Research by Dean Yang was featured in the 'Ideas Issue’ of The Michigan Daily's weekly news magazine, The Statement. Yang's research explores whether control over a migrant’s own remittance—through a savings account, for example—could impact the long-term growth of his or her home country.
A field study conducted by Yang revealed that when migrants had more control over the money they sent home, more money was saved. Yang told the Daily that most migrant workers tend to want their money to be spent on more long-term investments—like schooling, healthcare and small business ventures—but that in many situations, families use the money for more short-term necessities, like groceries and household bills.