Investment strategies and gender: a study of emerging patterns in India

This study investigates the investment behaviours of suburban and rural investors in India with a particular interest in any observable differences in the approach to investment, in terms of attitude to risk and goals ('investment strategy orientation'), in men and women. In the absence of local empirical literature, this study was based on typical frameworks for empirical research conducted outside of India. The sample was made up of employed persons, professionals, business-owners and housewives. The interviewees were made up of male and female subjects from different age groups, with varying income levels. Data were gathered through structured questionnaires as well as in-depth qualitative interviews. Investment analysts in the region were also interviewed.The findings show that there are generally no significant differences by gender in terms of investment orientation of suburban/rural investors in India. This is contrary to a significant volume of previous findings. The knowledge of investors was considered by some local analysts to be 'inadequate' to operate effectively in the investment markets and this is also reported on.The study urges that financial service suppliers and governments in developing countries take steps to popularize investment education programmes in order to better equip and motivate investors in suburban and rural regions. To avoid some of the conflicts of interests that accompanied a global collapse in the financial landscape of the West, however, it is also worth considering that the 'moderation' of investment aggressiveness and risk appetite displayed by the new investors in India may contribute to the establishment of a more stable financial climate.