IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/rom/terumm/v19y2024i2p88-117.html

Do More Women Find Employment As The Urban Population Grows?

Author

Listed:
  • Arup MITRA

    (South Asian University, New Delhi, India)

  • Sabyasachi TRIPATHI

    (Symbiosis Centre for Urban Studies, Symbiosis School of Economics (SSE), Symbiosis International (Deemed University) (SIU), S.B. Road, Pune, Maharashtra, India)

Abstract

The effect of the female labour force participation rate on urbanization which is the question of reverse causality, was not investigated in the earlier literature, despite the widespread belief that urbanization leads to modernization and social transformation. The paper used the World Bank data for 217 countries from the year 1991 to 2022 to address this issue. The Random Effect (RE) Two-Stage least squares (2SLS) regression analysis suggests that urbanization has a detrimental effect on the ratio of female to male labour force participation. On the other hand, the proportion of women to men participating in the labour force positively influences urbanization. Evidently, the GDP growth rate and the proportion of female employers have a favorable influence on the women labour force participate rate. However, the estimated results do not support the idea that long-term economic growth and the percentage of women in the labour force follow a U-shaped pattern. A U-shaped association between female labour force participation rate and urbanization is not supported by the results either. However, there is a causal and long-term stable association between female labour force participation rate and urbanization. Finally, we suggest a number of policies that will benefit women to participate in the labor market in the process of economic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Arup MITRA & Sabyasachi TRIPATHI, 2024. "Do More Women Find Employment As The Urban Population Grows?," Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 19(2), pages 88-117, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:rom:terumm:v:19:y:2024:i:2:p:88-117
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://um.ase.ro/v19i2/5.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Whitney K. Newey & Kenneth D. West, 1994. "Automatic Lag Selection in Covariance Matrix Estimation," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 61(4), pages 631-653.
    2. Sabyasachi Tripathi & Kavita Mahey, 2017. "Urbanization and economic growth in Punjab (India): an empirical analysis," Urban Research & Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(4), pages 379-402, October.
    3. Forsythe, Nancy & Korzeniewicz, Roberto Patricio & Durrant, Valerie, 2000. "Gender Inequalities and Economic Growth: A Longitudinal Evaluation," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 48(3), pages 573-617, April.
    4. Sabyasachi Tripathi, 2021. "How does urbanization affect the human development index? A cross-country analysis," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 1053-1080, October.
    5. Audrey K.L. Siah & Grace H.Y. Lee, 2015. "Female labour force participation, infant mortality and fertility in Malaysia," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(4), pages 613-629, October.
    6. Dumitrescu, Elena-Ivona & Hurlin, Christophe, 2012. "Testing for Granger non-causality in heterogeneous panels," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 1450-1460.
    7. Paresh Kumar Narayan & Russell Smyth, 2006. "Female labour force participation, fertility and infant mortality in Australia: some empirical evidence from Granger causality tests," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(5), pages 563-572.
    8. Joakim Westerlund, 2007. "Testing for Error Correction in Panel Data," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 69(6), pages 709-748, December.
    9. Tsani, Stella & Paroussos, Leonidas & Fragiadakis, Costas & Charalambidis, Ioannis & Capros, Pantelis, 2013. "Female labour force participation and economic growth in the South Mediterranean countries," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 120(2), pages 323-328.
    10. Kao, Chihwa, 1999. "Spurious regression and residual-based tests for cointegration in panel data," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 1-44, May.
    11. Stephan Klasen & TU THI NGOC Le & Janneke Pieters & Manuel Santos Silva, 2021. "What Drives Female Labour Force Participation? Comparable Micro-level Evidence from Eight Developing and Emerging Economies," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(3), pages 417-442, March.
    12. Tripathi, Sabyasachi & Mitra, Arup, 2022. "Shedding light on unnoticed gems in India: A small town’s growth perspective," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    13. Kapsos, Steven. & Bourmpoula, Evangelia. & Silberman, Andrea., 2014. "Why is female labour force participation declining so sharply in India?," ILO Working Papers 994949190702676, International Labour Organization.
    14. Sher Verick, 2025. "Female labor force participation and development," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 873-873, May.
    15. Sabyasachi Tripathi, 2013. "Do Large Agglomerations Lead To Economic Growth? Evidence From Urban India," Review of Urban & Regional Development Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 176-200, November.
    16. Tam, Henry, 2011. "U-shaped female labor participation with economic development: Some panel data evidence," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 110(2), pages 140-142, February.
    17. Choi, In, 2001. "Unit root tests for panel data," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 249-272, April.
    18. Claudia Goldin, 1994. "The U-Shaped Female Labor Force Function in Economic Development and Economic History," NBER Working Papers 4707, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Glaeser, Edward L. & Scheinkman, JoseA. & Shleifer, Andrei, 1995. "Economic growth in a cross-section of cities," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 117-143, August.
    20. Wendy Olsen & University of Manchester & Smita Mehta & Cambridge University, 2006. "A Pluralist Account of Labour Participation in India," Economics Series Working Papers GPRG-WPS-042, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    21. Mustafa Kemal, Bicerli & Naci, Gundogan, 2009. "Female Labor Force Participation in Urbanization Process: The Case of Turkey," MPRA Paper 18249, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    22. Cagatay, Nilufer & Ozler, Sule, 1995. "Feminization of the labor force: The effects of long-term development and structural adjustment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 23(11), pages 1883-1894, November.
    23. Peter Pedroni, 1999. "Critical Values for Cointegration Tests in Heterogeneous Panels with Multiple Regressors," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 61(S1), pages 653-670, November.
    24. Ignace De Vos & Gerdie Everaert & Ilse Ruyssen, 2015. "Bootstrap-based bias correction and inference for dynamic panels with fixed effects," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 15(4), pages 986-1018, December.
    25. Henderson, Vernon, 2003. "The Urbanization Process and Economic Growth: The So-What Question," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 47-71, March.
    26. repec:bla:obuest:v:61:y:1999:i:0:p:653-70 is not listed on IDEAS
    27. Goldin, Claudia, 1992. "Understanding the Gender Gap: An Economic History of American Women," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195072709.
    28. repec:fth:stanho:e-95-4 is not listed on IDEAS
    29. Anderson, T. W. & Hsiao, Cheng, 1982. "Formulation and estimation of dynamic models using panel data," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 47-82, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sabyasachi Tripathi & Moinak Maiti, 2023. "Does urbanization improve health outcomes: a cross country level analysis," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 277-316, March.
    2. Chaudhary, Ruchika. & Verick, Sher., 2014. "Female labour force participation in India and beyond," ILO Working Papers 994867893402676, International Labour Organization.
    3. repec:ilo:ilowps:486789 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Iheonu, Chimere & Asongu, Simplice & Odo, Kingsley & Ojiem, Patrick, 2020. "Financial Sector Development and Investment in Selected ECOWAS Countries: Empirical Evidence using Heterogeneous Panel Data Method," MPRA Paper 107102, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Munir, Qaiser & Lean, Hooi Hooi & Smyth, Russell, 2020. "CO2 emissions, energy consumption and economic growth in the ASEAN-5 countries: A cross-sectional dependence approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    6. Chimere O. Iheonu & Ogochukwu C. Anyanwu & Obinna K. Odo & Solomon Prince Nathaniel, 2021. "Does Economic Growth, International Trade and Urbanization uphold Environmental Sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa? Insights from Quantile and Causality Procedures," Working Papers 21/003, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    7. Wenjing Zhang & Hengzhou Xu, 2017. "Exploring the causal relationship between carbon emissions and land urbanization quality in China using a panel data analysis," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1445-1462, August.
    8. Ioannis Kostakis, 2020. "Is Tourism a Key Factor for Economic Growth? Fresh Evidence from South Europe Using Panel Cointegration and PVAR Analyses," World Journal of Applied Economics, WERI-World Economic Research Institute, vol. 6(2), pages 123-138, December.
    9. Chimere O. Iheonu & Ogochukwu C. Anyanwu & Obinna K. Odo & Solomon Prince Nathaniel, 2021. "Does Economic Growth, International Trade and Urbanization uphold Environmental Sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa? Insights from Quantile and Causality Procedures," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 21/003, African Governance and Development Institute..
    10. Mohammad Mafizur Rahman & Istihak Rayhan & Nahid Sultana, 2023. "How Does Electricity Affect Economic Growth? Examining the Role of Government Policy to Selected Four South Asian Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-17, February.
    11. Ma, Xuejiao & Ahmad, Najid & Oei, Pao-Yu, 2021. "Environmental Kuznets curve in France and Germany: Role of renewable and nonrenewable energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 88-99.
    12. Phuc Nguyen, Canh & Dinh Su, Thanh & Doytch, Nadia, 2020. "The drivers of financial development: Global evidence from internet and mobile usage," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    13. Bilgehan Tekin & Sadik Aden Dirir & Kadir Aden, 2025. "Integrating sustainable finance into energy policies: A comprehensive study on the influence of green investments on energy performance in OECD nations," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(3), pages 2883-2911, July.
    14. Vo, Duc, 2019. "The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Environment Degradation: Evidence from Emerging Markets in Asia," MPRA Paper 103292, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Efayena Obukohwo Oba & Olele Enoh Hilda, 2024. "Analysis of the Relationship Between Military Expenditure and Investment in the Economic Community of West African States: A Heterogeneous Panel Data Approach," Studia Universitatis „Vasile Goldis” Arad – Economics Series, Sciendo, vol. 34(4), pages 58-77.
    16. Xuejiao Ma & Qichuan Jiang, 2019. "How to Balance the Trade-off between Economic Development and Climate Change?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-30, March.
    17. Cengizhan Karaca, 2023. "Dynamics of Trade Credit, Bank Credit Extension, Sustainable Economic Growth, and Imports: Evidence from the European Non-Financial Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-24, August.
    18. Fang, Zheng & Chang, Youngho, 2016. "Energy, human capital and economic growth in Asia Pacific countries — Evidence from a panel cointegration and causality analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 177-184.
    19. Chimere O. Iheonu & Ogochukwu C. Anyanwu & Obinna K. Odo & Solomon Prince Nathaniel, 2021. "Does Economic Growth, International Trade and Urbanization uphold Environmental Sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa? Insights from Quantile and Causality Procedures," Research Africa Network Working Papers 21/003, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    20. Chimere O. Iheonu & Simplice A. Asongu & Kingsley O. Odo & Patrick K. Ojiem, 2020. "Financial sector development and Investment in selected countries of the Economic Community of West African States: empirical evidence using heterogeneous panel data method," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 6(1), pages 1-15, December.
    21. Junwook Chi, 2024. "Tourism development and income inequality in OECD countries: New insights from method of moments quantile regression," Tourism Economics, , vol. 30(3), pages 767-784, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:rom:terumm:v:19:y:2024:i:2:p:88-117. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Colesca Sofia (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ccasero.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.