Determinants of household expected real income growth in the U.S.A.

This study explores factors related to household income growth in a two-period timeframe. using data from the 1983 and I986 Survey of Consumer Finances. Regression results explain 81% of the variation in household income. Household income in the first period, age, marital status, education, job status and occupation were found to be important determinants of various levels of household real income growth. Implications for consumer education, financial planning, family economics and welfare policy are discussed.     

Impact of adoption in Ghana of an improved fish processing technology on household income,health and nutrition

Surveys were conducted in three fishing communities in Ghana, where an improved fish smoking technology (the Chorkor smoker) had been introduced previously, to assess the impact of adopting the improved technology on household income, health and nutritional status. Fifty‐one fish processors (all women), who had adopted the improved fish processing technology, were selected for the study, in which the participatory rural appraisal (PRA) technique, nutritional survey methods and structured questionnaires were used to obtain both qualitative and quantitative data. The results revealed that there was an improvement in economic activities. This resulted in a positive impact on household income and food consumption patterns of the processors. Improvement in household income resulted from increases in the quality and quantity of output, price per unit output and profits. Improvement in food consumption pattern was mostly in respect of quality and quantity of food intake, but the types of food consumed remained the same. The nutrient intake of the respondents was good on average, with a majority exceeding the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein, vitamin B1 and calcium. The average body mass index (BMI) of the processors was also within the ideal range of 20–25. Adoption of the new technology also improved the health status of the respondents. Lessening of eye problems and headaches as a result of reduced exposure to smoke and heat was reported by 52% of the women. However, preschool children were undernourished as a result of poor child feeding practices. In any technology transfer process, apparently unrelated nutritional factors need to be considered.     

Discovering the variables that influence new home‐buyer service satisfaction

While home builders traditionally think of customer service in terms of upgrades and mortgage options, home buyers are thought to view the quality of service on a much broader basis. Previous research has identified five dimensions of service quality: appearance, reliability, timeliness, knowledge, and empathy. Home‐buyer satisfaction with service quality is then the result of home builders providing services that are perceived as meeting or exceeding buyer expectations. Although much research has been done regarding home‐buyer satisfaction with service quality, there is still a gap between builders' and home buyers' perception of the quality of service. Builders need to identify and understand home‐buyer needs in order to constantly improve service quality. This paper describes an exploratory study that focused on customer satisfaction with service quality. The objective of this study was to assess the correlations between various factors on home‐buyer expectations and their perceptions of service quality. Demographics considered in this study included age, gender and household income, while transaction characteristics included purchase price, number of occupants and house size. Characteristics such as higher income, higher purchase price, and larger house size appeared to value dimensions such as reliability most highly. Characteristics such as lower income, lower purchase price and smaller house size appeared to value dimensions such as empathy and appearance most highly. Gender, age and household size did not have significant associations with expectations or relative importance, but age and household size were associated with actual perceptions of service dimensions. Understanding the influence of these variables on customer satisfaction with service quality can positively impact home builders through improved reputation and increased local referrals.     

Use of microcredit for household income and consumption smoothing by low income communities

This paper discusses findings of a study that investigated income, savings and consumption patterns of low income people and critical factors that influence the use of microcredit—a form of small instant loans targeted for low income people—for household income and consumption smoothing. The sample of the study consisted of households from low income communities living in a lower‐middle income country—Sri Lanka. It was found that microcredit borrowers were using the loans for purposes that can be identified as income and consumption smoothing, which is beyond the ideas and intended practice of microcredit. The findings suggest that the consequences of using microcredit for income and consumption smoothing could be costly for households and the society at large.     

Secondary household production of food: the influence of home meal preparation on food expenditures and reported adequacy

A path model was tested to ascertain the relationships between certain socio-economic and demographic variables, the percentage of household meals prepared and eaten at home (secondary household production), food expenditures, and the household's reported adequacy of food consumed. Significant positive predictors of secondary household production of food were the age of the head and household size. Negative predictors were education of the head, income of the head(s) and number of hours worked by the household head(s). By far the most important predictor was the number of hours worked. The strongest predictor of food expenditures was household size. Other positive predictors were income of the head(s), number of household heads and the degree of urbanization. Negatively affecting food expenditures was secondary household production of food, indicating the ‘saving’ effect of preparing meals at home. The household's reported adequacy of their food was predicted by the positive effect of education of the head, age of the head, tenure, hours worked by the head(s) and number of household heads. Although the number of hours the heads are employed decreased the percentage of meals prepared at home, and the percentage of meals at home negatively affected expenditures, the number of employment hours had no effect on food expenditures.     

Household expenditure on poultry and seafood in the U.S.A. - a cross-sectional analysis

This study investigates the determinants of household expenditures on poultry and seafood using the 1992 Consumer Expenditure Survey. Higher income and larger households with a better-educated and older household head spend more on poultry, especially during the fourth quarter of the year, than others. Higher income and north-eastern households with a non-white and better-educated household head spend more on seafood than others. Poultry expenditures are more sensitive to changes in household size than to changes in household income. In contrast, seafood expenditures are more sensitive to changes in household income than to changes in household size.     

PRODUCTIVE TIME OF HOUSEHOLD HEADS

This study is an analysis of the utility value of time. Time is viewed on a productivity continuum with activities that result in measurable products such as income or home sewing at one extreme of the continuum and activities such as sleep at the other extreme. The use of time by unemployed and employed heads of households was the basis for this analysis. Four measures of time were constructed to determine the amount of time spent in market, household, leisure and personal activities. Unemployed heads of households spent more time in household and leisure activities than employed heads. Assuming that household activities have productive value, time spent in child care, shopping, house cleaning, etc., were viewed as having utility value for the household. Thus, reallocated time had utility value for the household. In addition, it was found that a significant relationship existed between employment status and use of time, regardless of position on the productivity continuum. From this study comes a better understanding of how time is reallocated during unemployment so that the economic loss for the household as well as the economy can be minimized.     

Budget Allocation Patterns of U.S. Households across Income Levels in the 21st Century

This study examined the budget allocation patterns of U.S. households during the period 2000–2015. Four household groups—classified based on their income levels in relation to the federal poverty level—are used for the analyses. Data from the quarterly interview component of the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey were used in order to calculate households' annual expenditures in eight commodity groups: food, utilities, apparel and apparel services, transportation, medical care, shelter and household operations, other nondurable expenditures and services, and durable goods. An exact affine stone index (EASI) demand system was used to estimate demand relationships (i.e., price, income elasticities, and marginal effects). Overall, we find that budget allocation, consumers' responses to changes in prices and income, and the effects of sociodemographic characteristics on spending can be markedly different between income groups. The use of a representative or average household for demand analyses can mask substantial differences in economic behaviors between these four income groups.     

中国城市老年人贫困程度的探讨

根据国际流行的贫困距指数研究方法,在中国老龄科研中心1992年调查和2000年调查数据的基础上,以城市老年人家庭作为计量单位,从支出口径探讨了中国部分省、直辖市的城市老年人90年代贫困的状况和发展趋势。对比了两次调查相同省份城市低收入老年人群体的收入变化情况。这一特定群体的老年人在90年代收入增长缓慢,有可能陷入以收入口径测量的深度贫困。对如何改善城市贫困老年人的救助提出了对策建议。     

Can income inequality promote democratization?

The aim of this paper is to study the effect of income inequality on the probability of democratization, in a panel of 51 transition countries during the period 1960–2008. Using a conditional fixed-effect logit estimation, we find robust results suggesting that income inequality (measured by the Gini index of household’s income inequality) has an inverse—U-shaped relation with the probability of transition from autarchy to democracy. We show that there is a turning point at a level of household’s income inequality equal to a Gini index of 40. When income inequality is below 40, then probability of transition is positively related to inequality, but when inequality is higher, a subsequent increase in inequality decreases the probability of democratization. This is consistent with Acemoglu and Robinson’s theory that shows how transitions are likeliest at moderate levels of inequality, while autocracy is likelier at the lowest and highest levels of inequality.     

Use of Food Pantries and Food Stamps in Low‐Income Households in the United States

Using the Current Population Survey data for 1999, a bivariate probit model was estimated to determine food stamp and food pantries participation for low‐income households. Household income, the level of food insecurity, household structure, and metro versus nonmetro residence affected participation decisions in both programs. Shorter application forms for food stamp benefits encouraged food stamp participation. Food Stamp Program participation and food pantry use were found to be positively correlated.     

Do discounted food products end up in the bin? An investigation into the link between deal‐prone shopping behaviour and quantities of household food waste

Household food waste is considered to be the largest share of food waste along the food supply chain. Given that its recoverability is also more challenging compared to food waste in other stages of the chain, most studies on household food waste adopt a pre‐emptive approach by aiming to identify and address consumer beliefs, attitudes and actions that are linked to food waste. In scientific literature, household food waste has often been studied in relation to the habit of purchasing discounted food products (DFP). However, findings have been contradictory. Specifically, while some authors found that deal‐prone consumers are usually of lower income and therefore display a wiser and more attentive attitude towards grocery shopping, other authors reported that the purchase of discounted products was usually linked to compulsive shopping, hence resulting in higher food waste quantities at home. Due to these discrepant findings, a definitive answer on the impact of DFP on household food waste does not currently exist in the literature. This paper analyses the correlation between the purchase of DFP and weekly household food waste quantities. To do so, we examine (a) the results of a food waste diary experiment carried out on a representative sample of 385 households in Italy in February 2017, and (b) the results of a 23‐items Computer Assisted Web Interview survey administered to the same householders, in which shopping habits were investigated. Results revealed no evidence of either a positive or negative relationship between the purchase of DFP and household food waste quantities. Frequency of grocery shopping was the only variable found to have a significant impact on household food waste quantities.     

FACTORS RELATED TO HOUSEHOLD AND CHILD CARE TASK RESPONSIBILITY OF SPOUSES IN HOUSTON,TEXAS

What are the differences in household and child care task responsibility by the employment role responsibility of spouses? What are the differences in the relationships between task preference, quality of task performance, and sex-role ideology and household and child care task responsibility of spouses by the employment role responsibility of the spouses? What are the most important variables in determining household and child care responsibility? Data were collected from a random sample of wives and husbands in Houston, Texas. The sample (n = 151) was generally characterized as white, middle-aged, upper income, and middle class. Wives who shared the employment role had less responsibility for female and child care tasks and husbands had more responsibility for female tasks than spouses in families in which the husband had total responsibility for the employment role. However, spouses who shared the employment role maintained major responsibility for their traditional household and child care tasks. Although liking of the tasks, quality of task performance, and sex-role attitudes were related to household and child care task responsibility, these relationships were not significantly different when the employment role was shared or was the total responsibility of the husband. Multiple regression analyses revealed that quality of task performance was the most frequent significant variable in determining household and child care task responsibility. Implications and recommendations are given.     

Why households buy bottled water: a survey of household perceptions in the Philippines

This study investigates the determinants of household buying decisions to purchase bottled water or purified water from refilling stations among households in Metro Cebu, Philippines. A survey of 360 households was conducted to obtain data on household sources of drinking water, household bottled water buying behaviour and perceptions of water quality. A binary probit model was used to examine the effects of socio‐economic and perception‐based variables on the likelihood that a household regularly bought bottled or purified water. Results show that households that perceived their primary source of water, whether from the tap or from other sources, to be unsafe were more likely to buy bottled or purified water. Education of household heads, the presence of children ages 0–5 years, household size and price were also found to have significant effects. Income, however, was not found to have influenced the decision to buy. Having piped access to the local water district and knowledge of government assurances about water safety were also not found to have a significant impact.     

Use of 12 groups of foods in households differing in size,income and receipt of food stamps

Using data from the Nationwide Food Consumption Surrey, 1977–78, this study assessed the influence of household size and composition, household income, and eligibility/participation in the Food Stamp Programme (FSP) on the weekly money value of specified food groups used from the household food supply. Mean money values of foods by food groups were calculated for various sample partitions and proportions of total food value allocated to the 12 specified food groups were analysed using ordinary least squares regression. Results indicated that household size had a statistically significant impact on household food consumption patterns. As per capita household income increased, percentage allocations to high-cost meats and beverages generally increased while percentage allocations for the other 10 food groups decreased. The money value of food used per equivalent food energy need increased with decreasing household size and with increasing per capita household income. These relationships occurred for total food and for most of the specified food groups. Households that participated in the FSP used food with higher money value per-equivalent food energy need than did households who were eligible but did not participate in the FSP.     

Barriers to outsourcing household services to small business

It is popularly assumed that the main barrier that prevents household services from being outsourced to the small business sector is household disposable income. This paper evaluates critically whether this is the case. Reporting survey results from 418 households in the UK city of Sheffield, the finding is that cost is the main barrier in just 38% of instances. Nearly two‐thirds of household services are undertaken in other ways either out of choice or due to the poor availability, quality and reliability of provision by small businesses. How these barriers to outsourcing household services might be tackled is then addressed.     

Explaining import quality: The role of the income distribution

We examine a generalized version of Flam and Helpman [Flam, H., Helpman, E., 1987. Vertical Product Differentiation and North-South Trade. American Economic Review, 77, 810-822.] in which consumption prices for quality differentiated goods are rising in household income. We provide propositions for aggregating this relationship across heterogenous households to map cross-country differences in income distributions to cross-country differences in import price distributions. The theoretical predictions are examined and confirmed using disaggregated data on prices of traded goods and micro data on household income from the Luxemburg Income Study. Country pairs with more similar income distributions have more similar import price distributions, whether similarity is measured by 1st-4th moment statistics, population and consumption shares within world income and product price quantiles, or income and price dis-similarity indices.     

Entrepreneur opportunity costs and intended venture growth

This study investigates how entrepreneur opportunity costs influence the intended future size of new ventures. In particular, using a survey of nascent entrepreneurs in the process of starting a venture, this paper examines how intended future sales revenue is influenced by entrepreneur current household income, education, and managerial experience. Consistent with opportunity cost and human capital arguments, it is found that individuals with higher current household income and greater supervisory experience have higher levels of intended firm size in 5 years time. While this study finds that entrepreneur stated preferences for growth also influence intended future sales of the venture, the association between nascent entrepreneur opportunity costs and venture scale is complementary to these stated preferences.     

Entrepreneurship and income inequality in southern Ethiopia

This article uses inequality decomposition techniques in order to analyze the consequences of entrepreneurial activities to household income inequality in southern Ethiopia. A uniform increase in entrepreneurial income reduces per capita household income inequality. This implies that encouraging rural entrepreneurship may be favorable for both income growth and income distribution. Such policies could be particularly successful if directed at the low-income, low-wealth, and relatively uneducated segments of the society.     

家庭债务的变动与居民消费的过度敏感性:来自中国的证据

通过引入家庭债务变量对LC-PIH模型进行扩展,并运用动态最小二乘(DOLS)方法、误差修正模型、暂时性—持久性因子分解和脉冲响应进行实证分析,结果表明:家庭债务、收入和财富的持久性变动对消费存在显著的促进效应,收入的持久性变动影响最大,其后依次为财富和家庭债务;不同于传统分析框架的结论,不但财富的持久性变动会影响消费,其暂时性变动也会影响消费,但收入的暂时性变动对消费的影响并不显著;在家庭债务和财富的持久性和暂时性变动共同作用下,消费变动更为剧烈。因此,政策当局一方面要稳步提升居民预期收入水平,完善消费信贷的相关政策,以推动消费的稳步增长;另一方面还应密切关注家庭负债水平,以防范家庭过度负债而可能引发的债务收缩,导致消费的大幅下滑。