The Impact of Gender and Dual Career Issues on Work-Family Decisions

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between family responsibilities and family support, on the one hand, and decisions by men and women concerning owning their own business, as well as how many hours they work in that business. We used data collected by the U.S. Current Population Survey (CPS) between 1989 and 2011, and had a starting sample of 823,090 individuals, and a final sample of 13,887. We found that both women and men are more inclined to own a business when they are married, have children, or receive financial support from their spouse. We also found widespread gender differences in these analyses. Financial support from a spouse has a larger impact on women than on men. The influence of marriage on owning a business is stronger for women than for men. The findings also indicate that male business owners work longer hours if they have young children. In contrast, female business owners reduce their work hours if they are married, have young children, and receive support from their spouse. The r...