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Gender Differences in Sorting

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  • Merlino, Luca Paolo
  • Parrotta, Pierpaolo
  • Pozzoli, Dario

    (Department of Economics, Copenhagen Business School)

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the sorting of workers in firms to understand gender gaps in labor market outcomes. Using Danish employer-employee matched data, we find strong evidence of glass ceilings in certain firms, especially after motherhood, preventing women from climbing the career ladder and causing the most productive female workers to seek better jobs in more female-friendly firms in which they can pursue small career advancements. Nonetheless, gender differences in promotion persist and are found to be similar in all firms when we focus on large career advancements. These results provide evidence of the sticky floor hypothesis, which, together with the costs associated with changing employer, generates persistent gender gaps.

Suggested Citation

  • Merlino, Luca Paolo & Parrotta, Pierpaolo & Pozzoli, Dario, 2014. "Gender Differences in Sorting," Working Papers 01-2014, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:cbsnow:2014_001
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    Cited by:

    1. Lavetti, Kurt & Schmutte, Ian M., 2023. "Gender differences in sorting on wages and risk," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 233(2), pages 507-523.
    2. Benoit Dostie & Mohsen Javdani, 2020. "Not for the Profit, But for the Training? Gender Differences in Training in the For‐Profit and Non‐Profit Sectors," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 58(3), pages 644-689, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Sorting; Assortative Matching; Gender Gap; Glass Ceiling; Sticky Floor.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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