ISSN: 1804-0527 (Online) 1804-0519 (Print) : Study On Relevance of Demographic Factors in Investment Decisions
ISSN: 1804-0527 (Online) 1804-0519 (Print) : Study On Relevance of Demographic Factors in Investment Decisions
ISSN: 1804-0527 (Online) 1804-0519 (Print) : Study On Relevance of Demographic Factors in Investment Decisions
Abstract: This study attempts to find out the significance of demographic factors of population
such as gender, age, education, occupation, income, savings and family size over several
elements of investment decisions like priorities based on characteristics of investments, period
of investment, reach of information source, frequency of investment and analytical abilities. The
study was made by conducting a survey in Nagapattinam district of Tamilnadu, South India and
the statistical inferences were deduced using computer software tools. The study reveals that
the demographic factors have a significant influence over some of the investment decision
elements and insignificant in others elements too. The study also discloses a general view of
investors perception over various investment avenues.
ISSN: 1804-0527 (online) 1804-0519 (print) Vol.10-11 (1-2), PP.14-27
Introduction
avenues available for the investors make their decision making process more
critical and complex. There are a number of factors which influence the people
to make their investment decisions. Demographic factors of investors such as
gender, age, education, family size, annual income, and savings have much
significance in the Investment Decision Making Process, especially in the
Indian context, it assumes greater significance. A study has been undertaken
in Nagapattinam district of Tamilnadu state to find its significance and the
outcome of the study is narrated in the foregoing paragraphs.
Review of literature
Headen and Lee (1974) studied the effects of financial market behavior and
consumer expectations on purchase of ordinary life insurance and concluded
that life insurance demand is inelastic and positively affected by the change in
consumer sentiments; interest rates playing a role in the short run as well as in
the long run. Lewellen et al. (1977) found that age, sex, income and education
affect investor’s preferences. Truett and Truett (1990) discussed the growth
pattern of life insurance consumption in Mexico and United States in a
comparative framework, during the period from 1964 to 1984. They concluded
the existence of higher income inelasticity of demand for life insurance in
Mexico with low income levels. Age, education and income were significant
factors affecting demand for life insurance in both countries. Gupta (1994)
made a household investor survey with the objective to provide data on the
investor preferences on Mutual Funds and other financial assets. The findings
of the study were more appropriate, at that time, to the policy makers of
mutual funds to design the financial products for the future. Kulshreshta
(1994) offers certain guidelines to the investors in selecting the mutual fund
schemes. Shankar (1996) points out that the Indian investors do view mutual
funds as commodity products and suggested that the AMCs should follow the
consumer product distribution model to capture the market. Jambodekar
(1996) conducted a study to assess the awareness of Mutual Funds among
investors, to identify the information sources influencing the buying decision
and the factors influencing the choice of a particular fund. The study reveals
among other things that income schemes and open ended schemes are more
preferred than growth schemes and close ended schemes during the prevalent
market conditions. Sikidar and Singh (1996) carried out a survey with an
objective to understand the behavioral aspects of the investors of the north
eastern region towards mutual funds investment portfolio. The survey revealed
that the salaried and self-employed formed the major investors in mutual fund
primarily due to tax concessions.
Shanmugham (2000) conducted a survey of 201 individual investors to
study the information sourcing by investors, their perceptions of various
investment strategy dimensions and the factors motivating share investment
decisions. Rajarajan (2000) found an association between lifestyle clusters and
investment related characteristic. Soch and Sandhu (2000) have studied
perceptions of bank depositors on quality circles, customer’s complaint cell,
quality banking, telebanking, and customer meets in private banks. Study of La
Porta et al., (2000) reveals that a strong investor protection is a manifestation
of the security of property. Zietz (2003) and Hussels et al. (2005) has reviewed
the efforts of research to explain consumer behavior concerning the purchase
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International Cross-Industry Journal
Perspectives of Innovations, Economics & Business, Volume 10, Issue 1, 2012
A STUDY ON RELEVANCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS IN INVESTMENT DECISIONS
of life insurance for almost 50 years. The review of earlier studies concludes
that bulk of the empirical studies undertaken finds a positive association
between increase in savings behavior, financial services industry and demand
for life insurance. There are two detailed studies on the determinants of life
insurance demand, one taking into consideration only the Asian countries and
the other based on 68 countries. Kadiyala and Rau (2004) investigated investor
reaction to corporate event announcement. They concluded that investors
appear to under-react to prior information as well as to information conveyed
by the event, leading to different patterns; return continuations and return
reveals, both documented in long-horizon return. They found no support for
the over-reaction hypothesis.
Rajeswari and Moorthy (2005) observed that investors demand inter-
temporal wealth shifting as they progress through the life cycle. Tesfastsion
(2006) argues, that privately motivated agents in an agent-based framework
include economic, social, biological and physical entities, and that agents are
able to communicate with each other by using different techniques. It is also
important to allow that artificial agents have learning capabilities and are able
to develop it in time. People differ in the level of their knowledge, capabilities,
abilities, reasoning, skill and experiences, emotions, social networks they are
involved in, attitude towards risk, time and different types of assets, wealth,
luck and many other characteristics, all of which are important elements in
building one’s preferences, which are so important for asset markets. Kumar
Singh (2006) to analyze the investment pattern of people in Bangalore city and
Bhubaneswar analysis of the study was undertaken with the help of survey
conducted. It is concluded that in Bangalore investors are more aware about
various investment avenues and the risk associated with that. And in
Bhubaneswar, investors are more conservative in nature and they prefer to
invest in those avenues where risk is less like bank deposits, small savings, post
office savings etc.
Omar and Owusu-Frimpong (2006) stressed the importance of life
insurance and regarded it as a saving medium, financial investment, or a way of
dealing with risks. Chowdhury et al. (2007) have found in a survey that a good
number of people are choosing insurance companies with a view to earn higher
return on deposited money. Rajkumar (2007) identified the customers’ attitude
towards purchase of insurance products concludes that there is a low level of
awareness about insurance products among customers in India. Alinvi and
Babri (2007) are of view that customers preferences change on a constant
basis, and organization adjust in order to meet these changes to remain
competitive and profitable.
Sudalaimuthu and Senthil Kumar (2008), in their study, has made an
attempt to understand the financial behavior of mutual fund investors in
connection with the scheme preference and selection. An important element in
the success of a marketing strategy is the ability to fulfill investors’ expectation.
The result of these studies through satisfactory on the investors’ perception
about the mutual funds and the factors determining their investment decisions
and preferences. Manish Mittal and Vyas (2008) have tried to classify the
investors on the basis of their relative risk taking capacity and the type of
investment they make. Empirical evidence also suggests that factors such as
age, income, education and marital status affect an individual's investment
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International Cross-Industry Journal
Perspectives of Innovations, Economics & Business, Volume 10, Issue 1, 2012
A STUDY ON RELEVANCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS IN INVESTMENT DECISIONS
decision. This paper classifies Indian investors into different personality types
and explores the relationship between various demographic factors and the
investment personality exhibited by the investors. Fatima Alinvi and Babri
(2008) suggest that customers change their preference according to their life
circumstances and while certain preferences are well-defined others can be
inconsistent. In an increasingly competitive environment, where insurance
companies fight for the same customers, having a customer-oriented culture is
extremely important not only to retain customers but also acquire new ones.
Problem identification
Hypothesis
with regard to the factors that influences their investment. The result of the
ANOVA Test is given in the appended Table-1. It is clear, from the table, that
all the demographic variables have no significant relationship with the
respondents’ opinion with regard to the factors that influences their choice of
investments. Here the null hypothesis is accepted and alternative hypothesis is
rejected.
Hypothesis: There is no significant relationship between demographic
factors and the periods of investment made by the people.
The study attempts to find out any relationship exists between demographic
factors of respondents and the period of investments made by them. It
discloses that most of the respondents, when both male and female gender
values put together, have invested in long term investments. Further, it also
reveals that out of 475 respondents 168 prefer to invest in long term
investments while 166 prefer to invest in short term investments and 141
respondents prefer both long term and short term investments.
The study brings out that graduate and post-graduate respondents are more
likely to invest in long-term investments. It also unveiled that people under the
age group: i) Less than 30 and ii) Between 31 and 40 comprising most of the
respondents have preferred long-term investments. Investors whose family
comprising more than four members are prefer to invest in short-term
investments whereas family comprising less than four members have opted for
long-term investments. The study found that people working in private sectors
have opted for making their investments in long-term; but those working in
public sector have preferred to invest in short-term investments.
The respondents whose annual income is less than Rs.1.5 lakhs are
marginally preferred long term investments than short term investments.
Those respondents who are in the annual income bracket Rs.150,001 to
Rs.2,50,000 and in the bracket of Rs.2,50,001 to Rs.3,50,000 are also ahead
in preferring long term investments with the short term investments. But the
respondents under the income category of Rs.3, 50,001 to 4, 50,000 and who
are having income more than Rs.4, 50,001 are opted for short-term
investments.
The study also reveals that in terms of annual savings, respondents under
the categories: i) less than Rs.10,000 and ii) Rs.10,001 to Rs.20,000 are in
favour of investing in long term investments. At the same time respondents
under the categories: i) Rs.20,001 to Rs.30,000, ii) Rs.30,001 to Rs.40,000
and more than Rs.40,000 are inclined to short term investments.
Chi-Square Test, at 5% significance level, has been applied on the data
collected to find whether these demographic variables have significant relation
with the period of investments. The result of the test is given in the Table: 2,
under appendix. The test has clearly reveals that most of the demographic
variables such as Gender, Education, Age and Occupation have no significant
relationship with the period of investment. Hence the null hypothesis in
respect of these demographic variables could be accepted and the alternative
hypotheses can be rejected. In respect of other demographic variables such as
Number of Family Members, Annual Income and Annual Savings, the test
brings out a significant relationship with the Period of Investment. So the null
hypothesis in respect of those variables is rejected and hence alternative
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International Cross-Industry Journal
Perspectives of Innovations, Economics & Business, Volume 10, Issue 1, 2012
A STUDY ON RELEVANCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS IN INVESTMENT DECISIONS
Conclusion
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Perspectives of Innovations, Economics & Business, Volume 10, Issue 1, 2012
A STUDY ON RELEVANCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS IN INVESTMENT DECISIONS
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Perspectives of Innovations, Economics & Business, Volume 10, Issue 1, 2012
A STUDY ON RELEVANCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS IN INVESTMENT DECISIONS
Appendix
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Perspectives of Innovations, Economics & Business, Volume 10, Issue 1, 2012
A STUDY ON RELEVANCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS IN INVESTMENT DECISIONS
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Perspectives of Innovations, Economics & Business, Volume 10, Issue 1, 2012
A STUDY ON RELEVANCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS IN INVESTMENT DECISIONS
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