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Abstract This study investigates the role of information and communication technology (ICT) on income inequality through financial development dynamics of depth (money supply and liquid liabilities), efficiency (at banking and financial system levels), activity (from banking and financial system perspectives) and size, in 48 African countries for the period 1996 to 2014. The empirical evidence is based on Generalised Method of Moments. While both financial depth and size are established to reduce inequality contingent on ICT, only the effect of financial depth in reducing inequality is robust to the inclusion of time invariant variables to the set of strictly exogenous variables. We extend the analysis by decomposing financial depth into its components, namely: formal, informal, semi-formal and non-formal financial sectors. The findings based on this extension show that ICT reduces income inequality through formal financial sector development and financial sector formalization as opposed to informal financial sector development and financial sector informalization. The study contributes at the same time to the macroeconomic literature on measuring financial development and responds to the growing field of addressing post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) inequality challenges by means of ICT and financial access. Highlights • We investigate linkages between information technology, finance and income inequality. • The focus is on 48 African countries for the period 1996 to 2014. • The empirical evidence is based on Generalised Method of Moments. • Findings are presented in terms of financial depth, activity, efficiency and size. • Results are also extended to the formal, informal, semi-formal and non-formal financial sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study complements the scarce literature on conditional market timing in the mutual fund industry by assessing determinants of market timing throughout the distribution of market exposure. It builds on the intuition that the degree of responsiveness by fund managers to investigated factors (aggregate liquidity, information asymmetry, volatility and market excess return) is contingent on their levels of market exposure. To this end, we use a panel of 1467 active open-end mutual funds for the period 2004–2013. Fund-specific time-dynamic beta is employed and we avail room for more policy implications by disaggregating the dataset into market fundamentals of: equity, fixed income, allocation and tax preferred. The empirical evidence is based on Quantile regressions. The following findings are established. First, there is consistent positive threshold evidence of volatility and market return in market timing, with the slim exception of allocation funds for which the pattern of volatility is either U- or S-shaped. Second, the effect of volatility and market return are consistently positive and negative respectively in the bottom and top quintiles of market exposure, but not for allocation funds. Third, the effects of information asymmetry and aggregate liquidity are positive and negative, contingent on specifications, level of market exposure and market fundamentals. The findings broadly suggest that blanket responses of market exposures to investigated factors are unlikely to represent feasible strategies for fund managers unless they are contingent on initial levels of market exposure and tailored differently across ‘highly exposed’-fund managers and ‘lowly exposed’-fund managers. Implications for investors and fund managers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the effect of time-dynamic financial globalisation uncertainty on financial development in 53 African countries for the period 2000–2011. The empirical evidence is based on the Generalised Method of Moments with forward orthogonal deviations. The following findings are established. First, financial globalisation uncertainty does not significantly affect money supply, financial system deposits and financial size. Second, the uncertainty increases banking system efficiency, banking system activity and financial system activity. Moreover, the positive effects are consistently driven by above-median uncertainty levels. It follows that uncertainty in foreign capital flows may be a disguised advantage for domestic financial development, especially in dealing with the substantially documented issue of surplus liquidity in African financial institutions. Additionally, the sceptical view in the financial globalisation literature that ‘allocation efficiency’ is only plausible in the absence of uncertainty/instability is not substantiated by the findings. Justifications for the nexuses and policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine policy thresholds of information sharing for financial development in 53 African countries for the period 2004–2011. Public credit registries (PCRs) and private credit bureaus (PCBs) are used as proxies for reducing information asymmetry whereas financial development includes all financial dimensions identified by the financial development and structure database (FDSD) of the World Bank, namely: depth, efficiency, activity and size. The empirical evidence is based on interactive generalised methods of moments with forward orthogonal deviations. The following findings are established. First, PCRs and PCBs have negative effects on financial depth, with the magnitude of the former higher. Second, contrary to PCRs which have insignificant effects, PCBs have a negative impact on banking system efficiency. Third, PCRs and PCBs have negative impacts on financial activity, with the magnitude of the latter higher. Moreover, both of their marginal effects are negative. Fourth, PCRs and PCBs have positive effects on financial size, with the effect of the former higher. While marginal effects are positive, corresponding thresholds are not within range. Policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health promotion is an educational tool that can be used to educate and create awareness of health issues through various media forms. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of social media (TB Proof South Africa's Facebook page) in creating tuberculosis (TB) awareness. A qualitative case study approach was used to collect data from TB Proof South Africa's Facebook page. An in-depth visual analysis of TB Proof South Africa's Facebook page was carried out over a five-month period (from 1 February to June 30, 2017). The analysis of TB Proof South Africa's Facebook page was conducted in order to determine the use of social media for health promotion. Such a comprehensive analysis was aimed at determining if the visuals on this page create awareness on TB as an illness. Common themes were identified including, TB medication, TB patients and healthcare workers raising awareness on TB. The findings have potential implications for health promotion efforts using social media. • The study assesses how Facebook can be used to raise TB awareness. • The focus is on TB Proof South Africa's Facebook page and visual analysis is employed. • Facebook is a valuable social media that can be used to promote health awareness. • The findings have potential implications for health promotion efforts using social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]