Improving financial literacy among small business owners: A theory and evidence-based approach to enhancing financial resilience of small businesses

This project focuses on improving financial literacy among small business owners. The so called financial literacy of many owners of small businesses is relatively low. One of the consequences is a low resilience against crises as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic painfully showed. In this project a PhD student will review the literature in order to formulate a comprehensive definition of financial literacy, with special attention for the relevant behaviour that forms part of that. The next step is map out the determinants of these behaviours and analyse existing programmes to improve financial literacy in order to inventory on what knowledge, behaviours and underlying determinants they focus. Based on these findings the most promising programme will be enhanced so that it focuses on the whole range of relevant behaviours and determinants. Finally this improved programme will be evaluated.