Financial Literacy: Definition, edges, benefits and future lines of research

Abstract

Globalization and the expansion of markets have accelerated the production flows of goods and services throughout the world, modifying the way of life of people, companies and countries. Currently, there is no area of human knowledge that is not related to globalization, permeating all fields of human activity, acquiring a multidimensional character, related to economics, culture, politics, ecology and other areas of knowledge. Globalization is supported by trade flows of capital, information, and knowledge, among others, involving most countries and their inhabitants. It also implies a greater cultural and economic interaction between peoples, intensified using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), which put at risk people with less knowledge and skills in their use, including in the financial and resource management aspects. Within the technologies with applications to the financial area we find those used for operations and tools for means of payment, electronic money, security and identification of people, and others as complex as big data. This has increased the need for people, from an early age, to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills that allow them to generate their welfare in this environment. Additionally, the global risks of indebtedness and the adversities due to technological advances promote Financial Literacy to a greater extent. This was born as just the financial education given to the elderly so that they can maintain and manage their pensions adequately. However, financial changes have promoted what today is known as Financial Literacy. Nowadays, it is not only enough to have arithmetic knowledge to achieve an adequate management of resources, but it is necessary to develop knowledge and skills to achieve financial wellbeing. The complex, dynamic and multidimensional nature of Financial Literacy makes its analysis multi-criteria. In this sense, the present material has been elaborated based on the bibliographic review of 58 articles collected from the year 2014 to date, allowing it to be an ideal reading material for academics and those who incur in this world.