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The Macroeconomics of Time Allocation

In: Handbook of Macroeconomics

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  • Aguiar, M.
  • Hurst, E.

Abstract

In this chapter we explore the macroeconomics of time allocation. We begin with an overview of the trends in market hours in the United States, both in the aggregate and for key subsamples. After introducing a Beckerian theoretical framework, the chapter then discusses key empirical patterns of time allocation, both in the time series (including business cycle properties) and over the life cycle. We focus on several core nonmarket activities, including home production, child care, and leisure. The chapter concludes with a discussion of why these patterns are important to macroeconomics and spells out directions for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Aguiar, M. & Hurst, E., 2016. "The Macroeconomics of Time Allocation," Handbook of Macroeconomics, in: J. B. Taylor & Harald Uhlig (ed.), Handbook of Macroeconomics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 203-253, Elsevier.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:macchp:v2-203
    DOI: 10.1016/bs.hesmac.2016.06.004
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    3. Masao Fukui & Emi Nakamura & Jón Steinsson, 2023. "Women, Wealth Effects, and Slow Recoveries," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(1), pages 269-313, January.
    4. Diane Coyle & Leonard I. Nakamura, 2019. "Toward a Framework for Time Use, Welfare, and Household Centric Economic Measurement," Working Papers 19-11, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
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    6. Matteo Cacciatore & Daniela Hauser & Stefano Gnocchi, 2023. "Time Use and Macroeconomic Uncertainty," NBER Working Papers 31954, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Bart Los & Marcel P. Timmer, 2020. "Measuring Bilateral Exports of Value Added: A Unified Framework," NBER Chapters, in: Challenges of Globalization in the Measurement of National Accounts, pages 389-421, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Jens Bonke, 2016. "Tax-reforms, normal and actual working hours and welfare in the beginning of the 20th’s Denmark," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 13(1), pages 91-108, December.
    9. Leanne Roncolato & Natalia Radchenko, 2016. "Women’s labor in South Africa – Time spent doing simultaneous paid and unpaid work," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 13(1), pages 58-90, December.
    10. Georgios Papastefanou & David Zajchowski, 2016. "Time for shopping – Social change of time use for shopping activities 1990-2012," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 13(1), pages 109-131, December.
    11. Enghin Atalay, 2024. "A twenty-first century of solitude? Time alone and together in the United States," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(1), pages 1-33, March.
    12. Daniel MacDonald, 2016. "The relationship between videogames, time allocation decisions, and labour market outcomes – Evidence from the American Time Use Survey," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 13(1), pages 34-57, December.
    13. Goldszmidt, Ariel & List, John A. & Metcalfe, Robert D. & Muir, Ian & Smith, V. Kerry & Wang, Jenny, 2020. "The Value of Time in the United States: Estimates from Nationwide Natural Field Experiments," RFF Working Paper Series 20-23, Resources for the Future.
    14. Sjoerd Van Halem & Evelien M. Hoeben & Wim Bernasco & Tom F. M. Ter Bogt, 2016. "Measuring short and rare activities – Time diaries in criminology," electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR), vol. 13(1), pages 1-33, December.
    15. Palermo Kuss Ana Helena & Neumärker K. J. Bernhard, 2018. "Modelling the Time Allocation Effects of Basic Income," Basic Income Studies, De Gruyter, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, December.
    16. Agénor, Pierre-Richard & Agénor, Madina, 2023. "Access to infrastructure and women’s time allocation: Implications for growth and gender equality," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    17. Greg Kaplan & Sam Schulhofer-Wohl, 2018. "The Changing (Dis-)utility of Work," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 32(3), pages 239-258, Summer.

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    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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