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Article
Publication date: 11 May 2010

Margaret Maurer‐Fazio, James W. Hughes and Dandan Zhang

The purpose of the paper is to examine observed differences in China's ethnic majority and minority patterns of labor force participation and to decompose these differences into…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine observed differences in China's ethnic majority and minority patterns of labor force participation and to decompose these differences into treatment and endowment effects.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from the three most recent population censuses of China are employed to explore differences in the labor force participation rates of a number of China's important ethnic groups. Gender‐separated urban labor force participation rates are estimated using logit regressions, controlling for educational attainment, marital status, pre‐school and school‐age children, household size, age, and measures of local economic conditions. The focus is on the experience of six minority groups (Hui, Koreans, Manchu, Mongolians, Uygurs, and Zhuang) in comparison to the majority Han. The technique developed by Borooah and Iyer is adopted to decompose the differences in labor force participation rates between pairs of ethnic groups into treatment and endowment effects.

Findings

Sizeable differences are found between the labor force participation rates of prime‐age urban women of particular ethnic groups and the majority Han. Men's participation rates are very high (above 95 percent) and exhibit little difference between Han and ethnic minorities. For almost all pairwise comparisons between Han and ethnic women, it is found that differences in coefficients account for more than 100 percent of the Han‐ethnic difference in labor force participation. Differences in endowments often have substantial effects in reducing this positive Han margin in labor force participation. Roughly speaking, treatment of women's characteristics, whether in the market or socially, tend to increase the Han advantage in labor force participation. The levels of these characteristics on average tend to reduce this Han advantage.

Research limitations/implications

The paper analyses only one aspect of the economic status of China's ethnic minorities – labor force participation. It would be useful also to examine income, educational attainment, occupational attainment, and unemployment.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to and expands the scant literature on ethnicity in China's economic transition.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 31 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 14 July 2004

Elizabeth Becker and Cotton M. Lindsay

Three empirical regularities characterize markets for married workers: (1) productivity and leadership potential are predicted by intelligence; (2) assortative mating based on…

Abstract

Three empirical regularities characterize markets for married workers: (1) productivity and leadership potential are predicted by intelligence; (2) assortative mating based on intelligence characterizes marriages; and (3) labor force participation declines with spouse income more rapidly for married women than for married men. Taken together these characteristics imply that labor force participation will decline for women relative to their husbands as intelligence rises. These three observations suggest a nondiscriminatory explanation for the alleged under-representation of females among corporate leaders. They imply that the women who might be predicted to win the tournament for these positions often do not enter this competition. Instead they choose employment in full time household production. Both the three regularities and the implication concerning labor force participation are empirically examined. The findings of these tests are supportive on all counts.

Details

Accounting for Worker Well-Being
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-273-3

Article
Publication date: 1 October 2018

Misbah Tanveer Choudhry and Paul Elhorst

The purpose of this paper is to present a theoretical model, which is aggregated across individuals to analyse the labour force participation rate, and empirical results to…

2406

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a theoretical model, which is aggregated across individuals to analyse the labour force participation rate, and empirical results to provide evidence of a U-shaped relationship between women’s labour force participation and economic development.

Design/methodology/approach

The U-shaped relationship is investigated by employing a panel data approach of 40 countries around the world over the period 1960–2005. It is investigated whether the labour force behaviour of women in different age groups can be lumped together by considering ten different age groups.

Findings

The paper finds evidence in favour of the U-shaped relationship. For every age group and explanatory variable in the model, a particular point is found where the regime of falling participation rates changes into a regime of rising participation rates.

Research limitations/implications

To evaluate this relationship, microeconomic analysis with primary data can also provide significant insights.

Social implications

Every country can narrow the gap between the labour participation rates of men and women in the long term. Fertility decline, shifts of employment to services, part-time work, increased opportunities in education, and the capital-to-labour ratio as a measure for economic development are the key determinants.

Originality/value

In addition to the U-shaped relationship, considerable research has been carried out on demographic transition. This paper brings these two strands of literature together, by econometrically investigating the impact of demographic transition on female labour force participation given its U-shaped relation with economic development, i.e., turning points for different explanatory variables are calculated and their implications for economic growth are discussed.

Article
Publication date: 14 October 2019

Marianna Oliskevych and Iryna Lukianenko

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the behavior peculiarities of the labor force participation in Eastern European countries.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the behavior peculiarities of the labor force participation in Eastern European countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors provide the analysis of nonlinearity in dynamics of economic active population and perform the econometric analysis using logistic smooth transition autoregressive models that are flexible and capture various kinds of behavior for different modes. The paper investigates labor markets of six Eastern European countries, Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, Slovakia, Romania and Croatia that are characterized by lower level of labor force participation rate (LFPR) than average level in EU.

Findings

The results of modeling quantitatively characterize smooth changes in the behavior modes of labor force activity for each country and indicate how population economic activity depends on previous labor market states. The estimated slope parameters that determine the smoothness of transition between regimes show that, in all countries, the labor force participation quite quickly reacts to changes that occurred on the labor market in the past. During recession periods, households of European countries that joint EU last decade in order to prevent the depletion of their total income increased labor supply and showed increased activity in job search.

Originality/value

This paper indicates the nonlinearity and asymmetry in LFPR in transition economies, discovers variety of its dynamics in the different regimes and determines the indicators that cause the change of the population economic activity behavior in each country.

Details

Journal of Economic Studies, vol. 46 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3585

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 May 2017

Pedro Rodrigues de Oliveira, Ana Lúcia Kassouf and Juliana Maria de Aquino

The purpose of this paper is to present evidences on the spillover effects of a cash transfer addressed to poor elders in Brazil.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present evidences on the spillover effects of a cash transfer addressed to poor elders in Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Brazilian National Households Survey (PNAD) the authors assess the effects of an income transfer to the elders on household composition and the labor supply of elders and co-residing relatives, under a regression discontinuity design.

Findings

The authors do not find strong evidences of changes in the household composition due to the program. However the authors found reductions in the elders’ labor force participation, indicating that the program allow elders to retire. Moreover, the transfer yields a decrease in the labor force participation of co-residents, depending on their age. The authors also observe decreases in child labor.

Originality/value

Along with the cash comes context-dependent effects, showing there are many latent aspects of these transfers yet to be uncovered.

Details

Journal of Economic Studies, vol. 44 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3585

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 July 2010

Toseef Azid, Rana Ejaz Ali Khan and Adnan M.S. Alamasi

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the factors that influence the decision of married women (in the age group of 16‐60 years) to participate in labor force activities.

1991

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the factors that influence the decision of married women (in the age group of 16‐60 years) to participate in labor force activities.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an empirical study employing the non‐linear maximum likelihood probability (probit) function on primary data (3,911 observations).

Findings

Besides other variables it has been observed that poverty remains an important determinant of female labor participation.

Research limitations/implications

On the basis of this paper, a socio‐economic policy can be formulated for a developing country like Pakistan.

Practical implications

A development policy (especially considering the gender aspects) can be formulated on the basis of this research for the enhancement of human resource development for a developing and an orthodox economy like Pakistan.

Originality/value

This paper is beneficial to researchers, policy makers, and social scientists for the enhancement of the level of social welfare and equity through its findings.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 37 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 14 February 2022

Eric R. Kushins and Myriam Quispe-Agnoli

This chapter explores various structural, socio-cultural and economic factors that have precipitated the significant change in the supply of free family firm workers, specifically…

Abstract

This chapter explores various structural, socio-cultural and economic factors that have precipitated the significant change in the supply of free family firm workers, specifically women’s unpaid labor. To investigate these concerns, we use longitudinal data from the U.S. Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). We provide a general overview of critical social, cultural and economic factors impacting women’s opportunities since 1948, with an emphasis on recent historical changes between 1994 and 2020.

We find that, among other factors, the deinstitutionalization of marriage, changing rates of educational attainment, fluctuating labor force participation, economic recessions and women’s rights movements have led to a steep decline in unpaid female family workers. We further assess the distribution of unpaid family workers by industry and by age of worker to build a more nuanced picture of this trend. We sought to determine where these unpaid female workers went --to industry jobs, government work or self-­employment.

Given that complex national-level factors will continue to impact women’s life choices, family firms should consider the short- and long-term impact of the changing social value of women and their roles in family firms. We suggest family firms: ensure appropriate financial compensation for talented women, provide a range of supportive options for work-family balance to increase retention, and consider differential work opportunities for women at the start of their professional lives and those who may be interested in contributing to their families’ business in the later years of their careers.

Expert briefing
Publication date: 2 December 2015

Changing demography and socio-economic trends in the labour force.

Book part
Publication date: 17 January 2023

Tanseli Savaser, Murat Tiniç, Gunseli Tumer-Alkan and Hakki Deniz Karaman

This study examines whether fintech lending further enhances or mitigates the gender-based differences in consumer loan performance in an emerging market. Using a proprietary…

Abstract

This study examines whether fintech lending further enhances or mitigates the gender-based differences in consumer loan performance in an emerging market. Using a proprietary dataset of over 5.5 million consumer loans offered by the fifth-largest bank in Turkey and its fintech subsidiary, the authors first document a significant gender gap in average loan performances. In line with the previous empirical findings, men are more likely to default on their debt. The average difference in loan performance is around 10 basis points, indicating a statistically and economically significant magnitude even after controlling for an exhaustive list of demographic and credit characteristics. Next, the authors show that the gender gap in loan performance is more pronounced in areas where women have more outside options in terms of social and economic opportunities. Specifically, the authors observe that gender-based differences are predominantly evident in cities with higher divorce rates, lower young and elderly dependence, smaller household sizes, and higher labor force participation of women. Since the child and elderly care duties disproportionately influence women’s ability to participate in economic life, their ability to find resources to pay their loans in a timely manner improves more in comparison to men in areas where women face fewer restrictions to seek local economic opportunities outside the household. Finally, the authors document that fintech loans partially mitigate the gender-based differences in consumer loan performance in those cities. This result suggests that the developments in financial technology can reduce the inefficiencies associated with human involvement in credit decisions, narrowing the gender gap in loan outcomes to the extent that these gaps are attributable to the supply-side factors that involve human judgment and biases.

Details

Fintech, Pandemic, and the Financial System: Challenges and Opportunities
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80262-947-7

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 1991

S.S. Gustafsson and M. Bruyn‐Hundt

Compares the way women are taxed in the Germany, Sweden and TheNetherlands by looking at both macro and micro data from the perspectiveof a wife′s contribution to family income…

Abstract

Compares the way women are taxed in the Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands by looking at both macro and micro data from the perspective of a wife′s contribution to family income. The programs used for analysis are included in an appendix. Taxing husbands and wives by adding joint incomes and dividing by two (as in Germany) penalises dual‐earner couples and favours one‐earner couples. Completely separate taxation (as in Sweden) is a major incentive for couples to be dual‐earner. In The Netherlands the government reform of the tax system (1990) has reduced negative tax effects on secondary earnings without introducing the positive effects seen in Sweden. Tax incentives are not the only determinant of women′s participation in the labour market.

Details

Journal of Economic Studies, vol. 18 no. 5/6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3585

Keywords

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