IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pst/wpaper/155.html

Job Assignment and the Gender Wage Differential: Theory and Evidence on Finnish Metalworkers

Author

Listed:
  • Juhana Vartiainen

Abstract

We study the determinants of the gender wage differential by using a data set on Finnish blue-collar metalworkers. The assignment of men and women into jobs of different complexity is a key factor that widens the final wage differential. Using the theory of optimal job assignment, we propose a model of individual productivity, ability and job complexity and formulate a hypothesis of asymmetric assignment according to which men and women of equal ability are allocated to different job levels. Using econometric panel data techniques, we find support for this hypothesis. The results are consistent with the Lazear-Rosen model of job ladders but can alternatively be interpreted as evidence for gender discrimination in job assignment.

Suggested Citation

  • Juhana Vartiainen, 1999. "Job Assignment and the Gender Wage Differential: Theory and Evidence on Finnish Metalworkers," Working Papers 155, Työn ja talouden tutkimus LABORE, Labour Institute for Economic Research LABORE.
    • Handle: RePEc:pst:wpaper:155
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://labore.fi/wp-content/uploads/1999/01/Tutkimusselosteita-155.pdf
    File Function: First version, 1999
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing

    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:pst:wpaper:155. 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.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using 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: Aila Mustonen (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/laborfi.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.