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on Gender |
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Issue of 2025–01–13
ten papers chosen by Jan Sauermann, Institutet för Arbetsmarknads- och Utbildningspolitisk Utvärdering |
| By: | Blau, Francine D. (Cornell University) |
| Abstract: | This article examines the trends in women's economic outcomes in the United States focusing primarily on labor force participation, occupational attainment, and the gender wage gap. The author first highlights considerable progress on all dimensions prior to the 1990s followed by a slowing or stalling of gains thereafter, with a plateauing of female labor force participation trends and a slowing of women's occupational and wage convergence with men. She considers the likelihood of a resumption of progress in narrowing gender gaps in these areas, concluding it is unlikely without policy intervention. She then considers some new policy initiatives addressing work-family issues and labor market discrimination that may hold potential for increasing female labor force participation and narrowing gender inequities in the labor market. |
| Keywords: | gender wage gap, gender, female labor force participation, occupational segregation, labor market discrimination, labor market policy |
| JEL: | J16 J18 J21 J24 J31 J48 J71 |
| Date: | 2024–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17558 |
| By: | Deepa Dhume Datta; Robert J. Vigfusson |
| Abstract: | Relative to diversity, inclusion is much harder to measure. We measure inclusion of women in economics using novel data on coauthoring relationships among Federal Reserve Board economists. Individual coauthoring relationships are voluntary, yet inclusion in coauthoring networks can be central to research productivity and career success. We document gender affinity in coauthoring, with individuals up to 34 percent more likely to have a same-gender coauthor in the data relative to what would be predicted by random assignment. Because women account for under 30 percent of Federal Reserve Board economists, gender affinity in coauthoring relationships may reduce research opportunities for women relative to their men peers. Whereas commonality of research interests is not sufficient to explain observed gender affinity in coauthoring, we find that paper outcomes may encourage gender affinity, in that papers authored by only men are more downloaded and more likely to be published than papers by mixed-gender teams. Gender affinity may contribute to the gender gap in authoring as well: women make up only 23 percent of authors in the later part of our sample, about 4 percentage points below their share of the economist population. We estimate that reducing gender affinity by men could eliminate between 1.5 to 3 percentage points of the gender gap in observed research output by women. Our findings on gender affinity in coauthoring provide an empirical assessment of the state of inclusivity in economics. |
| Keywords: | Central banks; Coauthoring networks; Diversity; Gender affinity; Inclusion; Leaky pipeline |
| JEL: | A14 J16 E58 |
| Date: | 2024–12–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fedgfe:2024-91 |
| By: | Olivetti, Claudia (Dartmouth College); Pan, Jessica (National University of Singapore); Petrongolo, Barbara (University of Oxford) |
| Abstract: | This chapter traces the evolution of the study of gender in the labor market, focusing on how academic thinking on this topic has evolved alongside real world developments in gender inequality from the 1980s to the present. We present a simple model of female labor supply to illustrate how various forces discussed in the literature (e.g., productivity differentials, unequal gender roles, wage markdowns) affect the gender earnings gap. A major development in the literature is a clearer distinction between intrinsic differences in preferences and skills between men and women versus differential constraints in driving gender gaps. We discuss insights from research on the relative importance of these explanations, and the implications for economic efficiency. We highlight that much of the literature today emphasizes the relevance of gendered constraints, where women and men typically face differential trade-offs between family and career, with implications for job sorting, job search, and earnings. These constraints have their roots in gender roles within the household that are shaped by wider societal norms. We review recent research that establishes the relevance of identity and norms for understanding gender inequalities in the labor market, both on the supply-side and on the demand-side, as well as what drives the formation and evolution of these norms. Finally, we conclude with suggestions for future research. |
| Date: | 2024–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17559 |
| By: | Hermes, Henning; Krauß, Marina; Lergetporer, Philipp; Peter, Frauke; Wiederhold, Simon |
| Abstract: | This field experiment investigates the causal impact of mothers' perceptions of gender norms on their employment attitudes and labor-supply expectations. We provide mothers of young children in Germany with information about the prevailing gender norm regarding maternal employment in their city. At baseline, over 70% of mothers incorrectly perceive this gender norm as too conservative. Our randomized treatment improves the accuracy of these perceptions, significantly reducing the share of mothers who misperceive gender norms as overly conservative. The treatment also shifts mothers' own labor-market attitudes towards being more liberal - and we show that specifically the shifted attitude is a strong predictor of mothers' future labor-market participation. Consistently, treated mothers are significantly more likely to plan an increase in their working hours one year ahead. |
| Keywords: | gender equality, gender norms, maternal employment, randomized controlled trial |
| JEL: | C93 J16 J18 J22 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:iwhdps:308051 |
| By: | Bidner, Chris; Sand, Ben |
| Abstract: | We consider the role of differences in outside wages-the wages earned by similar workers in other jobs-in shaping pay differentials, focusing on the gender dimension in the U.S. during 1980-2010. Using instruments that exploit differential exposure to common industry wage shocks, we find a substantial role for outside wages. Differences in outside wages account for one-half of the level of, and trends in, the unexplained gender wage gap. Our results offer a reinterpretation of trends in the gender wage gap, and suggest that standard wage decompositions are systematically misleading. |
| Keywords: | Wage structure, Gender discrimination, Labor, USA |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:clefwp:308052 |
| By: | Broso, Matteo; Gallice, Andrea; Muratori, Caterina |
| Abstract: | Men and women often sort into different jobs, and male-dominated jobs typically pay more than female-dominated ones. Why is that the case? We propose a model where workers have heterogeneous attitudes with respect to the social norms that define gender prescribed occupations and face endogenous social costs when entering jobs deemed "appropriate" for the other gender. We show that: (i) workers trade off identity and wage considerations in deciding where to work; (ii) asymmetric social norms contribute to the gender pay gap by deterring women from entering higher-paying male-dominated sectors; (iii) breaking social norms generates positive externalities, reducing social stigma for everyone. Therefore, in equilibrium, there are too few social norm breakers. |
| Keywords: | Occupational Segregation, Wage Gap, Social Norms |
| JEL: | J24 J31 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:glodps:1529 |
| By: | Deepa Dhume Datta; Nitzan Tzur-Ilan |
| Abstract: | To better understand the stalled progress of women in economics, we construct new data on women's representation and research output in one of the largest policy institutions—the Federal Reserve System. We document a slight increase in women’s representation over the past 20 years, in line with academic trends. We also document a significant gender gap in research output, especially for years in which economists have greater domestic responsibilities, but nearly absent gender gaps in policy output and career progression. This work complements existing research on women in academia, allowing a more comprehensive examination of progress in the economics profession. |
| Keywords: | Central banks; Diversity; Gender inequality; Leaky pipeline; Research output |
| JEL: | J16 A14 E58 |
| Date: | 2024–12–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fedgfe:2024-92 |
| By: | Ihsaan Bassier; Leila Gautham |
| Abstract: | We find that women sorting into lower wage firms explains nearly half of the gender wage gap in South Africa, using matched employer-employee panel data covering the universe of formal sector workers. Sorting varies considerably over the life cycle: the firm-wage gender gap is negligible for the youngest workers, grows steeply for 25-35-year-olds (i.e. typical child-rearing years), and narrows for older workers. |
| Keywords: | Wage premium, Gender gap, Wage inequality, Sorting, Worker mobility, Firm-level analysis |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2024-80 |
| By: | Aguilar-Gomez, Sandra (Universidad de los Andes); Cárdenas, Juan Camilo (Universidad de los Andes); Galindo, Camila (Universidad de los Andes); Rodríguez-Arenas, Jorge (Universidad de los Andes); Vlasak-González, Daniela (Universidad de los Andes) |
| Abstract: | Environmental degradation is a major public policy challenge, with the Global South being particularly vulnerable to its effects. In developing countries, women and girls often bear a greater burden of climate change and air pollution than men and boys do. The international literature suggests that compared to men, women are more concerned about environmental degradation and adopt more sustainable practices in their daily lives, but research on this matter in Global South countries is scarce. This study aims to explore the gender differences in environmental knowledge, attitudes, and practices (E-KAP) among secondary school-aged children in Colombia. In Latin America, no research has yet examined the underlying mechanisms driving these differences. We confirm that compared to boys, girls are significantly more concerned about the environment and feel more responsible for climate change (8–10 p.p.). We also provide new insights into girls’ greater awareness and familiarity with indoor air pollution (IAP) (8.5–9 p.p.) and expand on previous research that focused on exposure rather than on perception. Our findings can help in designing and developing inclusive education policies for climate adaptation and mitigation, particularly in Global South countries, and they have the potential to empower students in the face of climate change. |
| Keywords: | Gender; knowledge; attitudes; practices; environmental pollution; climate change |
| JEL: | D83 J16 Q51 Q53 Q54 Q56 |
| Date: | 2024–12–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:col:000089:021267 |
| By: | Boinet, Césarine (University of Strathclyde); Norris, Jonathan (University of Strathclyde); Romiti, Agnese (University of Strathclyde); Shi, Zhan (University of Kent); Telemo, Paul (University of Strathclyde) |
| Abstract: | Mothers may face pressure to sort out of the labor market due to perceptions that women have an absolute advantage in child-rearing, even when their earnings potential matches that of men. Guided by a simple model, we use a survey experiment where we equalize earnings potential across gender and show that women are perceived to hold an absolute advantage in childrearing. We then experimentally test mechanisms underlying these beliefs, finding that mothers are expected to spend more time on skill investments with their children than fathers who have equivalent time available. Finally, we find that when mothers work full-time, children's actual performance is generally underestimated, but providing factual information about their outcomes, leads to more accurate beliefs and reduced expectations of harm to the child. Our results show that beliefs about an absolute advantage for women in child-rearing are indeed present and highlight the need for targeted interventions to address misinformation about children's outcomes when mothers pursue careers. |
| Keywords: | motherhood penalty, absolute advantage, belief elicitation, information |
| JEL: | D13 D83 J16 J22 |
| Date: | 2024–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17574 |