Ms Sherman Chan

Overview

Sherman Chan is a PhD Research Scholar at the SPRC. She has a background in economics and finance. Her research focuses on financial exclusion, and its measurement, dimensions, causes, consequences and policy implications. Sherman is also interested in the area of financial regulation.

Research Summary

There have been few attempts to define the term ‘financial exclusion’, but it is commonly perceived that financial exclusion is a branch of social exclusion and refers to the lack of adequate access to financial products and services. This thesis is exploring the concept of financial exclusion, identifying its causes and consequences, and studying the characteristics of those who are kept out of the banking system. Little research has been done on financial exclusion in the Australian context.

The project uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to gain an insight into the complex concept of financial exclusion. The research analyses data from the Community Understanding of Poverty and Social Exclusion (CUPSE) survey—a postal questionnaire on a random sample drawn from the Australian electoral roll—to derive descriptive statistics on which groups are most vulnerable to financial exclusion. It also examines data from the Household Expenditure Survey, a five-yearly national survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Linkages between financial exclusion and financial stress are drawn. To fill the gaps that are not captured in quantitative studies and to obtain a full picture of the process of financial exclusion, face-to-face interviews will be conducted with people who are financially excluded, financial counsellors and representatives from the major local banks. Policy implications will be discussed at the conclusion of the research.