@article{Asongu_641,
author = {Simplice A Asongu},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-11-2012-0228},
doi = {10.1108/IJSE-11-2012-0228},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-07-01},
journal = {International Journal of Social Economics},
volume = {42},
number = {8},
pages = {706 - 716},
abstract = {Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to complement theoretical and qualitative literature with empirical evidence on the income-redistributive effect of mobile phone penetration in 52 African countries.

Design/methodology/approach
– Robust ordinary least squares and two stage least squares empirical strategies are employed.

Findings
– The findings suggest that mobile penetration is pro-poor, as it has a positive income equality effect.

Social implications
– “Mobile phone”-oriented poverty reduction channels are discussed.

Originality/value
– It deviates from mainstream country-specific and microeconomic survey-based approaches in the literature and provides the first macroeconomic assessment of the “mobile phone”-inequality nexus.},
keywords = {Africa, Inequality, Mobile phones, Poverty, Shadow economy},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

@article{Asongu_769,
author = {Simplice A Asongu},
url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15228916.2013.765309},
doi = {10.1080/15228916.2013.765309},
year = {2013},
date = {2013-03-06},
journal = {Journal of African Business},
volume = {14},
number = {1},
pages = {7-18},
abstract = {In the first macroeconomic empirical assessment of the relationship between mobile phones and finance, the author examines the correlations between mobile phone penetration and financial development using two conflicting definitions of the financial system in the financial development literature. With the traditional International Financial Statistics (IFS) (2008) definition, mobile phone penetration has a negative correlation with traditional financial intermediary dynamics of depth, activity, and size. However, when a previously missing informal-financial sector component is integrated into the definition, mobile phone penetration has a positive correlation with informal financial development. Three implications result: There is a growing role of informal finance; mobile phone penetration may not be positively assessed at a macroeconomic level by traditional financial development indicators; and it is a wake-up call for scholarly research on informal financial development indicators that will orient monetary policy.},
keywords = {Africa, Banking, Financial Development, Mobile phones, Shadow economy},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}