Urban Aboriginal use of fringe financial institutions: Survey evidence from Prince George, British Columbia
This paper analyses the use of fringe financial institutions (FFIs), such as payday loan and check cashing providers, by urban Aboriginal people based on a survey undertaken in Prince George, British Columbia. We found that 60% of FFIs’ clients surveyed self-identified as Aboriginal. Their characteristics, compared to the non-Aboriginal FFI clients, included having lower average incomes, lower levels of education, more likely to be female, a higher incidence of being unemployed, higher levels of financial exclusion, and less satisfaction with the service provided by FFIs. We find that government policy towards regulating the FFI industry is inadequate for meeting the basic financial needs of urban Aboriginal people.
Financial inclusion in Colombia: A scoping literature review
Purpose: The paper provides a comprehensive and up-to-date literature review of financial inclusion concepts and focuses in particular on the Colombian context. It structures the themes and dimensions of scholarly debates on financial inclusion in the literature. Design/methodology/approach: This scoping literature review rigorously identifies the most relevant research and variables pertaining to financial inclusion and social innovation. Findings: Based upon a scoping literature review, a comprehensive framework of key concepts of financial inclusion, scholarly contributions, countries and variables is presented. Research limitations/implications: Owing to this paper’s methodological approach and its rather theoretical nature, this research seeks to enrich scientific debates pertaining to the empirical data displayed, especially on the case of Colombian. Practical implications: The most central variables that are linked to the theme of financial inclusion are explored, and hence this paper forms a basis for future quantitative studies. Social implications: This research article contributes to public policy making on financial inclusion aimed at reducing levels of socio-economic inequality. Originality/value: In business and management research a degree of conceptual confusion prevails on the theme of financial inclusion. This paper attempts to clarify different types of variables and one country specific case to provide more solid analytical tools for scholars and analysts.
Heat Transfer Characteristic for a New Plate Metal Hydride Reactor
The property of major metal hydride reactors in the world was analyzed and a new plate metal hydride reactor was designed.An experimental facility to test the metal hydride reactor was also designed correspondingly.The effective thermal conductivity of the plate metal hydride reactor was measured by varying the initial metal hydride packing fraction,the kind of filled gas and the pressure of the filled gas,cycle numbers.The test results show that the effective thermal conductivity of the reactor,has exceeded(7.5) W/(m·K) before activation,which is increased greatly.After alloy activation,the effective thermal conductivity of the reactor has a linear change trend with the hydrogen pressure during the interval 0.1~3.5 MPa.The effective thermal conductivity of the reactor just only decreases quickly at the beginning,but becomes stable after several cycles.