The Economics of Women, Men, and Work

by Blau, Francine D.; Ferber, Marianne A.; Winkler, Anne E.

• ISBN13: 9780135659793
• ISBN10: 0135659795
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-11-01
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Summary

Primarily intended for courses concerned with the economic status of women, but also applicable to interdisciplinary women's studies courses, introductory-level courses in economic problems, general labor economics courses and as a source of reference for both students and professionals. This text introduces students to the findings of research on women, men, and work in the labor market and household.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
CHAPTER 1 Introduction	1	(11)
What Economics Is About	2	(1)
Uses of Economic Theory	3	(2)
The Scope of Economics	5	(1)
Individuals, Families, and Households	6	(1)
A Note on Terminology	6	(1)
Outline of the Book	7	(1)
Appendix: A Review of Supply and Demand in the Labor Market	8	(4)
CHAPTER 2 Women and Men: Changing Roles in a Changing Society	12	(19)
The Nature of Males and Females	13	(4)
Factors Influencing Women's Relative Status	17	(1)
Women's Roles and Economic Development	18	(2)
The U.S. Experience	20	(9)
The Preindustrial Period	20	(1)
Industrialization	21	(1)
Industrialization and the Evolution of the Family	22	(4)
Women in the Labor Market	26	(3)
Conclusion	29	(1)
Suggested Readings	30	(1)
CHAPTER 3 The Family as an Economic Unit	31	(45)
The Simple Neoclassical Model: Specialization and Exchange	33	(6)
Comparative Advantage	34	(1)
Specialization and Exchange: Numerical Examples	35	(2)
Gains to Specialization and Exchange	37	(2)
Other Advantages of Families	39	(1)
The Disadvantages of Specialization	40	(5)
Sharing of Housework	40	(1)
Life Cycle Changes	41	(1)
Costs of Interdependence	42	(1)
Tastes and Bargaining Power	43	(1)
Disadvantages of Specialization: A Summary	44	(1)
Transaction Cost and Bargaining Approaches	45	(6)
Nonmarket Work	51	(7)
Work at Home	51	(5)
Volunteer Work	56	(2)
Policy Issue: Specialization and Taxes	58	(4)
Income Taxation Policy	59	(1)
Social Security System	60	(2)
The American Family in the 1990s	62	(6)
Family Structure	63	(4)
Fertility and Immigration	67	(1)
Conclusion	68	(1)
Appendix: Specialization and Exchange	68	(7)
Suggested Readings	75	(1)
CHAPTER 4 The Allocation of Time Between the Household and the Labor Market	76	(47)
The Labor Force: Some Definitions	77	(2)
Trends in Labor Force Participation	79	(5)
Trends in Labor Force Attachment	84	(2)
The Labor Supply Decision	86	(20)
The Budget Constraint	87	(2)
Indifference Curves	89	(3)
The Participation Decision	92	(1)
The Value of Nonmarket Time (w*)	93	(3)
The Value of Market Time (w)	96	(3)
The Hours Decision	99	(2)
Empirical Evidence on Income and Substitution Effects	101	(1)
Economic Conditions	102	(1)
Some Applications of the Theory: Taxes, Child Care Costs, and Labor Supply	103	(3)
Analyzing Trends in Women's Participation: An Overview	106	(5)
Factors Influencing the Value of Market Time (w)	107	(1)
Factors Influencing the Value of Nonmarket Time (w*)	108	(3)
The World War II Experience	111	(1)
The Post-World War II Baby Boom	112	(1)
The 1960s to the 1990s: A Period of Change	113	(2)
Analyzing Trends in Men's Participation	115	(1)
Black and White Participation Differentials: An Analysis	116	(2)
Conclusion	118	(2)
Appendix: Income and Substitution Effects: A Closer Look	120	(1)
Suggested Readings	121	(2)
CHAPTER 5 Differences in Occupations and Earnings: Overview	123	(18)
Occupational Differences	124	(7)
Occupational Segregation	125	(4)
Hierarchies Within Occupations	129	(1)
Evaluating the Extent of Occupational Segregation	130	(1)
Trends in Occupational Segregation	131	(3)
Earnings	134	(6)
Conclusion	140	(1)
CHAPTER 6 Differences in Occupations and Earnings: The Human Capital Model	141	(44)
What Is Human Capital?	143	(1)
Gender Differences in Educational Attainment	144	(4)
The Educational Investment Decision	148	(4)
Education and Productivity	152	(1)
Gender Differences in Educational Investment Decisions	153	(14)
Expected Work Life	153	(5)
Societal Discrimination	158	(6)
Policy Issue: The Role of Government in Combating Discrimination in Educational Institutions	164	(3)
On-the-Job Training	167	(1)
Gender Differences in Labor Market Experience	168	(2)
The On-the-Job Training Investment Decision	170	(2)
General Training	170	(1)
Firm-Specific Training	171	(1)
Experience and Productivity	172	(1)
Gender Differences in Training Investment Decisions	173	(3)
Expected Work Life	173	(3)
Discrimination	176	(1)
Occupations and Earnings	176	(1)
Other Supply-Side Factors	177	(2)
The Human Capital Explanation: An Assessment	179	(4)
Conclusion	183	(1)
Suggested Readings	183	(2)
CHAPTER 7 Differences in Occupations and Earnings: The Role of Labor Market Discrimination	185	(49)
Labor Market Discrimination: A Definition	186	(1)
Empirical Evidence	187	(12)
Earnings Differences	188	(7)
Occupational Differences	195	(4)
Models of Labor Market Discrimination	199	(16)
Tastes for Discrimination	199	(8)
Statistical Discrimination	207	(2)
The Overcrowding Model	209	(2)
Institutional Models	211	(2)
Feedback Effects	213	(2)
Policy Issue: The Government and Equal Employment Opportunity	215	(12)
Equal Employment Opportunity Laws and Regulations	216	(4)
Effectiveness of the Government's Antidiscrimination Effort	220	(1)
Affirmative Action	221	(3)
Comparable Worth	224	(3)
Conclusion	227	(1)
Appendix: Regression Analysis and Empirical Estimates of Labor Market Discrimination	228	(5)
Suggested Readings	233	(1)
CHAPTER 8 Recent Developments in the Labor Market: Their Impact on Women and Men	234	(36)
Trends in Female and Male Wages	235	(8)
The Declining Gender Pay Gap	236	(3)
Trends in Real Earnings and Earnings Inequality Within Groups	239	(3)
Summary	242	(1)
Changing Labor Market Dynamics: Restructuring and Job Loss	243	(11)
Restructuring in the 1980s and 1990s	243	(3)
Unemployment	246	(1)
Other Indicators of Employment Problems	247	(1)
Gender Differences in Unemployment and Related Measures	248	(4)
Economic Consequences of Restructuring and Layoffs	252	(2)
Summary	254	(1)
The Rise of the Nonstandard Work Force	254	(7)
Definition of the Nonstandard Work Force	255	(2)
Differences Among Nonstandard Workers	257	(1)
Explanations Behind the Rise of Nonstandard Workers	258	(1)
Consequences for Workers and Their Families	259	(1)
Summary	260	(1)
The Growth in Self-Employment	261	(1)
The Changing Face of Labor Unions	262	(6)
Representation of Women in Labor Unions	263	(1)
Benefits of Union Membership for Workers	264	(1)
Reasons for the Underrepresentation of Women in Unions	265	(1)
The Glass Ceiling in Union Leadership	266	(1)
Improved Prospects for Women in Unions	267	(1)
Summary	268	(1)
Conclusion	268	(1)
Suggested Readings	269	(1)
CHAPTER 9 Changing Work Roles and the Family	270	(37)
Economic Explanations for Family Formation	271	(15)
Marriage	271	(3)
Divorce	274	(5)
Cohabitation	279	(2)
Fertility	281	(5)
Changing Family Structure and Economic Well-Being	286	(10)
Dual-Earner Families	287	(3)
Maternal Employment and Children's Outcomes	290	(1)
Single-Parent Families	291	(4)
Family Structure and Children's Outcomes	295	(1)
Welfare and Alleviating Poverty	296	(10)
Background on AFDC	297	(2)
The Iron Triangle of Welfare	299	(1)
Employment Strategies	300	(2)
The 1996 Welfare Legislation	302	(2)
The Earned Income Tax Credit	304	(1)
Child Support Enforcement	305	(1)
Conclusion	306	(1)
Suggested Readings	306	(1)
CHAPTER 10 Policies to Balance Paid Work and Family	307	(25)
The Competing Demands of Work and Family	307	(3)
Who Is Responsible for Children?	310	(3)
Family-Friendly Policies	313	(17)
Family Leave	314	(4)
Alternative Work Schedules	318	(4)
Flexible Benefit Plans	322	(1)
Policies for Couples	322	(4)
Child Care	326	(4)
Conclusion	330	(1)
Suggested Readings	331	(1)
CHAPTER 11 Gender Differences in Other Countries	332	(45)
The Economic Status of the World's Women	333	(12)
Labor Force Participation	333	(5)
Occupations	338	(1)
Earnings	338	(1)
Educational Attainment	338	(1)
Fertility	339	(2)
Housework	341	(1)
Women's Role in Government and Before the Law	341	(1)
Interpretations and Implications	342	(3)
A Comparison of the United States to Other Economically Advanced Nations	345	(17)
Labor Force Participation	348	(2)
Occupations	350	(3)
The Gender Wage Gap	353	(5)
Demographic Trends	358	(3)
Housework	361	(1)
Summary	362	(1)
Developing Countries	362	(10)
Education as a Pathway to Empowerment	363	(2)
Fertility and Population Control	365	(6)
Conclusion	371	(1)
Countries of the Former Soviet Bloc	372	(2)
Conclusion	374	(1)
Suggested Readings	375	(2)
Epilogue	377	(2)
Author Index	379	(8)
Subject Index	387