The influence of religious-oriented family management on consumption behavior and poverty: insights from human resource and management perspectives

Abstract

This study aims to explore the effect of religious-based family management (RBFM) on absolute poverty by examining two key factors: short-term vision and uncontrolled consumption among low-income families. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 172 respondents across six regions in South Sulawesi and analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via Amos. The findings demonstrate that RBFM, functioning as an agent of change, significantly reduces short-term mindset, excessive spending, and absolute poverty. This underscores the crucial role of integrating religious values into family management to limit impulsive consumption and promote long-term financial planning, which can potentially break the poverty cycle. The study’s novelty lies in its application of Human Capital Theory (HCT) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to explain how religion influences family economic behavior. These results have important implications for poverty alleviation policies, particularly in the creation of value-based programs that merge religious principles with financial literacy to enhance economic sustainability among low-income households.