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And the winner is... An empirical evaluation of two competing approaches to household labour supply

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  • Frederic Vermeulen

Abstract

In this paper, an empirical evaluation is presented of two competing flexible labour supply models. The first is a standard unitary model, while the second is based on the collective approach to household behaviour. The evaluation focuses on the testing of the models' theoretical implications, on their ability to identify structural information, like preferences and on their empirical performance. Models are estimated on Belgian microdata from 1992 and 1997. The unitary model cannot be rejected for single person households, while it is rejected for a sample of two person households. The alternative collective model cannot be rejected for the same sample. However, since the crucial assumption of egoistic or Beckerian caring individual preferences is rejected, the comparative advantage of the collective model as basis for intrahousehold welfare evaluations cannot be fully exploited. Finally, the collective model has the best empirical fit.

Suggested Citation

  • Frederic Vermeulen, 2001. "And the winner is... An empirical evaluation of two competing approaches to household labour supply," Public Economics Working Paper Series ces0123, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Centrum voor Economische Studiën, Working Group Public Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:wpe:papers:ces0123
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    Cited by:

    1. Olivier Donni & Nicolas Moreau, 2007. "Collective Labor Supply: A Single-Equation Model and Some Evidence from French Data," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 42(1).
    2. Chiappori, Pierre-André & Donni, Olivier, 2006. "Les modèles non unitaires de comportement du ménage : un survol de la littérature," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 82(1), pages 9-52, mars-juin.
    3. Donni, Olivier, 2008. "Labor supply, home production, and welfare comparisons," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(7), pages 1720-1737, July.
    4. Chiappori, Pierre-André & Donni, Olivier, 2009. "Non-unitary Models of Household Behavior: A Survey of the Literature," IZA Discussion Papers 4603, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    collective household models; household bargaining; intrahousehold allocation; labour supply;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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