Intra-household sharing of financial resources : a review

Abstract

Since the 1960s, the allocation of resources in couples has been the object of much research in both the fields of economics and sociology. Today, the growth of women’s economic independence and their increased potential to control economic resources within their households raise important questions about the dynamics of intra-household sharing and calls for a reconsideration of existing theories on the allocation of household resources. This article reviews, in a non-technical way, the two lines of research, in economics and sociology respectively, which have focused on the sharing of financial resources within a common unit of analysis: the household. After outlining their alternative applications and highlighting the similarities and differences between the two – starting from the unitary models of behaviour and encompassing bargaining theory, collective goods, and transaction cost approach – we discuss new developments in the form of the dynamic models and preference theory. Finally, we reflect on the challenges that the field currently faces and suggest possible pathways for future research.