Sumit Agarwal

Households significantly influence the sustainability of our planet. The decisions individuals and families make in their daily lives can have a substantial impact on the environment and society. Traditional economic models typically focus on maximizing benefits within one unit and one lifecycle, often overlooking the needs of other units and future generations. Household sustainability is a new research field that seeks to understand how households make choices that affect the environment, social well-being, and financial stability, as well as how households respond to interventions from these three perspectives. This field acknowledges the complex interactions between these three dimensions and aims to help households maximize their current utility without jeopardizing the utility of future generations. Within existing economic frameworks, household sustainability considers two additional fundamental issues: concerns for long-term growth (for descendants), and constraints placed on human societies.This handbook is intended for researchers or anyone interested in academic research on household sustainability. It provides an overview of recent research findings in this field, covering three major topics: household environmental sustainability, social sustainability, and financial sustainability. Specific research studies and findings that have contributed to our understanding of household sustainability are also highlighted in this book.

'Tien Foo, Sumit and Swee Hoon's latest instalment in the Kiasunomics series presents day-to-day issues in interesting ways, drawing on deep research to offer interdisciplinary insights such as the correlation between rising sea levels and fluctuating property prices, and the impact of mobile payments on business creation. The Kiasunomics series makes economics fun and accessible, and I hope it inspires readers to contemplate why economics matters in today's world and how it influences the Singaporean way of life.'Extracted from the Foreword by Chan Chun SingMinister for Education, SingaporeHave you ever wondered whether the Build-To-Order scheme affects marriage and divorce? Do you think haze affects physical and intellectual characteristics of babies? Is there a relationship between foreign buyers and property transactions? Are women more strategic taxi drivers? These and more are discussed in Kiasunomics©3 in an easy-to-understand manner.Each chapter, written simply and light-heartedly, is self-contained and covers a different research topic conducted at the National University of Singapore. The research findings are discussed in conversational terms to help readers understand the influences and consequences of the decisions made by all of us, using simple economic logic.This edition covers topics including the effects of climate change on property prices, purchase behavior when there is an online security breach, effects of parental bankruptcy on children, food orders during COVID lockdown, and many more.The book brings to light the relevance of research, often seen as esoteric, on our daily life and decision-making. It also bears on policy implications, particularly issues on housing, retirement, and financing.

'Tien Foo, Sumit and Swee Hoon's latest instalment in the Kiasunomics series presents day-to-day issues in interesting ways, drawing on deep research to offer interdisciplinary insights such as the correlation between rising sea levels and fluctuating property prices, and the impact of mobile payments on business creation. The Kiasunomics series makes economics fun and accessible, and I hope it inspires readers to contemplate why economics matters in today's world and how it influences the Singaporean way of life.'Extracted from the Foreword by Chan Chun SingMinister for Education, SingaporeHave you ever wondered whether the Build-To-Order scheme affects marriage and divorce? Do you think haze affects physical and intellectual characteristics of babies? Is there a relationship between foreign buyers and property transactions? Are women more strategic taxi drivers? These and more are discussed in Kiasunomics©3 in an easy-to-understand manner.Each chapter, written simply and light-heartedly, is self-contained and covers a different research topic conducted at the National University of Singapore. The research findings are discussed in conversational terms to help readers understand the influences and consequences of the decisions made by all of us, using simple economic logic.This edition covers topics including the effects of climate change on property prices, purchase behavior when there is an online security breach, effects of parental bankruptcy on children, food orders during COVID lockdown, and many more.The book brings to light the relevance of research, often seen as esoteric, on our daily life and decision-making. It also bears on policy implications, particularly issues on housing, retirement, and financing.

This book is dedicated to showcasing the importance of household financial management through the lens of academic research, with the goal of enhancing the financial well-being of individuals.Through an exploration of households' financial choices over their lifecycle, the book aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of households' financial decision-making processes, grounded in economic models, policies, and data.This holistic perspective encompasses an awareness of the functioning of different market types and an appreciation of various cognitive and behavioral biases. As a result, readers would be better positioned to make informed financial choices.By further integrating theories and empirical evidence from economics and finance, the book provides readers with insights into actions they can take to circumvent common financial pitfalls and offers solutions for effectively addressing them.

This book is dedicated to showcasing the importance of household financial management through the lens of academic research, with the goal of enhancing the financial well-being of individuals.Through an exploration of households' financial choices over their lifecycle, the book aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of households' financial decision-making processes, grounded in economic models, policies, and data.This holistic perspective encompasses an awareness of the functioning of different market types and an appreciation of various cognitive and behavioral biases. As a result, readers would be better positioned to make informed financial choices.By further integrating theories and empirical evidence from economics and finance, the book provides readers with insights into actions they can take to circumvent common financial pitfalls and offers solutions for effectively addressing them.

Household finance studies is a relatively recent field, exploring a growing understanding of how households make financial decisions relating to the functions of consumption, payment, risk management, borrowing and investing; how institutions provide goods and services to satisfy these financial functions of households; and how interventions by firms, governments and other parties affect the provision of financial services. This timely book analyses existing findings about household behavior as well as findings related to policy interventions. With international case studies, this book reviews a topic of global importance and brings a crucial up-to-date survey of the field for researchers and postgraduate students.

remove , a finalist at the Singapore Book Awards 2018, fast forwards a couple of years and follows Teng in his mid-career as a taxi driver. Ferrying passengers for a living, Teng has to grapple with challenges arising from ride hailing services. As one of the breadwinners in a three-generation household, Teng's ability to make wise financial decisions in a fast-changing world becomes increasingly important in attaining his dream of moving his family up the socio-economic ladder.This book covers hot and timely topics, which include: falling prices of old Housing and Development Board flats, rising land prices, wealth disparity among households, the Central Provident Fund retirement policy, regulation of car population, ride hailing services, mobile payments, and the coronavirus pandemic. These are unravelled through the authors' application of research findings.The book brings to light the relevance of research, often seen as esoteric, on our daily life and decision making. It also bears on policy implications, particularly issues on transportation, health, housing, and retirement.

remove , a finalist at the Singapore Book Awards 2018, fast forwards a couple of years and follows Teng in his mid-career as a taxi driver. Ferrying passengers for a living, Teng has to grapple with challenges arising from ride hailing services. As one of the breadwinners in a three-generation household, Teng's ability to make wise financial decisions in a fast-changing world becomes increasingly important in attaining his dream of moving his family up the socio-economic ladder.This book covers hot and timely topics, which include: falling prices of old Housing and Development Board flats, rising land prices, wealth disparity among households, the Central Provident Fund retirement policy, regulation of car population, ride hailing services, mobile payments, and the coronavirus pandemic. These are unravelled through the authors' application of research findings.The book brings to light the relevance of research, often seen as esoteric, on our daily life and decision making. It also bears on policy implications, particularly issues on transportation, health, housing, and retirement.

Household finance studies is a relatively recent field, exploring a growing understanding of how households make financial decisions relating to the functions of consumption, payment, risk management, borrowing and investing; how institutions provide goods and services to satisfy these financial functions of households; and how interventions by firms, governments and other parties affect the provision of financial services. This timely book analyses existing findings about household behavior as well as findings related to policy interventions. With international case studies, this book reviews a topic of global importance and brings a crucial up-to-date survey of the field for researchers and postgraduate students.

Have you ever wondered whether individuals born in the year of the Dragon are truly blessed? Or why you can't find a taxi when you need one? What about the effects of superstitious beliefs on housing prices? Kiasunomics© explores these issues and more in a series of stories through the lens of Teng, the protagonist of this book. Told in a conversational story-telling style yet grounded on rigorous research, the book explains the influences and outcomes of the decisions we make, using simple economic logic.The book follows the life journey of Teng — from birth to adulthood — and examines how seemingly innocuous decisions bear economic consequences on his life. It starts with the decision by Teng's parents to have him as a Dragon baby and shows how this decision affects not only his education but also his career and spending in the long term. The grown-up Teng in later chapters, is a taxi driver who learns that the daily budgeting of finances from many of his taxi-driving friends has proven to be poor financial planning. The story also shows how his purchase of a flat based on superstitious beliefs, and its location near a primary school and a Mass Rapid Transit station influences prices, and with some surprising results.This book touches the man on the street with issues that many Singaporeans can identify with. These include how Singaporeans' shopping in Johor affects their spending and savings; how different shoppers respond variedly to predictable promotions such as the Great Singapore Sale; how the haze or a mere nearby construction site affects water and electricity consumption; how playing golf elevates women's opportunities to sit on corporate boards; how Singaporeans' travel patterns are affected by their opinion towards public transportation; and how retirement poses financial challenges in silver years. These and many more are unravelled in the 20 stand-alone chapters through the authors' application of their research findings to day-to-day issues.Kiasunomics© brings to light that research can be made relevant to our daily living. Research helps us make sense of what we do and with that, we can learn to make better decisions for a smarter thinking nation.

Have you ever wondered whether individuals born in the year of the Dragon are truly blessed? Or why you can't find a taxi when you need one? What about the effects of superstitious beliefs on housing prices? Kiasunomics© explores these issues and more in a series of stories through the lens of Teng, the protagonist of this book. Told in a conversational story-telling style yet grounded on rigorous research, the book explains the influences and outcomes of the decisions we make, using simple economic logic.The book follows the life journey of Teng — from birth to adulthood — and examines how seemingly innocuous decisions bear economic consequences on his life. It starts with the decision by Teng's parents to have him as a Dragon baby and shows how this decision affects not only his education but also his career and spending in the long term. The grown-up Teng in later chapters, is a taxi driver who learns that the daily budgeting of finances from many of his taxi-driving friends has proven to be poor financial planning. The story also shows how his purchase of a flat based on superstitious beliefs, and its location near a primary school and a Mass Rapid Transit station influences prices, and with some surprising results.This book touches the man on the street with issues that many Singaporeans can identify with. These include how Singaporeans' shopping in Johor affects their spending and savings; how different shoppers respond variedly to predictable promotions such as the Great Singapore Sale; how the haze or a mere nearby construction site affects water and electricity consumption; how playing golf elevates women's opportunities to sit on corporate boards; how Singaporeans' travel patterns are affected by their opinion towards public transportation; and how retirement poses financial challenges in silver years. These and many more are unravelled in the 20 stand-alone chapters through the authors' application of their research findings to day-to-day issues.Kiasunomics© brings to light that research can be made relevant to our daily living. Research helps us make sense of what we do and with that, we can learn to make better decisions for a smarter thinking nation.

Have you ever fallen victim to the system? Felt humiliated and helpless? Have you fought back? Meet four such patriots: Varun, an NRI software engineer; Salman, CEO of Coffee Moments; Raghav, a virtuous politician; and Aditya, an altruistic businessman. Fate brings these four lives together at a crossroads, pushing these unlikely heroes out of their comfort zones to fight a seemingly unstoppable evil force which wants to hold our country captive. The four companions, who have always had each other's back, will now come face-to-face with the biggest challenge of their lives-a labyrinthine plot rife with perilous twists and wicked turns. With the nation's future at stake, will they be able to destroy the Chakravyuh intricately laid down by the enemies of India? Will they come out of it alive? A story about friendship, faith and courage, replete with romance and patriotism, The Four Patriots is a racy, contemporary thriller sure to give you goosebumps. Pick this book if you do not believe 'is desh ka kuch nahin ho sakta'; and if you think all is not lost, this is a must-read