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Larsen, Trine P. & Steen E. Navrbjerg (2018): Bargaining for equal pay and work-life balance in Danish companies. Does gender matter? In: The journal of industrial relations, Jg. 60, H. 2, S. 176-200. DOI:10.1177/0022185617746203

Abstract

"This article adds new insights into how equal pay and work - life balance issues are negotiated in male- and female-dominated companies, based on a survey of 3275 shop stewards, conducted in 2010. Inspired by Gregory and Milner's concept of opportunity structures, we argue that the gender composition of the workforce affects the equal pay and work - life balance discussions and actions in Danish companies, but in a slightly different way from expected. It is often the male shop steward who exploits the opportunity structure created by more women among the staff to develop equal pay and work - life balance actions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Lesner, Rune V. (2018): Testing for statistical discrimination based on gender. In: Labour, Jg. 32, H. 2, S. 141-181. DOI:10.1111/labr.12120

Abstract

"Gender wage gaps are a prevailing feature of the labour market. Statistical discrimination has been highlighted as a potential source. However, the evidence is scarce. The employer learning literature provides a testable framework. This paper develops an employer learning model which incorporates screening discrimination, stereotyping and prejudiced beliefs. Implications of screening discrimination are found not to be consistent with wage dynamics in the Danish labour market. Stereotyping with prejudiced beliefs is argued to be a more plausible candidate. Workplace characteristics, such as the fraction of women in high-ranking positions, do not affect the level of screening discrimination by gender." (Author's abstract, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Sundsbø, Astrid O. (2018): Parenting support in Europe's North. How is it understood and evaluated in research? In: Social policy and society, Jg. 17, H. 3, S. 431-441. DOI:10.1017/S1474746418000027

Abstract

"Parenting support in the Nordic countries builds upon a century-long tradition of controls and services run by municipalities and county councils (Hagelund, 2008; Danielsen and Mühleisen, 2009; Lundqvist, 2015). However, with the introduction of structured parental guidance programmes from the 1990s onward (mainly based on research insights and experiences from the US and UK), new elements have been added to the former policy legacy (Lundqvist, 2015)." (Text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Abstract

"Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, commonly known as the Nordic countries, have been leaders in the development of modern family and gender policy, and the explicit promotion of gender equality at home, at work, and in public life. Today, on many measures, they boast some of the most gender-equal labour markets in the OECD.
This report shows that improvements in gender equality have contributed considerably to economic growth in the Nordic countries. Increases in female employment alone are estimated to account for anywhere between roughly 0.05 and 0.40 percentage points to average annual GDP per capita growth - equivalent to 3 to 20% of total GDP per capita growth over the past 50 years or so, depending on the country.
The Nordic countries are closer than most to achieving gender equality in the labour market. But the last mile may well prove to be the longest one. To make further progress, a continued assessment of the effectiveness of existing public policies and workplace practices is needed. Only with resolve and a continued focus can Nordic countries ensure that men and women contribute to their economies and societies in gender equal measure." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Albrecht, Clara, Anita Fichtl & Peter Redler (2017): Fathers in charge? Parental leave policies for fathers in Europe. In: ifo DICE report, Jg. 15, H. 1, S. 49-51.

Abstract

"Despite the fact that most parental leave policies in European countries have also entitled men, take-up rates by fathers have been low. In turn, the traditional male breadwinner model has prevailed in the EU, even though the level of education of men and women has converged fully. At the same time, fathers do want to spend time with their newborn children (Huerta et al. 2013). A trend towards the implementation of parental leave policies for fathers - also known as 'daddy months' or 'daddy quotas' - has emerged. The potential goals of these policies are greater gender equality, both in the family and in the labour market, a better work-life-balance for families and stronger bonding between father and child. Encouraged by state regulations and the EU-Directive 2010/18/EU2 parental leave take-up rates have been rising over the past decade, but still remain low." (Text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Albæk, Karsten, Mona Larsen & Lars Stage Thomsen (2017): Segregation and gender wage gaps in the private and the public sectors. An analysis of Danish linked employer-employee data, 2002 - 2012. In: Empirical economics, Jg. 53, H. 2, S. 779-802. DOI:10.1007/s00181-016-1132-2

Abstract

"This paper examines the relation between segregation and the gender wage gap in the public and the private sectors in Denmark from 2002 to 2012. The analysis shows that male - female differences in the share of females in occupations, industries, establishments and job cells (occupations within establishments) constitute 46 % of the raw gender wage gap in the private sector, while segregation in the public sector accounts for as much as 63 %. Segregation thus plays a substantially more important role in accounting for the gender wage gap in the public sector than in the private sector. While the importance of segregation for wage formation decreased substantially in the public sector over time, it only decreased slightly in the private sector. Although the remaining gender wage gap, after controlling for segregation, is close to zero in the public sector, a substantial within-job cell differential remains after controlling for segregation in the private sector." (Author's abstract, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Been, Wike M., Tanja van der Lippe, Laura den Dulk, Maria Das Dores Horta Guerreiro, Aleksandra Kanjuo Mrcela & Charlotta Niemistö (2017): European top managers' support for work-life arrangements. In: Social science research, Jg. 65, H. July, S. 60-74. DOI:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2017.02.004

Abstract

"Top managers - defined as CEOs, CFOs and members of boards of directors - decide to what degree their organization offers employees work-life arrangements. This study focuses on the conditions under which they support such arrangements. A factorial survey of 202 top managers in five European countries was conducted in 2012. The analyses are based on 1212 vignettes. Implications are drawn from an integrated framework of neo-institutional theory, business case argumentation and the managerial interpretation approach. The results show that top managers simultaneously consider multiple conditions in deciding upon their support for work-life arrangements (i.e., the costs involved, the return in terms of employee commitment, and the type of arrangement, specifically having a preference for flextime and telecommuting over leave policies and part time hours). Additionally, they favor work-life arrangements designed for all employees above work-life arrangements granted to specific employees. How top managers weigh certain conditions depends on the organizational and national contexts. Their personal characteristics, however, do not seem to explain their support for work-life arrangements." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Castellano, Rosalia & Rocca Antonella (2017): The dynamic of the gender gap in the European labour market in the years of economic crisis. In: Quality and Quantity. International Journal of Methodology, Jg. 51, H. 3, S. 1337-1357. DOI:10.1007/s11135-016-0334-1

Abstract

"Closing the gender gap in the labour market is one of the main goals of European Union and part of a wider effort to eliminate social inequalities. In recent decades, all developed countries have suffered a deep global economic crisis, that has increased social and economic inequalities. In Europe, the crisis involved problems of European stability and growth, but the crisis did not affect the euro-area countries to the same extent, and the consequences and recovery were correspondingly asymmetrical. In this paper, we analyse the changes that occurred in the gender gap in the European labour markets from 2007 to 2012 to understand if the recession has further increased or reduced the gender differentials. At this aim, we combine the use of two different statistical methodologies. Through the composite indicator methodology, we test how the rank of countries in relation to gender equality has changed in these years. In addition, the Dynamic Factor Analysis allows us to identify the factors that drive these changes. Moreover, the contextual analysis of the measures that were utilized to face the crisis could give policy makers some useful suggestions on the most efficacious actions to take." (Author's abstract, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Dolado, Juan J., Cecilia García-Peñalosa & Linas Tarasonis (2017): The changing nature of gender selection into employment. Europe over the Great Recession. (IZA discussion paper 10729), Bonn, 40 S.

Abstract

"The aim of this paper is to evaluate the role played by selectivity issues induced by nonemployment in explaining gender wage gap patterns in the EU since the onset of the Great Recession. We show that male selection into the labour market, traditionally disregarded, has increased. This is particularly the case in peripheral EU countries, where dramatic drops in male unskilled jobs have taken place during the crisis. As regards female selection, traditionally positive, we document mixed findings. While it has declined in some countries, as a result of increasing female LFP due to an added-worker effect, it has become even more positive in other countries. This is due to adverse labour demand shifts in industries which are intensive in temporary work where women are over-represented. These adverse shifts may have more than offset the rise in unskilled female labour supply." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Dotti Sani, Giulia M. & Matteo Luppi (2017): How long is too long? Long-term effects of maternity-related job interruptions on mothers' income in 10 European countries. (Carlo Alberto notebooks 513), Turin, 27 S.

Abstract

"This article inquires whether work interruptions due to childbearing and childrearing have long-term effects on mothers' absolute and relative income in later life in ten European countries. Previous studies have found significant differences in earned income among prime-age women and men, and mothers and fathers, with mothers earning significantly less than men and childless women, both in absolute and relative terms. Many factors account for such differences, including mothers' reduced working hours and productivity, the type of job, job interruptions, self-selection and statistical discrimination. However, while research has investigated the short- and medium-term consequences of having children on mothers absolute and relative earnings, less is known about the long-term effects of childbearing and childrearing on mothers' income in later life. In this article, we investigate whether the length of maternity-related work interruptions is associated with income inequalities at a later age. The analysis, based on four waves of SHARE data (N 7,746), indicates that while short work interruptions are not negatively associated with mothers' absolute and relative earned income in later life, long work interruptions and a failure to return to work have a large impact on women's long-term economic wellbeing, especially in countries where decommodification through family and pension policies is limited." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Foster, Liam, Ruby Chau & Sam Yu (2017): The impact of defamilisation measures on gender and pensions. A comparison between the UK and seven other European countries. In: The journal of poverty and social justice, Jg. 25, H. 3, S. 199-217. DOI:10.1332/175982717X14999284090397

Abstract

"This article uses individual-based and state-led care-focused defamilisation indices to explore women's employment opportunities and experiences and their implications for pension contributions. These two types of defamilisation indices are applied to eight European countries (Belgium, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the UK) which shows that the UK has less generous defamilisation measures than its European counterparts. It indicates that the use of defamilisation measures along with pension policies which are not based on the male breadwinner ideology have the capacity to moderate economic inequalities between men and women in older age." (Author's abstract, © 2017 Policy Press) ((en))

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Gallen, Yana, Rune V. Lesner & Rune Vejlin (2017): The labor market gender gap in Denmark. Sorting out the past 30 years. (IZA discussion paper 10789), Bonn, 37 S.

Abstract

"We document the declining gap between the average earnings of women and men in Denmark from 1980 to 2010. The decline in the earnings gap is driven by increased labor force participation and increases in hours worked by women, and to a smaller extent by a decline in the gender wage gap. The gap has declined least among higher earning women - the average wage of the top 10 percent of female earners is 28-33% lower than the average wage of the top 10 percent of male earners. Women are becoming more educated and are a larger share of the professional labor force than in previous decades, but a substantial wage gap of about 10 percent remains for the youngest cohorts even after controlling for age, education, experience, occupation, and firm choice. Unlike the case of the US, differences in educational attainment, occupational choice, industry, and experience explained about 15 percentage points of the Danish wage gap in 1980, but now these factors explain only about 6 percentage points of the Danish wage gap. In fact, though variation in the wage gap across occupations is substantial, this variation is not correlated with the fraction of the occupation which is female. The data show a great deal of sorting and segregation across industries, occupations, and even firms. However, this sorting does not explain more than half of the wage gap. We conclude that a great deal of the remaining disparity between the wages of women and men is tied to the differential effects of parenthood by gender." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Grönlund, Anne, Karin Halldén & Charlotta Magnusson (2017): A Scandinavian success story? Women's labour market outcomes in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. In: Acta sociologica, Jg. 60, H. 2, S. 97-119. DOI:10.1177/0001699316660595

Abstract

"In current research, the extensive family policies of the Scandinavian countries have been problematized and described as hampering women's careers. However, mechanisms have been little investigated and the Scandinavian countries are often regarded as a single policy model. Based on an account of institutional variety we study gender gaps in hourly wages and access to authority positions in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden and explore the importance of segregation, skills and work interruptions. The analysis uses pooled cross-sectional data from the European Social Survey (ESS) for 2004 and 2010. The results show that gender gaps vary both in size and regarding the mechanisms producing them. In particular, we find that gender segregation has a radically different impact in the four countries. The analysis suggests that the mechanisms linking family policies to labour market outcomes are more complex than envisaged in the current debate and point to the importance of comparing seemingly similar countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Haan, Peter, Anna Hammerschmid & Carla Rowold (2017): Geschlechtsspezifische Renten- und Gesundheitsunterschiede in Deutschland, Frankreich und Dänemark. In: DIW-Wochenbericht, Jg. 84, H. 43, S. 971-974.

Abstract

"In dieser Studie werden die geschlechtsspezifischen Unterschiede von Renteneinkommen in Deutschland, Dänemark und Frankreich quantifiziert. Der Gender Pension Gap liegt demnach in Deutschland höher als in Frankreich und weitaus höher als in Dänemark. Somit ergibt sich eine ähnliche Rangfolge wie während der Erwerbsphase. Auch beim Gender Pay Gap liegt der Unterschied zwischen Männern und Frauen in Deutschland am höchsten. Ferner wird hier untersucht, ob es in den drei Ländern geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede bei der Gesundheit im Alter gibt. Bei der Selbsteinschätzung der allgemeinen Gesundheit gibt es für das Jahr 2013 in keinem der untersuchten Länder erkennbare Differenzen zwischen Männern und Frauen. Es zeigt sich jedoch, dass geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede bei der Häufigkeit depressiver Symptome dem Muster des Gender Pension Gaps folgen: Der Unterschied zwischen den Geschlechtern ist in Dänemark wiederum weitaus am geringsten. Obwohl diese Studie keine kausalen Zusammenhänge zwischen Einkommen und Gesundheit misst, sprechen die Ergebnisse dafür, dass Maßnahmen zur Verringerung des Gender Pay Gaps nicht nur Unterschiede während des Erwerbslebens verringern, sondern auch zu einer Reduktion des Gender Pension Gaps und zu einer Besserstellung der Frauen, was die Anfälligkeit für depressive Symptome angeht, führen können" (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Hauret, Laetitia & Donald R. Williams (2017): Cross-national analysis of gender differences in job-satisfaction. In: Industrial relations, Jg. 56, H. 2, S. 203-235. DOI:10.1111/irel.12171

Abstract

"Research over the past two decades has found significant gender differences in subjective job satisfaction, with the result that women report greater satisfaction than men in some countries. This paper examines the so-called 'gender paradox' using data from the European Social Survey for a subset of fourteen countries in the European Union. We focus on the hypothesis that women place higher values on certain work characteristics than men, which explains the observed differential. Using estimates from Probit and ordered Probit models, we conduct standard Blinder - Oaxaca decompositions to estimate the impact that differential valuations of characteristics have on the gender difference in self-reported job satisfaction. The results indicate that females continue to report higher levels of job satisfaction than do men in some countries, and the difference remains even after controlling for a wide range of personal and job characteristics and working conditions. The decompositions suggest that a relatively small share of the gender differential is attributable to gender differences in the weights placed on working conditions in most countries. Rather, gender differences in job characteristics contribute relatively more to explaining the gender - job satisfaction differential." (Author's abstract, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Javornik, Jana & Anna Kurowska (2017): Work and Care Opportunities under Different Parental Leave Systems. Gender and Class Inequalities in Northern Europe. In: Social policy and administration, Jg. 51, H. 4, S. 617-637. DOI:10.1111/spol.12316

Abstract

"This article analyses public parental leave in eight northern European countries, and assesses its opportunity potential to facilitate equal parental involvement and employment, focusing on gender and income opportunity gaps. It draws on Sen's capability and Weber's ideal-types approach to analyze policies across countries. It offers the ideal parental leave architecture, one which minimizes the policy-generated gender and class inequality in parents' opportunities to share parenting and keep their jobs, thus providing real opportunities for different groups of individuals to achieve valued functionings as parents. Five policy indicators are created using benchmarking and graphical analysis. Two sources of opportunity inequality are considered: the leave system as the opportunity and constraint structure, and the socio-economic contexts as the conversion factors. The article produces a comprehensive overview of national leave policies, visually presenting leave policy across countries. Considering policy capability ramifications beyond gender challenges a family policy-cluster idea and the Nordic-Baltic divide. It demonstrates that leave systems in northern Europe are far from homogenous; they diverge in the degree to which they create real opportunities for parents and children as well as in key policy dimensions through which these opportunities are created." (Author's abstract, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Jensen, Per H. & Rasmus Juul Møberg (2017): Does women's employment enhance women's citizenship? In: European Societies, Jg. 19, H. 2, S. 178-201. DOI:10.1080/14616696.2016.1268701

Abstract

"The EU discourse on increasing female employment holds promise. The integration of women into the labour market supposedly supports economic growth, social cohesion, and citizenship. The question is, however, whether the expected consequences of female employment are consistent with reality. Using the EU discourse as a point of departure, this paper scrutinises the effects of female employment from a citizenship perspective in three European cities: Aalborg (Denmark), Leeds (England), and Bologna (Italy). Using survey data collected in the three cities, it quantitatively analyses whether employment counteracts poverty, supports social and political participation, and increases social trust. It also analyses whether there are spill-over effects from the different dimensions of citizenship; that is, whether poverty leads to social isolation, political apathy, and low levels of social trust. We find that unemployment is important for citizenship but that the differences between employed women and women outside the labour force are rather limited. We also find that the effect of a woman's position in the vertical and horizontal division of labour is rather limited, and no spill-over effects from economic hardship on other dimensions of citizenship exist. What matters for citizenship are personal and family characteristics as well as the city of residence." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Jensen, Per H., Rasmus Juul Møberg, Ralf Och & Birgit Pfau-Effinger (2017): Explaining differences in women's working time in European cities. In: European Societies, Jg. 19, H. 2, S. 138-156. DOI:10.1080/14616696.2016.1268700

Abstract

"Women's work-time pattern in Europe is highly heterogeneous; some women work short or long part-time hours, while others work full-time. Few studies, however, have analysed the factors constituting women's work-time pattern. The article aims to explain why women's working time differs in five relatively big European cities, which represent an urban environment that is particularly supportive to women's employment, and the study is based on a new original telephone survey from 2013 among women 25 - 64 years of age. It is hypothesized and analysed how women's work-time pattern is the result of women's family-cultural orientation, individual and family characteristic, the gendered division of household task, women's position in the vertical and horizontal division of labour, and city of residence. Findings support the theoretical assumptions that there is a significant relationship between family-cultural orientation and work practices." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kasearu, Kairi, Lara Maestripieri & Costanzo Ranci (2017): Women at risk: The impact of labour-market participation, education and household structure on the economic vulnerability of women through Europe. In: European Societies, Jg. 19, H. 2, S. 202-221. DOI:10.1080/14616696.2016.1268703

Abstract

"While increasing female employment has contributed to reducing gender inequality, it has also exposed women to higher economic insecurity. The contribution of this paper is to understand the social conditions that might expose women to economic insecurity in different European cities. Specific aspects have been considered: (a) reduced (part time) work, (b) hampered labour-market participation (unemployment, involuntary inactivity due to care tasks), (c) different household structures (single/couple; with/without young children) or (d) educational level of both partners in the household. Data are based on a survey carried out in 2012 in seven European cities, representative of the different welfare/gender regimes in Europe. The results show that the most important divide is between women cohabiting/not cohabiting with a partner. Splitting the analysis on these two groups of women, differentiated configurations of conditions exposing women to economic insecurity have emerged in different welfare/care regimes. While Nordic, Central-eastern and Anglo-Saxon cities substantiate an individualised model of exposure to economic insecurity mostly driven by women's participation in the labour market, in Continental and Mediterranean cities insecurity mainly depends on the educational levels (mainly of the partner in the case of coupled women) and the organisation of the household (presence of children)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kleinjans, Kristin J., Karl Fritjof Krassel & Anthony Dukes (2017): Occupational prestige and the gender wage gap. In: Kyklos, Jg. 70, H. 4, S. 565-593. DOI:10.1111/kykl.12149

Abstract

"Occupational segregation by gender remains widespread and explains a significant part of the gender wage gap. We shed light on the reasons why occupational segregation persists despite the increases in women's education and labor force participation, and why it results in a gender wage gap. Women express a stronger relative preference than men for occupations that are valuable to society, which we argue is captured by their occupational prestige. If women prefer occupations with higher occupational prestige, they will earn lower wages because of compensating wage differentials. Using conditional logit models of occupational choice, we find statistically significant support for this hypothesis. The effect is economically significant: the gender differences in the weights placed on prestige and wages can explain up to one half of the gender wage gap resulting from occupational segregation, or about one fourth of the overall gender wage gap. Our results are strongest for individuals with low ability, which suggests that social norms may be an important factor in generating these gender differences." (Author's abstract, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Munk, Martin D., Till Nikolka & Panu Poutvaara (2017): International family migration and the dual-earner model. (CReAM discussion paper 2017,03), London, 57 S.

Abstract

"Gender differences in labor force participation are exceptionally small in Nordic countries. We investigate how couples emigrating from Denmark self-select and sort into different destinations and whether couples pursue the dual-earner model, in which both partners work, when abroad. Female labor force participation is slightly lower among couples that later emigrate, and drops considerably after migration outside the Nordic countries. Pre migration differences between couples subsequently migrating to different destinations are small. Our survey reveals that couple migration is usually driven by the male's job opportunities. The results suggest that increasing international migration may reduce women's career investments." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Schleutker, Elina (2017): Women's work-life preferences. Reconceptualization and cross-country description over time. In: European Societies, Jg. 19, H. 3, S. 292-312. DOI:10.1080/14616696.2017.1290266

Abstract

"According to Hakim's preference theory, women can be divided into three groups based on their work - family preferences: home-centered, adaptive and work-centered. Here it is argued that Hakim's conceptualization of the adaptive women is unsatisfactory, as it does not take into consideration how the adaptive women want to combine work and family. The paper offers a reconceptualization of the adaptive group. Based on when women want to return to employment after childbirth, and how many hours they would like to work, three types of adaptive women are distinguished: the home-oriented adaptive women, the truly adaptive women and the work-oriented adaptive women. To demonstrate the fruitfulness of the reconceptualization, a cross-sectional descriptive study of women's preferences over time is conducted by employing data from International Social Survey Programme." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Wiß, Tobias (2017): Paths towards family-friendly working time arrangements. Comparing workplaces in different countries and industries. In: Social policy and administration, Jg. 51, H. 7, S. 1406-1430. DOI:10.1111/spol.12270

Abstract

"Although studies have examined the distribution and conditions of employer-provided work - family arrangements, we still lack a systematic investigation of how these vary for different countries and industries. Based on the European Working Conditions Survey 2010, this study examines the conditions under which firms provide family-friendly working time arrangements and what the differences are across four countries (Austria, Denmark, Italy and the UK) and four industries. The impact of employee representatives, employee involvement, manager support and female managers varies across countries and industries because of the institutional environment (prevailing family model, industrial relations) and workforce composition (gender). The impact of employee representatives depends on their co-determination rights, and the direction of their effect on the prevailing family model (e.g. negative in conservative countries such as Austria) and the gender composition of the workforce (negative in male-dominated production, but positive in services). Employee involvement in the work organization is significantly positive in Austria and Denmark (both with co-operative industrial relations), while manager support has the strongest effect in the UK (liberal regime). At the industry level, female supervisors are positively associated with family-friendly working time arrangements only in the male-dominated production industry. These findings suggest that the effects of agency variables and their direction vary depending on the institutional context." (Author's abstract, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Bertrand, Marianne, Patricia Cortés, Claudia Olivetti & Jessica Pan (2016): Social norms, labor market opportunities, and the marriage gap for skilled women. (NBER working paper 22015), Cambrige, Mass., 65 S. DOI:10.3386/w22015

Abstract

"In most of the developed world, skilled women marry at a lower rate than unskilled women. We document heterogeneity across countries in how the marriage gap for skilled women has evolved over time. As labor market opportunities for women have improved, the marriage gap has been growing in some countries but shrinking in others. We discuss a theoretical model in which the (negative) social attitudes towards working women might contribute towards the lower marriage rate of skilled women, and might also induce a non-linear relationship between their labor market prospects and their marriage outcomes. The model is suited to understand the dynamics of the marriage gap for skilled women over time within a country with set social attitudes towards working women. The model also delivers predictions about how the marriage gap for skilled women should react to changes in their labor market opportunities across countries with more or less conservative attitudes towards working women. We test the key predictions of this model in a panel of 23 developed countries, as well as in a panel of US states." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Bünning, Mareike & Matthias Pollmann-Schult (2016): Family policies and fathers' working hours. Cross-national differences in the paternal labour supply. In: Work, employment and society, Jg. 30, H. 2, S. 256-274. DOI:10.1177/0950017015578999

Abstract

"Despite extensive research on the effect of family policies on the labour supply of mothers, little is known about how these policies affect fathers' labour market outcomes. Using European panel data (EU-SILC) from 2003 to 2009 and multi-level models, this study analyses the effect of family policies on fathers' working hours. The results indicate that fathers work less than childless men if they live in countries that offer well paid, non-transferable parental leave for fathers, short parental leave for mothers and generous family allowances. The effects, however, are strongly contingent on fathers' educational levels. Whereas short maternal leaves are associated with shorter working hours among highly educated fathers, generous family allowances and father friendly parental leave schemes reduce the working hours of less educated fathers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Castro-García, Carmen & Maria Pazos-Moran (2016): Parental leave policy and gender equality in Europe. In: Feminist economics, Jg. 22, H. 3, S. 51-73. DOI:10.1080/13545701.2015.1082033

Abstract

"This article uses data from 2008 - 10 to analyze parental leave policies in twenty-one European countries and their influence on men's behavior. It examines entitlement characteristics, such as nontransferability, duration, payment, compulsory period, and other policies to assess their effect on the proportion of leave men use out of the total parental leave in each country. The findings, which suggest that a large majority of men take nontransferable and highly paid leave, and a small minority take other types, provide the basis for developing the Parental Leave Equality Index (PLEI). PLEI ranks countries by the degree to which parental leave policies reinforce or diminish the gendered division of labor. Results indicate that although Iceland's parental leave policies do the most to advance gender equity, no country has equal, nontransferable, and well-paid leave for each parent. This policy arrangement would be a precondition to men's and women's equal participation in childcare." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Davaki, Konstantina (2016): Differences in men's and women's work, care and leisure time. Study for the FEMM committee. Brüssel, 63 S. DOI:10.2861/381996

Abstract

"The economic crisis has profoundly affected the labour market and private life of men and women. This study examines the interrelation of policies with the ways women and men allocate time to paid work, care and leisure and the gendered outcomes produced in different socio-economic and cultural settings. It shows that policies are powerful tools which can contribute to a better work-life balance and transform gender roles in accordance to the targets of EU2020 strategy and EU28 commitment to gender equality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Edlund, Jonas & Ida Öun (2016): Who should work and who should care? Attitudes towards the desirable division of labour between mothers and fathers in five European countries. In: Acta sociologica, Jg. 59, H. 2, S. 151-169. DOI:10.1177/0001699316631024

Abstract

"In this article, we study attitudes towards the gendered division of paid and unpaid work from a comparative perspective. Based on the notion that political institutions are important in structuring individuals' orientations, five countries with different family policy arrangements are included in the analysis: Denmark, Finland, Germany, Poland and Sweden. Previous comparative attitude research has a strong bias towards public opinion about women's employment, while research on attitudes towards men's participation in care work is rare. Drawing on data from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) 2012, we use latent class analysis to explore public opinion about: (a) how parents should divide the responsibilities of economic provision and unpaid work; and (b) whether and how parents should divide paid parental leave between them. The strongest support for a traditional organization of work and care is found in Poland, while the strongest support for an equal sharing of work and care responsibilities is found in Sweden. Among the Nordic countries, results differ. While those holding non-traditional ideals in Denmark and Finland emphasize the importance of full-time work for both parents, non-traditional Swedes instead emphasize that both parents should cut back their work hours and thereby share the responsibility for earning and caring in the family." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Eigenmann, Laura, Yvonne Holl, Eszter Kováts, Jonathan Menge, Kathrin Nink, Alexander Rosenplänter, Anne Salles & Christina Schildmann (2016): Auf dem Weg zur Geschlechtergerechtigkeit? Berichte aus Dänemark, Deutschland, Frankreich, Großbritannien, Österreich, Schweden, Schweiz, Ungarn und USA. Berlin, 68 S.

Abstract

"Die Gleichberechtigung von Männern und Frauen gehört zu den Grundnormen moderner Gesellschaften. Die tatsächliche Durchsetzung der Gleichberechtigung ist dabei traditionell ein zentrales Projekt progressiver politischer Kräfte.
Angesichts des demografischen Wandels, der in vielen Industrieländern zu beobachten ist, hat Familien- und Geschlechterpolitik auch an wirtschafts- und bevölkerungspolitischer Bedeutung gewonnen. Vor diesem Hintergrund sind in den vergangenen Jahren - mitunter durch Bündnisse über politische Lager hinweg - erhebliche Fortschritte erzielt worden.
Allerdings formieren sich sowohl in Deutschland als auch in vielen anderen Ländern (neue) konservative und rechtspopulistische Kräfte gegen eine fortschrittliche Geschlechter- und Familienpolitik. Das sogar in Ländern, in denen die Errungenschaften im Feld der Geschlechtergerechtigkeit längst gesellschaftlicher Konsens zu sein schienen.
Diese Studie trägt Erfahrungen und aktuelle familien- und geschlechterpolitische Diskurse aus neun Ländern zusammen. Damit liegt hier nunmehr ein breiter Überblick vor, der Ansätze und Debatten der jeweiligen Länder in Berichten konzise aufbereitet und vergleichbar macht." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Feldman, Karie & Brian K. Gran (2016): Is what's best for dads best for families? Paternity leave policies and equity across forty-four nations. In: Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, Jg. 43, H. 1, S. 95-119.

Abstract

"In a global economy, paternity leave policies represent one of the most significant expansions of the welfare state that seek to help fathers respond to socio-economic pressures on their work and families. Policy makers who strongly promote socio-economic equity may respond to these global changes with new policy formulae meant to encourage involvement of fathers in their families. Nevertheless, scholars have limited understanding of who benefits from paternity leave policies and what these benefits mean to families. The present study is a comparative analysis of paternity leave policies across forty-four countries. This paper first presents a typology of paternity leave policies. This typology consists of seven criteria that range from duration of benefits to amount of benefits to employment security. This typology is then applied to forty-four countries. The present study demonstrates that a surprisingly small number of countries are devoted to family equity." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Grotti, Raffaele & Stefani Scherer (2016): Does gender equality increase economic inequality? Evidence from five countries. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 45, H. September, S. 13-26. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2016.06.001

Abstract

"Men and women have become increasingly similar in their education, employment and earnings over recent decades. It has been argued that these changes have implications for economic inequality, not least because couples tend to be formed by persons with similar traits. Given the family's role in pooling and redistributing resources, increased equality within households may lead to the accumulation of either favorable or unfavorable situations. This has been expected to increase inequality between households.We investigate the extent to which the increased similarity in partners' employment participation and earnings can account for changes in income inequality.
We use LIS data for Denmark, Germany, Italy, the UK and the US from the mid-1980s to the mid-2000s and employ decomposition techniques of the Theil index. We enrich the existing literature by providing internationally comparative evidence for a long time period up to more recent dates, and propose an innovative method to account for effects of employment and earnings similarity independently from changes in the overall earnings distribution.
In contrast to the expectations, we show that an increased similarity among partners does not augment inequality to a relevant degree, and that the inflow of women in employment contributed to reducing inequality among households rather than augmenting it. Observed increases in inequality are instead driven by the increased polarization between high- and low-income families and by changes in the income dispersion within family types, suggesting that important social stratifiers are at work other than gender. Despite key institutional differences, this holds true for all five countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Halldén, Karin, Asaf Levanon & Tamar Kricheli-Katz (2016): Does the motherhood wage penalty differ by individual skill and country family policy? A longitudinal study of ten European countries. In: Social Politics, Jg. 23, H. 3, S. 363-388. DOI:10.1093/sp/jxv032

Abstract

"Previous research shows considerable variation in the strength of the motherhood wage penalty across countries, which has partially been attributed to differences in policies supporting maternal employment. Although such policies are usually understood to be complementary, their effects on workers - and especially on employees in jobs of diverse skills levels - may differ. Using longitudinal data from the European Community Household Panel (ECHP) for ten countries, this article describes the associations of different maternal employment policies with the motherhood wage penalty by skill. Findings from Hausman - Taylor panel models indicate that both a high share of small children in publicly funded child care facilities and long paid maternity leave are associated with a decrease in the motherhood wage penalty regardless of skill level. The standardized total effects were larger for the latter policy." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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McDaniel, Anne (2016): The role of cultural contexts in explaining cross-national gender gaps in stem expectations. In: European Sociological Review, Jg. 32, H. 1, S. 122-133. DOI:10.1093/esr/jcv078

Abstract

"In recent decades, women have made impressive inroads in education and the labour market in most countries; yet, they often remain under-represented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professions. One way to understand women's under-representation in STEM is to examine how boys and girls develop their career expectations during adolescence, as this is a critical time when individuals begin to plan their futures. Prior cross-national research finds that gender stratification in education, work, and politics in a country affects the size of male-favourable gender gaps on math and science achievement tests for adolescents. Countries with more gender equality have smaller gender gaps in math and science. But, it is unknown how gender stratification or cultural ideologies impact the development of boys' and girls' STEM career expectations. Do countries with less gender equality have smaller male-favourable gender gaps in STEM career expectations? Do countries with less gender egalitarian have larger male-favourable gender gaps in STEM career expectations? Using data on student's occupational expectations from the 2006 Program for International Student Assessment and data on country-level gender stratification and genderegalitarian ideologies from the World Bank and European Values Survey, I study the gender gap in 15-year- olds' expectations to enter a STEM career across 24 countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Olivetti, Claudia & Barbara Petrongolo (2016): The evolution of gender gaps in industrialized countries. In: Annual review of economics, Jg. 8, S. 405-434. DOI:10.1146/annurev-economics-080614-115329

Abstract

"Women in developed economies have made major advancements in labor markets throughout the past century, but remaining gender differences in pay and employment seem remarkably persistent. This article documents long-run trends in female employment, working hours, and relative wages for a wide cross section of developed economies. It reviews existing work on the factors driving gender convergence, and novel perspectives on remaining gender gaps. Finally, the article emphasizes the interplay between gender trends and the evolution of the industry structure. Based on a shift-share decomposition, it shows that the growth in the service share can explain at least half of the overall variation in female hours, both over time and across countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Olivetti, Claudia & Barbara Petrongolo (2016): The evolution of gender gaps in industrialized countries. (IZA discussion paper 9659), Bonn, 47 S.

Abstract

"Women in developed economies have made major inroads in labor markets throughout the past century, but remaining gender differences in pay and employment seem remarkably persistent. This paper documents long-run trends in female employment, working hours and relative wages for a wide cross-section of developed economies. It reviews existing work on the factors driving gender convergence, and novel perspectives on remaining gender gaps. The paper finally emphasizes the interplay between gender trends and the evolution of the industry structure. Based on a shift-share decomposition, it shows that the growth in the service share can explain at least half of the overall variation in female hours, both over time and across countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Piasna, Agnieszka & Anke C. Plagnol (2016): Arbeitsplatzqualität und weibliche Erwerbsbeteiligung in Europa. In: WSI-Mitteilungen, Jg. 69, H. 4, S. 273-282. DOI:10.5771/0342-300X-2016-4-273

Abstract

"Zahlreiche Untersuchungen belegen, dass die Entscheidung zur beruflichen Weiterarbeit nach der Familiengründung einerseits von persönlichen Umständen abhängt, wie der Notwendigkeit, zum Haushaltseinkommen beizutragen, andererseits aber auch von institutionellen Einflussgrößen wie dem Angebot an erschwinglichen Kinderbetreuungsplätzen. Ergänzend hierzu untersuchen wir anhand von Daten des European Working Conditions Surveys, inwieweit die Qualität der Arbeitsplätze die Erwerbsbiografie von Frauen in den EU-27-Ländern beeinflusst. Unsere Analyse betrachtet drei Einzeldimensionen: Arbeitsplatzsicherheit, Arbeitszeitqualität und intrinsische Arbeitsqualität. Wir stellen fest, dass die Arbeitsplatzqualität von Müttern kleiner Kinder im Schnitt höher ist als die von Frauen ohne betreuungspflichtige Kinder, insbesondere hinsichtlich Arbeitszeit und Beschäftigungssicherheit. Die Untersuchungsergebnisse belegen für die gesamte EU-27 einen weitgehend einheitlichen Zusammenhang zwischen dem Status von Frauen als Mütter kleiner Kinder und der Arbeitsplatzqualität." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Pollmann-Schult, Matthias (2016): What mothers want: The impact of structural and cultural factors on mothers' preferred working hours in Western Europe. In: Advances in life course research, Jg. 29, H. September, S. 16-25. DOI:10.1016/j.alcr.2015.11.002

Abstract

"This study investigates how social policies, gender norms, and the national working time regime shape mothers' preferred working hours. Using data from the European Social Survey (ESS) for 15 countries across Western Europe, the study reveals that generous public child care and cultural support for gender equality are associated with smaller gaps in the preferred working hours between mothers and childless women. High levels of financial support for families, in contrast, predict larger gaps in preferred working hours. The analysis also indicates that a low prevalence of non-standard work and high levels of work-time flexibility reduce the differences in preferred employment hours between mothers and non-mothers. Individual characteristics such as education, gender ideology, and the partners' socioeconomic status greatly impact women's preferred employment hours; however, they do not modify the effect of motherhood. This study concludes that the impact of parenthood on women's employment hours is highly contingent upon various institutional and cultural factors." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Sorenson, Olav & Michael S. Dahl (2016): Geography, joint choices, and the reproduction of gender inequality. In: American Sociological Review, Jg. 81, H. 5, S. 900-920. DOI:10.1177/0003122416656360

Abstract

"We examine the extent to which the gender wage gap stems from dual-earner couples jointly choosing where to live. If couples locate in places better suited for the man's employment than for the woman's, the resulting mismatch of women to employers will depress women's wages. Examining data from Denmark, our analyses indicate that (1) Danish couples choose locations with higher expected wages for the man than for the woman, (2) the better matching of men in couples to local employers could account for up to 36 percent of the gender wage gap, and (3) the greatest asymmetry in the apparent importance of the man's versus the woman's potential earnings occurred among couples with young children and where the male partner accounted for a larger share of household income before the potential move." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Blossfeld, Hans-Peter, Jan Skopek, Moris Triventi & Sandra Buchholz (Hrsg.) (2015): Gender, education and employment. An international comparison of school-to-work transitions. (eduLIFE lifelong learning), Cheltenham: Elgar, 394 S.

Abstract

"For much of the twentieth century, women lagged considerably behind men in their educational attainment. However, in recent decades, young women have become an important source of human capital for labor markets in modern societies, as well as potential competitors to the male workforce. This book asks whether or not women have been able to convert their educational success into gains on the labor market.
The expert contributors address the topic on a comparative level with discussions centred on gendered school-to-work transitions and gendered labor market outcomes. Thereafter they analyze the country-specific implications of the gender redress from a wide range of countries including the USA, Russia and Australia." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Cascio, Elizabeth U., Steven J. Haider & Helena Skyt Nielsen (2015): The effectiveness of policies that promote labor force participation of women with children. A collection of national studies. In: Labour economics, Jg. 36, H. October, S. 64-71. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2015.08.002

Abstract

"Numerous countries have enacted policies to promote the labor force participation of women around the years of childbearing, and unsurprisingly, many research articles have been devoted to evaluating their effectiveness. Perhaps more surprisingly, however, six such articles were submitted independently over several months to Labour Economics and subsequently made it through the normal review process. These articles are collected in the Special Section that follows. This article provides additional background to facilitate the understanding of the policies that are evaluated in the Special Section articles and, more importantly, a discussion of what can be learned from the articles as a collection. Taken together, the articles are quite informative in demonstrating how the effectiveness of policies can vary across different national contexts and how this variation itself can be usefully examined with the standard theoretical framework." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Dieckhoff, Martina, Vanessa Gash & Nadia Steiber (2015): Measuring the effect of institutional change on gender inequality in the labour market. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 39, H. March, S. 59-75. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2014.12.001

Abstract

"This article examines the differential impact of labour market institutions on women and men. It carries out longitudinal analyses using repeat cross-sectional data from the EU Labour Force Survey 1992 - 2007 as well as time series data that measure institutional change over the same period. The results contribute to the literature on gendered employment, adding important insights into the impact of labour market institutions over and above family policies that have been the focus of most prior studies on the topic. We find differential effects of institutional change on male and female outcome. Our findings challenge the neo-classical literature on the topic. While our results suggest that men benefit more clearly than women from increases in employment protection, we do not find support for the neo-classical assertion that strong trade unions decrease female employment. Instead, increasing union strength is shown to have beneficial effects for both men's and women's likelihood of being employed on the standard employment contract. Furthermore, in line with other researchers, we find that rising levels of in kind state support to families improve women's employment opportunities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Guetto, Raffaele, Ruud Luijkx & Stefani Scherer (2015): Religiosity, gender attitudes and women's labour market participation and fertility decisions in Europe. In: Acta sociologica, Jg. 58, H. 2, S. 155-172. DOI:10.1177/0001699315573335

Abstract

"The Second Demographic Transition (SDT) theory underlines the importance of changing values and attitudes to explain the trend toward low fertility and raising female labour market participation. We contribute to this debate comparing religiosity and gender attitudes over several European countries using three waves of the European Values Study (1990, 1999 and 2008). By dealing with the issues of measurement invariance and endogeneity between values and behaviour, our results support some critiques of the SDT theory. The pace of the process of sociocultural change has not been the same across European countries and the forerunners of the SDT, that is, the most secularized and gender-egalitarian societies, now have the highest female labour market participation rates and the highest fertility. We provide evidence for a 'macro - micro paradox' regarding the role of values on family behaviours. Religiosity is positively correlated with fertility and housewifery, while gender attitudes are only correlated with women's labour market decisions. These correlations are stronger in more traditional countries, even if aggregate fertility is lower. We stress the necessity to integrate cultural and structural explanations, suggesting the lack of family policies and the rigidity of the family formation process as possible mechanisms to unravel this paradox." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Koutentakis, Franciscos (2015): Gender unemployment dynamics. Evidence from ten advanced economies. In: Labour, Jg. 29, H. 1, S. 15-31. DOI:10.1111/labr.12044

Abstract

"The paper investigates gender unemployment dynamics in 10 advances economies applying a recent methodology on widely available Labour Force Surveys data. We calculate the job finding and separation rates for each gender and use them to construct the steady-state unemployment gap as well as two counterfactual gender unemployment gaps: one generated by differences only in job finding rates and the other by differences only in separation rates. We find that in all countries the gender unemployment gap attributed to differences in the job finding rate is lower than the gap attributed to differences in the separation rate, suggesting that gender differences in the separation rate are the major factor behind the gender unemployment gap." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Abendroth, Anja-Kristin, Matt L. Huffman & Judith Treas (2014): The parity penalty in life course perspective. Motherhood and occupational status in 13 European countries. In: American Sociological Review, Jg. 79, H. 5, S. 993-1014. DOI:10.1177/0003122414545986

Abstract

"Research documents a wage penalty for mothers compared to childless women. We demonstrate there is also an occupational status penalty to motherhood. Interrogating supply- and demand-side explanations of the motherhood penalty from the life course perspective, we formulate and test original hypotheses about the short-term and long-run career implications of parity-specific births. We analyze longitudinal data from the European Community and Household Panel for 13 European countries and eight time points between 1994 and 2001. Our fixed-effects models show that status losses for a first birth are not just short-term but accumulate over the career. The timing of a birth in a woman's life course matters only for older women, who experience a significant penalty to third births. Although the personal strategies that women use to minimize the career costs of motherhood (e.g., having only one child) prove ineffective, our cross-national evidence shows that public policies are linked to the motherhood penalty in occupational status." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Blazquez-Cuesta, Maite & Julian Moral Carcedo (2014): Women's part-time jobs: "Flexirisky" employment in five European countries. In: International Labour Review, Jg. 150, H. 2, S. 269-292. DOI:10.1111/j.1564-913X.2014.00204.x

Abstract

"European countries currently have segmented labour markets with flexible but insecure - 'flexirisky' - jobs, resulting in significant inequality between different categories of workers. Part-time jobs are one example: their flexibility may help workers reconcile work and family life, and increase women's labour force participation, but part-time employment can also result in new forms of inequality, thereby undermining EU equal opportunity policies. Empirically analysing labour market transitions in Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, this article Shows part-timers - who are mostly women - to be at higher risk of unemployment. lt calls for strengthening equality between part-time and full-time workers in terms of employment stability." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kulic, Nevena (2014): European women. The link between money, career, and financial satisfaction. In: European Sociological Review, Jg. 30, H. 3, S. 287-301. DOI:10.1093/esr/jct030

Abstract

"This study goes beyond economic research on women's economic independence, which relies only on income in explaining women's economic well-being within a household, and adopts a perspective that recognizes the importance of their actual employment patterns and occupational choices (Gerson, 1993, Hakim, 2000). Using the data on financial satisfaction from the European Community Household Panel from 1994 - 2001, this article compares married and cohabiting women from five industrialized European countries. Analyses indicate that it is not relative income or pure employment that matters the most for a woman's financial satisfaction but, more likely, the choice of continuous and full-time labour market involvement. The data also offer other interesting findings: a homemaking career may be as beneficial for a woman's financial satisfaction as continuous employment, while a discontinuous employment path seems to be detrimental for a woman's financial satisfaction. Cross-country comparison shows that institutions alter women's economic well-being independently of their individual achievements, suggesting that more research is needed to disentangle the institutional components that most influence the relation between women's paid and unpaid employment, and their economic well-being." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Lundborg, Petter, Erik Plug & Astrid Würtz Rasmussen (2014): Fertility effects on female labor supply: IV evidence from IVF treatments. (IZA discussion paper 8609), Bonn, 37 S.

Abstract

"This paper introduces a new IV strategy based on IVF induced fertility variation in childless families to estimate the causal effect of having children on female labor supply using IVF treated women in Denmark. Because observed chances of IVF success do not depend on labor market histories, IVF treatment success provides a plausible instrument for childbearing. Our IV estimates indicate that fertility effects are: (a) negative, large and long lasting; (b) much stronger at the extensive margin than at the intensive margin; and (c) similar for mothers, not treated with IVF, which suggests that IVF findings have a wider generalizability." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Mendolicchio, Concetta & Thomas Rhein (2014): The gender gap of returns on education across West European countries. In: International journal of manpower, Jg. 35, H. 3, S. 219-249., 2013-08-18.

Abstract

"We study the gender specific private returns on education (RE) in Europe in a comparative perspective. We extend the model of de la Fuente (2003) by estimating the parameters by gender and introducing maternity leaves and benefits. We analyse the impact of the public policy variables evaluating the elasticities with respect to unemployment benefits, marginal and average tax rates, maternity leave and childcare benefits.
We estimate the Mincerian coefficients, with the Heckman selection model, for 12 West European countries using the EU-SILC data (2007). We then use them as input to calibrate the decision model.
The RE of females tend to be higher than those of males in all the Europeans countries but Germany, Netherlands and Sweden. The gender gap can be explained mainly by the wage premia and labour income taxes which more than compensate the negative effects on females' returns triggered by higher unemployment rates and maternity-related benefits.
The tax system has the most pronounced effect on RE. An increase in the marginal tax rates has a negative impact. An increase in the average tax rates can have a negative or positive impact, depending on the progressivity of the tax system. An increase in unemployment benefits and maternity or child-care benefits has a negative but fairly small impact.
We compute the RE using a model which allows us to take into account and assess the significance of relevant variables: wage premium, income tax, some public transfers and benefits, costs of the investments. Moreover, we estimate the wage premia using relatively recent EU-SILC data. Finally, we compare 12 EU countries spanning quite different labour market conditions and institutions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ingold, Jo & David Etherington (2013): Work, welfare and gender inequalities. An analysis of activation strategies for partnered women in the UK, Australia and Denmark. In: Work, employment and society, Jg. 27, H. 4, S. 621-638. DOI:10.1177/0950017012460306

Abstract

"In industrialized countries women have increasingly become a target group for active labour market policies, or 'activation'. However, to date, the burgeoning literature on activation has tended to overlook its link with the highly gendered nature of welfare. This article presents the first comparative analysis of activation approaches for partnered women in the UK, Australia and Denmark. Three core arguments are put forward that emphasize how the ideas (causal claims, beliefs and assumptions) articulated by key policy actors were crucial to both the construction and delivery of activation policies. First, women's differentiated access to benefits directly conflicted with the focus on the individual within activation policies. Second, activation was premised upon paid labour, embodying ideational assumptions about the meaning of (paid) work, in turn devaluing caring labour. Third, the 'problematization' of women outside the labour market resulted in their gendered 'processing' through the social security and activation systems." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Mandel, Hadas (2012): Winners and losers: the consequences of welfare state policies for gender wage inequality. In: European Sociological Review, Jg. 28, H. 2, S. 241-262. DOI:10.1093/esr/jcq061

Abstract

"Cross-national studies of the impact of welfare states on gender inequality tend to overlook socio-economic divisions among women. This article challenges the implicit assumption that welfare states have uniform effects on the economic attainments of women, arguing that the impact of state intervention is necessarily conditioned by women's relative advantage or disadvantage in the labour market. Based on Luxembourg Income Study microdata for 21 advanced countries, the paper analyses gender wage gaps among highly skilled and low skilled men and women. The findings suggest that welfare state policies interact with socio-economic position: they limit the economic rewards of highly skilled women, but do not adversely affect, and by some measures actually benefit, those who are less skilled. Highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of social policies for different groups of women, the article concludes that more research is needed to explore differentiated approaches to reconciling work and family, rather than addressing universal work - family tensions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))