Labor Force Participation Research Articles

The Influence of Gender Inequality on Economic Growth in Riau Province 2012-2021

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the average length of schooling, life expectancy, and labor force participation rates affect economic growth with productivity levels as intervening variables in Riau Province in 2012-2021. The data used in this study was secondary data, which is a combination of time series and cross-section. The analytical method used in this study was multiple linear regression analysis using theory and data related to research. The results showed that the average length of schooling for boys had a negative and insignificant effect on economic growth in Riau Province. Meanwhile, the average length of schooling for women has a negative and insignificant effect on economic growth in Riau Province. From the results of the partial test, it can be concluded that the average length of schooling does not show gender inequality. Directly, the life expectancy for men has a negative and insignificant effect on economic growth in Riau Province. Meanwhile, life expectancy for women has a positive and insignificant effect on economic growth in Riau Province. From the results of the partial test, it can be concluded that there is gender inequality in life expectancy. Directly, the labor force participation rate for men has a negative and insignificant effect on economic growth in Riau Province. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate for women has a negative and insignificant effect on economic growth in Riau Province. From the results of the partial test, it can be concluded that there is no gender inequality in the labor force participation rate. Indirectly, through the level of productivity, the average length of schooling for men has a positive and insignificant effect on economic growth in Riau Province. Meanwhile, the average length of schooling for women has a positive and insignificant effect on economic growth in Riau Province. From the results of the Sobel test, it was concluded that the average length of schooling does not have a relation to gender inequality. Indirectly, through the level of productivity, the life expectancy rate for men has a positive and insignificant effect on economic growth in Riau Province. Meanwhile, life expectancy for women has a negative and insignificant effect on economic growth in Riau Province. From the results of the Sobel test, it was concluded that there is a gender gap in life expectancy. Indirectly, through the level of productivity, the labor force participation rate for men has a negative and insignificant effect on economic growth in Riau Province. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate for women has a positive and insignificant effect on economic growth in Riau Province. From the results of the Sobel test, it can be concluded that there is a gender imbalance in the labor force participation rate. The results of this study were influenced by gender inequality in terms of education, health, and employment which are categorized as experiencing low inequality so that they do not have much impact on economic growth in Riau Province. From the education side, as seen from the average length of schooling, it has no effect on economic growth in Riau Province, as well as from a health perspective, the high life expectancy rate does not have a serious impact on economic growth in Riau Province. Keywords: Gender Inequality; Productivity; Economic Growth

Impact of Investment and Labor Participation on Energy Consumption: A Panel Analysis on Selected OIC Countries

A country's economy cannot be separated from economic activity and energy consumption. A country's economic activity increases in proportion to its income. Furthermore, countries will respond to increased economic activity by changing their energy use. This research aims to assess how much extra energy is being utilized by economic activity to maintain the current environment. The results of the analysis show that the gross fixed capital creation variable has a major impact on the energy consumption of OIC countries. The labor force participation of individuals aged 15 to 24 also has a significant effect on energy use. Energy consumption can therefore be increased by raising investment and labor force participation. An annual data series (2010–2015) is used in this investigation. Panel data is the term for the sort of data that is utilized. Further research subjects can do dynamic panel data (countries) analysis by including factors not included in the research mode.

Ladrill Market Dynamics And Economic Growth : Evidence From Emerging Markets

Labor market dynamics and economic growth are two key components that are interrelated in determining the stability and economic progress of a country. In emerging markets, significant changes in the labor market can affect the overall economic growth path. This research analyzes the relationship between labor market dynamics and economic growth in emerging markets. Using a literature study method, this study collected data from various secondary sources including academic journals, policy reports and relevant case studies during the period 2000-2023. Thematic analysis is used to explore labor market indicators such as the labor force participation rate, unemployment rate, and real wages, and their relationship to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. The research results show that increasing labor force participation and decreasing unemployment rates significantly contribute to economic growth in emerging markets. Additionally, increases in real wages were found to have a positive effect on labor productivity and economic competitiveness. These findings highlight the importance of inclusive and sustainable labor market policies to promote stable economic growth in developing countries. Policy implications and further recommendations are discussed to support effective decision making by policy makers.

Fabricating Health: The Challenges Faced by Women Power loom Weavers

The power loom sector is a significant contributor to fabric manufacturing in the country, encompassing a diverse range of products. These products span from low-value coarse and gauze cloth to high-value shirting, suiting, and made-ups. Additionally, the sector also produces a limited number of grey fabrics or yarn-dyed products. Female weavers operating within the power loom sector faces a multitude of obstacles that are significantly influencing their economic survival and overall welfare. The textile industry holds significant importance in the economic development of India, whereas the power loom industry being a crucial element within this sector. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the female labour force participation and total working hours, as well as the effect on their health, in the power loom sector of Gaya and Bhagalpur. In addition, the paper will discuss other significant obstacles faced by women weavers, such as wage disparities, lengthy working hours, and safety and security concerns. The focus of the research will be the socioeconomic standing of female power loom weavers. The study is supported by both primary and secondary data. Primary data is derived from data collection on the ground. Weavers are the backbone of the power loom sector, but they are perpetually plagued by issues related to finances, electricity, and health care, among other issues, and they receive no support from the government. As a result, the industry as a whole experiences low productivity and to enhance the conditions of the power loom weavers, there is a dire need for government support.

Reading The Literature on Female Labor Force Participation Rates with Content Analysis

Reading The Literature on Female Labor Force Participation Rates with Content Analysis

Investigating the factors influencing ease of doing business in Gilan province

PurposeThe ease of doing business (EODB) is a key factor in the development of investment, production and employment in a country. The purpose of this research is to identify the components of EODB in Gilan province in Northern Iran and rank these components from the perspective of economic operators.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses a mixed methods design. In the qualitative phase, the components of EODB in Gilan province are identified through meta-synthesis with the participation of 10 experts. In the quantitative phase, structural equation modeling is used to rank these components from the perspective of 75 randomly selected economic operators from different economic sectors of Gilan province.FindingsAccording to the participants, the main factors influencing EODB in Gilan province are: (1) public services and infrastructure; (2) political stability and the government; (3) policies, laws and regulations and (4) security of property rights.Practical implicationsIdentifying factors conducive to the business environment can play an effective role in removing the barriers to achieving the goals of development programs, such as economic growth and reducing unemployment, poverty and inflation. Gilan province, in particular, is in a favorable condition in terms of climate and geography, with an abundance of young, specialized human resources, which can help remove barriers to improving the business environment and facilitate the use of these capacities. It must be noted that the labor force participation rate in Gilan province is 41.3%, indicating that 58.7% of the working age population is not working or actively looking for work, and removing EODB barriers can provide these people with incentives for economic participation.Originality/valueThe results suggest that creating a stable, transparent, anti-rent, predictable and reliable business environment will allow for increasing investment, production and employment across the province, and that controlling the inflation caused by increased production will make it possible to achieve maximum productivity and economic development.

Analisis Kemandirian Keuangan Daerah dalam Konstribusinya Bagi Kesejahteraan Masyarakat Kabupaten Bandung Tahun 2018-2019

This study aims to analyze regional financial independence as measured using financial independence ratios in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 19 of 2020, analyze the condition of community welfare, especially in the fields of health, independence, employment and education and analyze how financial independence contributes to community welfare. This research takes the Bandung Regency Government as the object of research. In the data collection technique, this study uses secondary data, namely the LKPD of the Bandung Regency Government for 2019-2021 using descriptive quantitative methods. The results of this study indicate that the regional financial independence of the Bandung Regency Government is considered insufficient. This is indicated by the nominal regional financial independence of the Bandung Regency Government of 17.89 for 2019, 19.07% for 2020 and 19.05% for 2021. The welfare of the people of Bandung Regency in terms of health which has appropriate standards by having one or more health facilities in each existing sub-district, in terms of poverty, the percentage of poor people who have increased is lower than the average increase in the percentage of poor people in districts / cities in West Java, In terms of employment, which experienced an increase in the Labor Force Participation Rate (TPAK) in 2021 which was greater than the average increase in TPAK in districts / cities in West Java, in terms of education, the level of Pure Participation Rate (APM) which managed to increase. As for its contribution to community welfare, the Bandung Regency Government allocates expenditures, especially to related agencies. This allocation is channeled in the form of organizing programs and activities aimed at improving welfare. However, if reviewed through the independence of regional finances, the Bandung Regency Government still shows "Less". So this illustrates that the positive changes that exist in the welfare of the people of Bandung Regency still depend on transfer revenues.

Trade, gender equality and institutional quality: Evidence from the gravitational approach

Purpose The contributions of gender equality to trade and the moderating impact of institutional quality on the trade-gender link have been understudied in contemporary literature. Therefore, this paper aims to use the augmented gravity model to investigate the impacts of gender equality and institutional quality on trade, and the moderating impact of institutional quality on the trade-gender link. Design/methodology/approach The panel data is comprised of bilateral trade flows of Vietnam and 40 major trading partners in the 2002–2021 period. Estimation methods include combined fixed effect, random effect, system generalized method of moments two-step (SGMM-II) and Poisson-pseudo maximum likelihood (PPML) which allow the treatment of heterogeneity, endogeneity and heteroskedasticity in the research models. Findings The exporting country’s gender equality has an inconclusive impact on trade in SGMM-II and PPML estimations. However, female labor force participation in the exporting country increases trade. Importing country’s gender equality and female labor force participation increase trade. The direct impact of institutional quality on trade is inconclusive, which is dependent on estimation methods. Most noticeably, the institutional quality of exporting and importing countries facilitates the hampering effects of gender equality and female labor force participation on trade. Research limitations/implications Future research should apply the framework of this paper to sectoral trade, which allows more sector-specific policy implications to be delivered. Moreover, gender development, gender inequality and institutional quality should be included in the SGMM estimations as endogenous variables for robustness checking purposes in future research. Practical implications The paper has justified the integration of gender-specific issues in trade policies, which aligns trade with sustainable development agenda. The explored moderating impact of institutional quality of the exporting country has implied the trade-off relationship between gender equality and export growth in the effort to improve institutional quality. Reversely, in the case of importing countries with higher institutional quality, improved gender equality may mitigate the trade deficit by hampering import growth. Originality/value Investigating the impact of gender equality on trade is the prominent contribution of this paper. Gender equality is considered by three component indicators which include gender development, gender inequality and female labor force participation. New measurement approach to the institutional quality level is also introduced. Furthermore, the explored moderating impacts of institutional quality on the trade-gender link are novel in the literature on sustainable development.

The Impact Of The Pre-Employment Card Program On Labor Force Participation In Indonesia (A Post-Covid-19 Analysis)

This study aims to examine the changes in labor absorption, particularly post-COVID-19, influenced by the Pre-Employment Card Program and sociodemographic characteristics. The main variable, the Pre-Employment Card Program, is analyzed based on recipients' status or those who have participated in training and received incentives. Sociodemographic characteristics include three variables: gender (using a dummy variable), education level (seven equivalent education levels), and age (25 to 44 years). Data from the National Labor Force Survey (Sakernas) for February 2022, conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) of Indonesia, is utilized. With a sample of 76,363 respondents aged 25 to 44 years, the study employs the binomial logit method to assess the influence of independent variables on changes in employment status. The results indicate that: a) the Pre-Employment Card Program has a smaller impact on employment compared to other variables, b) males are more likely to be employed than females post-pandemic, c) higher education levels increase the likelihood of employment, and d) older individuals are more likely to be employed or remain employed post-pandemic compared to younger individuals.

Analysing Post-Pandemic Female Labour Force Participation and Intra-Household Dynamics Through the Lens of Social Reproduction: The Indian Case

The coronavirus pandemic has adversely impacted women in both the productive and the reproductive realms of the Indian economy. While more women are observed to have lost their jobs, household and care work burden increased for all classes of women at least in the initial lockdown period. In this article, we put forth possible scenarios that can arise in the post-pandemic Indian economy regarding female labour force participation and intra-household dynamics, using social reproduction theory as our analytical framework. We posit that the pandemic will distress-drive women to participate in the labour force. Also, female formal workers who lost or quit their jobs during the crisis period may completely withdraw from the labour force if their spouses retain their jobs. Further, financial constraints can increase the incidences of spousal violence for female informal workers. Finally, social reproduction duties will intensify for female informal workers. While this can hold for female formal workers, their burden may be relieved through the hiring of domestic help.

Effects of the expanded Child Tax Credit on employment outcomes

The temporary 2021 expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) was intended to reduce child poverty during the COVID-19 pandemic. The expansion’s elimination of an existing phase-in with earnings, however, potentially disincentivized labor supply, raising concerns that it would reduce parent employment. We empirically test for employment effects using difference-in-differences analyses with Current Population Survey data. Across many specifications and multiple sub-groups, we find very small, inconsistently signed, statistically insignificant impacts of the 2021 CTC on parental labor force participation and employment.

The intergenerational correlation of employment: Mothers as role models?

Linking data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) and the NLSY79 Children and Young Adults, we document a substantial positive correlation of employment status between mothers and their offspring in the United States. After controlling for ability, education, fertility and wealth, offspring of permanently employed mothers have an 11 percentage-point higher probability to be employed in each given year than those of never employed mothers. The intergenerational transmission of maternal employment is stronger to daughters but significant also to sons. Investigating potential mechanisms, we provide suggestive evidence for a role model channel, through which labor force participation may be transmitted. Offspring seem to emulate the example of their mother when they observe her working. By contrast, we are able to rule out alternative candidate explanations such as network effects, occupation-specific human capital and local conditions of the labor market.

Effects of Government Jobs on the Labour Market in Bangladesh

This paper empirically studies the implications of attractive government jobs for labour market. Exploiting an age ceiling policy that sets the age limit for eligibility for public employment at age 30, the study finds that the likelihood of private sector employment is about five percentage points higher for ineligible than eligible at the cutoff age of 30, mainly driven by females, particularly after doubling the public service salaries. The increase in employment after expiring the eligibility for government jobs is explained by increasing labour force participation rather than declining unemployment. During the eligibility period, candidates repeatedly try for government jobs and delay the pursuit of other opportunities, incurring substantial monetary expenses, time costs, and opportunity costs of time. At the same time, there is some evidence that public sector exam preparation gives rise to brain gain. While several papers studied this phenomenon theoretically, this study contributes by providing empirical evidence. The data for this study was drawn from population censuses and labour force surveys for the period 1991–2017 and a primary survey conducted online for this study in Bangladesh, and labour force surveys of India for 2011–2012, 2017–2018, and 2019–2020.

Capitalizing on natural resources rent and renewable energy in enhancing economic growth—New evidence with MMQR method

AbstractNatural resources are vital resources given by nature and are responsible for promoting a nation's economic development. However, with the existence of two opposing theories, it is essential to provide state‐of‐the‐art research that ascertains the association between natural resources and economic growth. The Rostow hypothesis presents the importance of natural resources in promoting economic growth, while the resources curse hypothesis alludes that natural resources, in the developing countries, reduce economic growth. The present research uses the contemporary Methods of Moments Quantile Regression method to explore on this relationship in the fifteen natural resources‐rich African countries. The data used are annual data for the period 1990 to 2021. The major results presented in this research show that natural resources rent significantly promotes economic growth in this region, supporting the postulations of Rostow's hypothesis. Renewable energy is also observed to play a significant role in raising economic growth of this region. However, labor force participation rate is determined to reduce economic growth and this can be explained by high levels of unemployment in this region. Capital provides a positive but insignificant effect on economic growth of the natural resources‐rich African countries. The study results also show that economic growth, capital, trade openness, and labor force enhance natural resources rent. The study calls for the improvement in the use of renewable energy and natural resources in order to attain sustainable economic development in this region.

Why I’m not working: People with vision impairments explain

BACKGROUND: Approximately half of people with vision impairments are not employed or looking for work. Many of these people have additional health or disability concerns, but little is known about those concerns or other reasons they are out of the workforce. OBJECTIVE: We investigated employment barriers impacting labor force participation among people with vision impairments, their perceptions of their skills and training needs, and the impact of not working on their economic status. METHODS: Thirty people with vision impairments who were not in the labor force participated in exploratory interviews conducted using a semi-structured protocol. We used a qualitative software program and multiple researchers to code the interviews, identify and analyze themes, and organize participants’ information. RESULTS: Employment barriers included concerns about health and disability, employer attitudes, transportation, training needs, economics, age, and lack of support. Some participants wanted to work now or in the past but were unable to find employment that accommodated their needs and generated a salary that made it economically worthwhile. CONCLUSION: Participants appear to need assistance identifying career paths leading to economic security, training for these careers, locating affordable transportation, and working with employers to gain workplace accommodations. Providing support and encouraging family support may positively influence interest in employment.

The effect of plough agriculture on gender roles: A machine learning approach

SummaryThis paper undertakes a replication in a wide sense of a recent study that examines the relationship between historical plough agriculture and current gender roles. We revisit the main research question with recently developed causal machine learning methods, which allow researchers to model the relationship of covariates with the treatment and the outcomes in a more flexible way, while also including interactions and nonlinearities that were not considered in the original analysis. Our results suggest an even larger negative effect of the historical plough adoption on female labor force participation than what the original analysis found. The paper highlights the benefits of using causal machine learning methods in applied empirical economics.

Quota removal, gender-specific export shock, and female labor force participation in China

There is a lack of consensus on how trade liberalization affects female labor force participation (FLFP), primarily due to challenges in identifying exports of female labor-intensive products. In this study, we construct a unique gender-specific export shock by examining the removal of the Multi-Fiber Arrangement (MFA) trade quotas in 2005, which targeted the female labor-intensive textiles and clothing (T&C) industry. Using a difference-in-differences (DID) approach, we find that MFA quota removal significantly increases FLFP in China, which is attributed to the heightened demand for female labor in the T&C industry and related services. Increased demand not only boosts women incomes but also significantly reduces fertility rates. Furthermore, it disproportionately benefits four specific female groups: well-educated women, young women, unmarried women, and those without young children.

Gender, immigration, and ethnicity

Abstract We complement analyses of both gender and ethnic inequality by examining cleavages among women of different ethnic and migrant groups, with a particular focus on labour force participation. Such differences can be shown to be shaped by gender attitudes and norms, which are relatively slow changing, transmitted intergenerationally, and socially embedded. We also examine the benefits of taking a household and individual income perspective on economic inequalities, extending existing analysis of earnings and employment. This facilitates the investigation of the economic position of women both in and out of the labour market, and how their income relates to the resources of other family members. By these means we can shed light on the ways in which gendered processes that are common across ethnic groups can nevertheless result in differentiated outcomes that may persist across generations. This can enhance our understanding of persistence and change in gendered inequalities more widely.

Unconditional cash transfers and maternal employment: Evidence from the Baby’s First Years study

How the labor force participation of mothers of young children responds to unconditioned cash support remains an open question in policy debates. Using data from Baby’s First Years, a large-scale randomized controlled study, we generate new estimates of the impact of an unconditional monthly cash transfer on maternal employment behavior through a child’s first four years of life. We find no overall statistically detectable differences in whether mothers participated in the paid workforce or on total household earnings. Receipt of the cash transfer appears to have reduced hours of maternal work during the height of the pandemic in 2020–21.

Free to represent you and me: Gender attitudes and women's share of parliament, 1995–2021

Women are under-represented in political leadership roles, comprising only a quarter of national parliament members across the world. This is surprising, given women's comparatively high level of education and labor force participation. Why has women's political leadership lagged behind other indicators of gender equality? In this study, we revisit the importance of gender attitudes and examine the extent to which they shape women's share of parliament. Prior studies either examine gender attitudes by relying on cross-sectional research designs with small samples or adopt proxy measures that serve as crude indicators of gender ideology. We overcome these limitations by directly measuring gender attitudes from the World Values Survey and European Values Study, while adopting a panel design with a larger sample of countries and a more comprehensive set of controls. Drawing from our dataset of 275 observations across 101 countries during the 1995–2021 period, we find that our attitudinal measure, gender egalitarianism, wipes away most of the observed differences in women's share of parliament between world regions. Moreover, when we add two-way fixed effects, we find that a one-unit increase in a country's gender egalitarianism score is associated with an increase in women's parliament share by about four or five percentage points. Finally, we address concerns about endogeneity by replicating our results using two-stage least squares models with fixed effects. Overall, our findings suggest that gender ideology helps account for the growing success and persistent obstacles faced by women political candidates across the world.