TY - JOUR
T1 - On the choice of superannuation funds in Australia
AU - Langford, Benjamin R.
AU - Faff, Robert W.
AU - Marisetty, Vijaya B.
PY - 2006/6
Y1 - 2006/6
N2 - Using a sample of Australian retail and wholesale superannuation funds to proxy for choice and limited choice alternatives, respectively, we investigate the costs and benefits of providing choice to investors. We find that investors who have choice don't respond to fees. Also, loads - typical of the choice environment - are likely to be a dead-weight loss borne by investors. Employees who involuntarily contribute to (employer) funds, tend to pay the lowest fees. Given these results, the advantages of choice become questionable. Our results show that managers of limited choice funds achieve greater positive abnormal returns than retail fund managers. The analysis of flows provides insight into why choice funds do not perform better than limited choice funds. Investors are not responding to historical performance as predicted.
AB - Using a sample of Australian retail and wholesale superannuation funds to proxy for choice and limited choice alternatives, respectively, we investigate the costs and benefits of providing choice to investors. We find that investors who have choice don't respond to fees. Also, loads - typical of the choice environment - are likely to be a dead-weight loss borne by investors. Employees who involuntarily contribute to (employer) funds, tend to pay the lowest fees. Given these results, the advantages of choice become questionable. Our results show that managers of limited choice funds achieve greater positive abnormal returns than retail fund managers. The analysis of flows provides insight into why choice funds do not perform better than limited choice funds. Investors are not responding to historical performance as predicted.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33646735365&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10693-006-7628-8
DO - 10.1007/s10693-006-7628-8
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33646735365
SN - 0920-8550
VL - 29
SP - 255
EP - 279
JO - Journal of Financial Services Research
JF - Journal of Financial Services Research
IS - 3
ER -