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Satisfaction and Self-Employment: Do Women Benefit More from Being Their Own Boss?

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  • Karen Maguire

    (Oklahoma State University)

  • John V. Winters

    (Oklahoma State University)

Abstract

This paper uses individual self-reported life satisfaction data to analyze the relationship between self-employment and subjective well-being by gender and race. We document substantial heterogeneity, with women appearing to benefit the most from self-employment. Self-employed women have significantly higher rates of being very satisfied relative to both traditionally employed women and self-employed men. We also find that the self-employed have higher rates of dissatisfaction, and this adverse relationship with self-employment is most pronounced for minorities. These nuanced findings broaden our understanding of the relationship between self-employment and subjective well-being and have important implications for both researchers and policymakers.

Suggested Citation

  • Karen Maguire & John V. Winters, 2017. "Satisfaction and Self-Employment: Do Women Benefit More from Being Their Own Boss?," Economics Working Paper Series 1713, Oklahoma State University, Department of Economics and Legal Studies in Business.
    • Handle: RePEc:okl:wpaper:1713
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    File URL: https://business.okstate.edu/site-files/docs/ecls-working-papers/OKSWPS1713.pdf
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    1. Zhengyu Cai & Heather M. Stephens & John V. Winters, 2019. "Motherhood, migration, and self-employment of college graduates," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 611-629, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Well-being; Entrepreneurship; Self-Employment; Gender; Race;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J2 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor

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