, o acesso às instituições de saúde pública e transporte coletivo, realização de trabalho social e problemas de violência no bairro são aspectos que impedem uma maior satisfação. Muitos possuem de médio a alto Conhecimento Financeiro, desenvolvem boas Atitudes Financeiras em relação à preocupação com o futuro financeiro e poupança, e bom comportamento em relação ao controle e planejamento de gastos. Sentem um nível intermediário de Bem-estar Financeiro e apresentam uma percepção positiva quanto a Satisfação com a Vida. Confirmou-se a validade de todos os construtos comportamentais propostos, contudo, as escalas de Satisfação com o PMCMV, Atitude ao Endividamento e Atitude Financeira foram bastante reduzidas. Constatou-se que os indivíduos com rendimentos mensais entre R$3.275,01 e R$5.000,00 possuem maior Atitude ao Endividamento. Os beneficiários pertencentes às Faixas 2 e 3, homens, casados, com maiores níveis de escolaridade, funcionários públicos, com renda acima de R$ 5.000,00 possuem maior Alfabetização Financeira e Bem-estar Financeiro. Em relação à Satisfação com a Vida, os beneficiários das Faixas 2 e 3, do gênero masculino, que não possuem dependentes, com mais de 48 anos, viúvos, aposentados, autônomos regulares e funcionários públicos, com renda superior a R$ 5.000,00 são os mais satisfeitos. Identificou-se que as variáveis: Bem-estar Financeiro, Atitude Financeira e possuir carnê de crediário exercem influência positiva na Satisfação com a Vida. Todavia, o Conhecimento Financeiro, possuir dívidas e ser inadimplente no PMCMV, impactam negativamente. Destaca-se a necessidade de maiores investimentos em transporte e saúde no entorno das moradias, e oferta aos beneficiários de oportunidade de aprenderem sobre a importância do controle financeiro, do pagamento das contas em dia e de pouparem, além de uma maior conscientização de que como ganharam a oportunidade de possuírem a casa, com prestações baixas, precisam pagar as parcelas em dia. Propõe-se uma maior investigação sobre os indivíduos com potencial para serem beneficiários e que tenham condições efetivas de pagamento.