Time Allocation Theory Research Articles

The Influence of Employment Status, Education, and Age at First Marriage on Fertility in South Kuta District

High fertility can cause an increase in population which can have negative impacts such as social and economic inequality, increased competition for resources and jobs if it is not balanced with quality human resources. The aim of this research is to analyze the influence of employment status, education and age at first marriage on the fertility of women of childbearing age in South Kuta District. Determining the sample in this study used a purposive sampling technique with a sample size of 99 people. The types of data used are quantitative and qualitative data with primary and secondary data sources. The data collected was then analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis with the SPSS 29 program. The results of the study found that 1) Employment status, education and age at first marriage simultaneously influence the fertility of women of childbearing age in South Kuta District. 2) Employment status, education and age at first marriage have a partial negative effect on the fertility of women of childbearing age in South Kuta District. The implications of this research consist of theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, this research supports the concept of time allocation theory and family economics which explains that decisions regarding fertility are influenced by economic considerations. The practical implications of the results of this research are that it can be used as material for consideration and input in managing population issues more effectively so as to improve the overall welfare of society in South Kuta District.

Conspicuous leisure, time allocation, and obesity Kuznets curves

Abstract Our growth model explores the complex relationship between income, obesity, and changes in exercise-related behavior. Combining Becker’s theory of time allocation (The Economic Journal 75(299), 493–517, 1965) with Veblen’s theory of conspicuous leisure (The Theory of the Leisure Class, 1st ed. New York: Macmillan, 1899), we determine conditions for dynamic and static obesity Kuznets curves. Considering food consumption and exercise choices, we show that dynamic and static Kuznets curves result from the rising opportunity cost of exercise and peer influence, both increasing with income. Focusing on calorie expenditure, we investigate the rise and slowdown in obesity prevalence in the USA and the correlation between obesity and income per worker. Our numerical simulations indicate that, as the economy grows, exercise choices slow down the rise in obesity prevalence but do not generate a dynamic Kuznets curve in the USA. By contrast, they generate a static Kuznets curve for a population cross section. We discuss policy implications of our findings.

New human capital theory from the perspective of time allocation: Evolution and prospects

In the modern economic system, where the service sector has significantly increased in importance, the accumulation of human capital no longer relies solely on traditional factors such as education, training and healthcare, but increasingly depends on informal education, particularly learning activities during leisure time. Driven by the amalgamation of personality economics and neuroeconomics, a novel theory of human capital has surfaced, which emphasizes the acquisition of cognitive and noncognitive abilities through informal learning activities such as hobbies and social engagements. Utilizing the time allocation theory as a foundation, this study investigates the role of leisure time in bolstering human capital. The paper spotlights the ‘Learning by Doing’ and ‘Learning by Playing’ phenomena, which are instrumental in enhancing practical abilities and creativity. The study offers a critical examination of how human capital theory has evolved, particularly regarding the influence of leisure on skill development. This study also highlights the crucial importance of learning during leisure as a contributing factor to economic growth and positions it as a vital pathway for future human capital accumulation. Moreover, it proposes new avenues of research to deepen the understanding of human capital and leisure economy theories, thereby providing valuable perspectives for the progress of society and the economy.

Need to Increase the Public Servants’ Retirement Age to 65 in Uganda: Policy Report.

This paper investigated the need to raise Mandatory Retirement Age (MRA) and to what level, in Uganda; as a policy towards addressing the challenges that emanate from rising life expectancy and unemployment. Guided by two theories: time allocation theory and positive theory of early retirement; while using the Early Retirement Incentives (ERIs) of the public service pension scheme as a probing tool, with probit simulations as estimation techniques on public servants’ retirement dataset (2017), results strongly support increment in the MRA from 60 to 65. For the named socioeconomic challenges, the policy is more effective if jointly implemented with a rise in Early retirement age from 45 to 55.

Conspicuous Leisure, Time Allocation, and Obesity Kuznets Curves

We build a theoretical model to explain the complex patterns of income and obesity, accounting for changes in behavior related to exercise. We combine the theory of time allocation with the theory of conspicuous leisure in a growth model, assuming that consumption expenditures connected to exercise time are conspicuous, and that conspicuous behavior changes with economic development. As a result, as economies develop, we show that there is a growing wedge between optimal exercise and consumption choices made by individuals with different income levels. We show that this pattern is connected to a dynamic Kuznets curve linking body weight to economic development over time, and a static Kuznets curve linking different steady state levels of income per worker to body weight. Thus, our model helps explain the rise and slowdown in obesity prevalence in the USA, as well as the positive correlation between obesity and income per worker in developing countries, and the negative correlation between obesity and income per worker in industrialized countries. We supplement our theoretical results with numerical simulations of the static and dynamic obesity Kuznets curves for the USA. We show that while exercise choices have contributed to a slowdown in the rise in obesity prevalence, there is to this date no dynamic Kuznets curve pattern for obesity in the USA. By contrast, we find the existence of a static Kuznets curve: the steady state level of average body weight increases with the per worker stock of capital up to a level of 186.5 pounds, corresponding to a capital stock 25% higher than the current steady state US capital stock, and decreases thereafter. We discuss policy implications of our findings.

Between scientific publication and public perception : some economic remarks on the allocation of time in science

Like every other human being, scientists also have to allocate their scarce resources of time and production according to personal preferences. Today’s scientific system is dominated by different (external) incentives that influence a researcher’s decisions. With respect to the individual research strategy, there seems to be a conflict between scientific rigor and practical relevance. In addition, only certain scientific results actually find their way into the general public.We assume therefore that the use of virological and economic expertise are two different forms of reception of science by another social sphere. If our assumption is correct, the question arises as to how such rules of reception are formed and stabilized. This question will be investigated in the present paper. With regard to his or her publication strategy, the scientist therefore has to decide interdependently. Based on the economic approach in general, and Gary S. Becker’s theory of time allocation specifically, we develop a simple model to explain scientific decision-making behavior. We derive several implications with regard to a strategy on time allocation in research processes, and thus contribute to a better understanding of scientific decision-making processes. In our paper, we concentrate on the general conditions in (business) economics, but the findings can also be applied to other (human) sciences.In order to be as up-to-date as possible, we take an additionallook at the role of science in the current COVID-19 crisis as well.

Modelling Unpaid Housework Time in Poland on the Basis of a Time Use Survey

Abstract Research background: The paper introduces an econometric analysis of unpaid household work in Poland. Purpose: The purpose is a quantitative analysis of the relations between the time spent on unpaid housework and some selected demographic, economic and social variables. Research methodology: In the survey, the respondents were grouped by gender and type of locality. It was hypothesized that there are strong differences in the determinants of housework time by gender and type of locality. Multiple regression models for housework time and 23 demographic, social and economic variables were estimated and verified. The analysis was conducted on the basis of individual data from the Time Use Survey conducted by the Statistics Poland in 2013. Results: The empirical study found no differences in the key determinants of housework time between women and men depending on the type of locality. The main factors of influence were: paid work time, time spent meeting physiological needs (sleeping, eating, washing), time spent on learning, the number of children and, finally, economic activity. Novelty: The theoretical part outlines barely known economic theories that addressed the issue of unpaid housework. The authors describe the care economy, humanistic economics, economics of happiness, time allocation theory as well as a two-dimensional approach to poverty research. Housework (which means the unpaid activity of household members aimed at satisfying the needs of individuals forming the household) has also been out of economic mainstream categories. Even though unpopular, it has an economic value and can be replaced by market goods and services or offered by the state. The authors have been persuaded that there are tangible and intangible benefits resulting from this type of work.

The media of Consumption and the Consumption of time: How a consumer in fast-paced economy use traditional and new media tools

Research is ongoing about how the New Media impact on Traditional Media. Despite rapid change in the options for how we can interact with and consume media, some of our preferences for needs to consume have not shifted dramatically. This research aims to investigate the patterns of media consumption, and assesses the amount of time people allocate to different media. The study is informed by uses and gratifications theory (UGT), channel complementarity theory and time allocation theory. The article looks at the amount of time spent reading newspapers and magazines, watching television, listening to the radio, using the old or new media, and activities online and offline while at work or out of the work. It investigates whether traditional media are still relevant in this new media environment and identifies consumption practices. A survey was held among consumers who have various media experiences (N = 400) – and for the first time in Zimbabwe. Differences between consumers (media users) using traditional media channels and those using new media platforms are identified and discussed. However, some challenges exist, such as the limited number of Apple iPads and tablets. These findings implied that targeting the millennials remains a challenge as respondents are fragmented across various media platforms.

The genome as a record for environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

With the government planning a congestion charging (CC) scheme for Jakarta, public support is regarded as a prerequisite for its implementation. Politicians typically see CC reform as a controversial policy if there is no public support. Yet a CC plan is currently under active development and remains under consideration as a way to mitigate the acute traffic congestion in Jakarta. The CC theme has been recognized as a powerful instrument in both delivering efficient road use and raising revenues. Studies indicate that revenue redistribution is one of the most important determinants of public support for such scheme. Given the absence of studies from the Asian megacity context, this paper presents a systematic study of how public perceptions relate to revenue spending choice behavior. A stated preference (SP) questionnaire is developed to investigate citizen’s perceptions of CC reform, their preferences for revenue redistribution and their current travel behavior. Using data collected using this SP questionnaire in 2013, a hybrid revenue allocation (HRA) model is formulated that captures the impact of tangible factors (i.e. charges, socio-demographic characteristics, travel behavior) and intangible factors (perceptions) during process of deciding among revenue spending alternatives. The proposed model is drawn from traditional utilitarian resource (time) allocation theory, with an extension consisting of latent constructs representing subjective individual psychological perceptions. We find that there is a strong correlation between revenue allocation preferences and an individual’s subjective psychological perceptions. The most preferred revenue allocations are for public transport improvements and traffic safety improvements, with 54% and 29% agreement, respectively. We find there is little support for spending revenues on other issues such as for stimulating local business (13%) and for parks/green spaces, driving education/enforcement and improving the parking system (4% in total). The findings of sensitivity analysis further disclose that the choice of spending on public transport improvements among respondents who frequently visit the central business district (CBD) is sensitive to the level of the CC charge, while for respondents who frequently enter the CBD by car and have a medium-high income the traffic safety allocation is sensitive to charge.

Household Chores, Time Allocation and Job Performance: An Empirical Study from Chinese Manufacturing Workers

This paper fills the gap through theoretical reasoning and empirical testing of the effects of housework on job performance. Guided by the time allocation theory, the study proposed an optimization model based on the household production function, which indicates that an increase of time spent on housework will improve individual job performance with a progressive increase in the marginal return of housework time to household production. A field study using assembly-line workers in a Chinese manufacturing factory partially supported the proposition, suggesting that workers with longer housework time have accumulated higher character skills, particularly female workers.

Inclusion of latent constructs in utilitarian resource allocation model for analyzing revenue spending options in congestion charging policy

With the government planning a congestion charging (CC) scheme for Jakarta, public support is regarded as a prerequisite for its implementation. Politicians typically see CC reform as a controversial policy if there is no public support. Yet a CC plan is currently under active development and remains under consideration as a way to mitigate the acute traffic congestion in Jakarta. The CC theme has been recognized as a powerful instrument in both delivering efficient road use and raising revenues. Studies indicate that revenue redistribution is one of the most important determinants of public support for such scheme. Given the absence of studies from the Asian megacity context, this paper presents a systematic study of how public perceptions relate to revenue spending choice behavior. A stated preference (SP) questionnaire is developed to investigate citizen’s perceptions of CC reform, their preferences for revenue redistribution and their current travel behavior. Using data collected using this SP questionnaire in 2013, a hybrid revenue allocation (HRA) model is formulated that captures the impact of tangible factors (i.e. charges, socio-demographic characteristics, travel behavior) and intangible factors (perceptions) during process of deciding among revenue spending alternatives. The proposed model is drawn from traditional utilitarian resource (time) allocation theory, with an extension consisting of latent constructs representing subjective individual psychological perceptions. We find that there is a strong correlation between revenue allocation preferences and an individual’s subjective psychological perceptions. The most preferred revenue allocations are for public transport improvements and traffic safety improvements, with 54% and 29% agreement, respectively. We find there is little support for spending revenues on other issues such as for stimulating local business (13%) and for parks/green spaces, driving education/enforcement and improving the parking system (4% in total). The findings of sensitivity analysis further disclose that the choice of spending on public transport improvements among respondents who frequently visit the central business district (CBD) is sensitive to the level of the CC charge, while for respondents who frequently enter the CBD by car and have a medium-high income the traffic safety allocation is sensitive to charge.

Time Pressure and Time Planning in Explaining Advertising Avoidance Behavior

ABSTRACTWatching television advertising can represent a significant decision in time allocation. Those who avoid advertising represent a threat to advertisers and to television companies who depend upon advertising revenue. Two factors central to time allocation theory are identified as relevant to an understanding of television advertising avoidance behavior: time pressure and time planning. Drawing from Reactance theory, their significance in predicting two different types of avoidance, mechanical and behavioral, is examined empirically. As attitudes to time allocation are culturally and contextually dependent, two studies are reported, one in the UNITED KINGDOM, the other in Chile. In the former, time planning is a significant predictor of mechanical avoidance, in the latter behavioral avoidance is predicted by time pressure. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

The Influence of Institutional Investors on Analyst Earnings Forecast Properties

Analysts are motivated to fulfill client demand for information, and institutional investors are sell-side analysts’ most important clients. Following time allocation theory, analysts likely prioritize tasks and the firms they follow to maximize their overall utility. I posit analysts issue more accurate and informative earnings forecasts for firms that provide greater expected utility to the analyst. Using the firm’s exposure to institutional investors, as a measure of expected utility, I find that analysts report more accurate forecasts for firms with greater exposure to institutional investors. In addition, I find evidence that analysts issue more informative earnings forecasts for firms with greater exposure to institutions that rely on private information, specifically institutions with transient investment strategies. These findings suggest that analysts allocate greater forecasting resources to firms with more exposure to priority clients and issue more informative and accurate forecasts for these firms.

Do High School Athletes Get Better Grades During the Off-Season?

A great deal of recent research has employed instrumental variables to estimate the effect of participation in athletics on academic or labor market outcomes, finding evidence of small positive effects from participation. This research proposes several theories of how participation affects success but cannot distinguish between them. I ask a fundamentally different question, whether an athlete performs better or worse, academically, during the season in which they participate in sports, focusing on the time allocation theory of participation. Time spent on sports may substitute from time on academics or negative leisure activities, causing academic performance to improve or decline in-season, respectively. This paper finds a small negative and significant in-season effect on academic performance for varsity athletes and a small positive and significant in-season effect on academic performance for junior varsity (JV) athletes. Decreases in in-season grade point average (GPA) for varsity athletes occur through a decline in performance in English and history courses, while increases in in-season GPA for JV athletes operate through an improvement in math and science courses. Results are robust to controlling for various measures of course ease across semesters. The relatively small in-season effects suggest that estimates of the effects of participation in the rest of the literature operate primarily through mechanisms other than time allocation.

Farm households' participation in rural non-farm employment in post-war Rwanda: Drivers and policy implications

Despite the post-war government's unprecedented efforts to stimulate growth of the rural non-farm (RNF) sector in Rwanda, evidence suggests that participation in this sector remains low compared with other developing and transition economies. This study investigates the micro and meso-level factors defining farm household's capacity and incentives to participate in RNF employment in the post-war Rwanda. Based on the household's time allocation theory, this study employs household survey data collected in Gisagara District in a double-hurdle regression. The results reveal that female-headedness, labour availability, education, social networks, access to finance and rural towns increase the probability of participating in RNF activities, whereas for participating households, the time allocated to RNF activities tends to decrease with age, land productivity, distance to market and dispersed settlements. The article concludes with key implications for rural development policies such as basic education and umudugudu settlements.

Insufficient Labor Supply and Wage Rises under Conditions of Labor Surplus: From the Perspective of the Intra-household Division of Labor

基于贝克尔家庭经济学和时间配置理论可以证明, 劳动剩余条件下的劳动供给并 不是无限的。受制于家庭分工的约束, 供给曲线呈特殊的阶梯形态: 随劳动供给的增 加, 农业劳动力的保留工资不断提高, 且幅度不断扩大。劳动供给对工资的反应是非 连续的: 只有当工资上升到新的保留工资水平时, 劳动供给才会增加; 否则, 工资上 涨并不能带来供给增长。与这种特殊的供给形态相对应, 工资上涨的主要动力从农业 收入转向工业劳动需求。内蒙、甘肃两省1,500个农户的调查数据证明了上述判断。 当劳动需求扩张时, 由于工资的微调不能带动供给的微调, 劳动力市场将长期难以出 清。这提醒我们, 当前农民工工资上涨与用工短缺并存现象很可能源于劳动剩余条件 下的供给不足, 并不必然意味着剩余劳动力枯竭, 不能作为刘易斯拐点到来的证据。 关键词: 劳动剩余 供给不足 工资上涨 On the basis of Becker’s family economics and the theory of time allocation, it can be shown that labor supply under labor surplus conditions is not unlimited. Under the constraints of intra-household labor division, the supply curve takes on a special staircase form: as labor supply increases, the reservation wage of rural labor rises by an ever larger margin. The response of labor supply to wages is discontinuous. Labor supply will increase only when wages reach the new level of the reservation wage; otherwise, wage increases do not lead to an increase in labor supply. Corresponding to this special form of supply, the major driving force behind wage increases becomes industrial labor demand rather than agricultural income. The data from a survey of about 1,500 rural households in Gansu and Inner Mongolia bear out the above proposition. When labor demand rises, slight wage adjustments will not bring a corresponding increase in labor supply and labor market clearing will not occur for a long time. This reminds us that the present coexistence of a shortage of labor with wage rises for migrant workers may well derive from insufficient labor supply under labor surplus conditions. It does not necessarily imply the exhaustion of the labor surplus and cannot serve to prove the arrival of the Lewis turning point.

Extending Becker's Time Allocation Theory to Model Continuous Time Blocks: Evidence from Daylight Saving Time

Most activities in life require a certain amount of continuous time. Yet, in the traditional economic model of time allocation, the time block is not taken into account. Hence, the same amount of utility is derived from an activity regardless of whether it is performed continuously over one time block or divided into n separated periods. This paper presents an extension of Becker’s theory to model preferences over continuous time blocks. To examine whether the predictions of the model are supported by data, we exploit the extension of the 2007 U.S. Daylight Saving Time (DST) regulation which lengthens evening daylight while shortening the time block of morning daylight. Using the American Time Use Survey, we find that outdoor recreational activities significantly increase under DST, while indoor TV watching decreases. This translates into an approximate 10% increase in burnt calories. This paper concludes with policy recommendations concerning the future status of DST.

A REVIEW OF THE GOSSENIAN APPROACH TO THE THEORY OF TIME ALLOCATION

Today Hermann Heinrich Gossen is primarily known to economists as one of the forerunners of the Marginal Revolution. His other contribution to economic theory, namely, a theory of time allocation, is equally if not more significant but not widely cited by economists. Surprisingly this has remained the case despite the availability of several major papers (in English) on his contributions to economic ideas. Building on the work of others, this paper seeks to provide a biographical sketch of Gossen, examine why his work has been neglected, analyze his contribution to economic theory, and assess his influence on the discipline of economics. The paper incorporates discussions on the latest findings about Gossen himself, translations of his book and the implications of his laws for the theory of the evolution of customs.

Time Spent for Education – A Key Resource in the Social and Economic Development

Education - in every sense - is one of the fundamental factors of development. It provides a foundation for the economic and social wellbeing. Time spent in education is the key to increasing economic efficiency and social consistency. Of all the resources, time is the most valued and it can be used most effectively. No country can achieve sustainable economic development without substantial investment in human capital. Education improves the quality of people’s lives and leads to broad social benefits to individuals and society. According to Gary S. Becker theory of time allocation, in this paper it is investigated some of the aspects concerning the relation between social and economical increasing and investments in human capital trough the role of time spent by Romanian people in education, training and other educational activities. Data used in this paper are generally provided by the time use survey.

Determinants of time allocation across the lifespan : A theoretical model and an application to the Machiguenga and Piro of Peru.

This paper lays the groundwork for a theory of time allocation across the life course, based on the idea that strength and skill vary as a function of age, and that return rates for different activities vary as a function of the combination of strength and skills involved in performing those tasks. We apply the model to traditional human subsistence patterns. The model predicts that young children engage most heavily in low-strength/low-skill activities, middle-aged adults in high-strength/high-skill activities, and older adults in low-strength/high-skill activities. Tests among Machiguenga and Piro forager-horticulturalists of southeastern Peru show that males and females focus on low-strength/low-skill tasks early in life (domestic tasks and several forms of fishing), switch to higher-strength/higher-skill activities in their twenties and thirties (hunting, fishing, and gardening for males; fishing and gardening for females), and shift focus to high-skill activities late in life (manufacture/repair, food processing).