1. Migrant Remittances.
- Author
-
Yang, Dean
- Subjects
REMITTANCES ,ECONOMIC conditions in developing countries ,MIGRANT labor ,MOTIVATION (Psychology) ,MICROECONOMICS ,NONGOVERNMENTAL organizations ,HOUSEHOLDS ,INCOME ,ECONOMICS - Abstract
This article is about the economics of migrant remittances sent to developing countries. I review the overall magnitude of remittances and what current research reveals about the motivations for migrant remittances and what effects they have. I discuss field experimental evidence on migrant desires for control over the uses of their remittances. I highlight some key distinctive characteristics of remittances-such as their high frequency and relatively small individual magnitudes-as well as recent experimental evidence on the effect of reductions in remittance transaction fees, and outline a research agenda on the microeconomics of remittance decision making. Finally, I discuss what the future holds for remittances, considering aggregate trends but also approaches likely to be taken by international development agencies, national governments, the private sector, and academic economists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
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