TY - JOUR
T1 - Language and consumption
AU - Wang, Haining
AU - Cheng, Zhiming
AU - Smyth, Russell
PY - 2016/9/1
Y1 - 2016/9/1
N2 - We examine the relationship between proficiency in Mandarin and consumption in China. We find that proficiency in Mandarin has a positive effect on an individual's total consumption expenditure as well as most categories of consumption expenditure. We also find considerable heterogeneity in the effects of Mandarin proficiency on consumption across subsamples. In addition, we find that proficiency in Mandarin has a positive effect on relative consumption, irrespective of the manner in which the reference group is defined. Our results have important policy implications for debates on the promotion of a national language and, in particular, recent debate about the promotion of speaking Mandarin in China.
AB - We examine the relationship between proficiency in Mandarin and consumption in China. We find that proficiency in Mandarin has a positive effect on an individual's total consumption expenditure as well as most categories of consumption expenditure. We also find considerable heterogeneity in the effects of Mandarin proficiency on consumption across subsamples. In addition, we find that proficiency in Mandarin has a positive effect on relative consumption, irrespective of the manner in which the reference group is defined. Our results have important policy implications for debates on the promotion of a national language and, in particular, recent debate about the promotion of speaking Mandarin in China.
KW - China
KW - Consumption
KW - Human capital
KW - Mandarin proficiency
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84976483591&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.chieco.2016.06.009
DO - 10.1016/j.chieco.2016.06.009
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84976483591
VL - 40
SP - 135
EP - 151
JO - China Economic Review
JF - China Economic Review
SN - 1043-951X
ER -