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Why Do Women Have Longer Unemployment Durations than Men in Post-Restructuring Urban China?

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  • Fenglian Du
  • Jian-chun Yang
  • Xiao-yuan Dong

Abstract

This paper provides the first systematic analysis of the reasons why women endure longer unemployment durations than men in post-restructuring urban China using data obtained from a national representative household survey. Rejecting the view that women are less earnest than men in their desire for employment, the analysis shows that women's job search efforts are handicapped by lack of access to social networks, social stereotyping (that married women are unreliable employees), unequal access to social reemployment services stemming from sex segregation prior to the displacement, and wage discrimination in the post-restructuring labor market.

Suggested Citation

  • Fenglian Du & Jian-chun Yang & Xiao-yuan Dong, 2007. "Why Do Women Have Longer Unemployment Durations than Men in Post-Restructuring Urban China?," Working Papers PMMA 2007-23, PEP-PMMA.
    • Handle: RePEc:lvl:pmmacr:2007-23
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. García, A., 2016. "Oaxaca-Blinder Type Counterfactual Decomposition Methods for Duration Outcomes," Documentos de Trabajo 14186, Universidad del Rosario.
    2. Gunseli Berik & Xiao-yuan Dong & Gale Summerfield, 2007. "China's Transition and Feminist Economics," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3-4), pages 1-33.
    3. Liu, Qian, 2012. "Unemployment and labor force participation in urban China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 18-33.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender inequality; unemployment duration; Oaxaca-decomposition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • R20 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - General

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