Empirical analysis of employment of women after childbirth

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23730233
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied economics
• Research Institution: Hitotsubashi University (2014); Nagoya University (2011-2013)
• Principal Investigator: USUI Emiko 一橋大学, 経済研究所, 准教授 (50467263)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 労働経済学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This project studies the relationship between paternal and maternal employment and well-being of their children. Specifically, we examine to what extent changing husbands' working system would be useful and effective to facilitate women's participation in labor market.
I also develop an equilibrium search model to explain gender asymmetry in occupational distribution. Workers' utility depends on salary and working hours, and women have a greater aversion to longer working hours than men. Simulations indicate that women crowd into shorter-hour, lower-paying jobs than men. If employers discriminate against women, offers are tailored more toward the working-hour preferences of men by requiring longer working hours. Similarly, if women have a disutility factor in their utility toward positions with a higher proportion of men, fewer women work at these jobs. In both cases, gender segregation is reinforced.

Free Research Field

労働経済学