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What did they say? Respondent identity, question framing, and the measurement of employment

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Listed:
  • Rosa Abraham
  • Nishat Anjum
  • Rahul Lahoti
  • Hema Swaminathan

Abstract

Drawing from two labour market experiments in rural India, we offer insights on the influence of survey design on the measurement of employment. The first experiment contrasts self-reported estimates of employment with proxy-reported estimates from spouses. We find that employment estimates based on reports by men underestimate women's employment by six percentage points compared to estimates from women themselves. There are significant differences in the types of employment activities reported by self and proxy.

Suggested Citation

  • Rosa Abraham & Nishat Anjum & Rahul Lahoti & Hema Swaminathan, 2024. "What did they say? Respondent identity, question framing, and the measurement of employment," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2024-64, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2024-64
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kate Ambler & Cheryl Doss & Caitlin Kieran & Simone Passarelli, 2021. "He Says, She Says: Spousal Disagreement in Survey Measures of Bargaining Power," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 69(2), pages 765-788.
    2. Fisher, Monica & Reimer, Jeffrey J. & Carr, Edward R., 2010. "Who Should be Interviewed in Surveys of Household Income?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 966-973, July.
    3. Deshpande, Ashwini & Kabeer, Naila, 2024. "Norms that matter: Exploring the distribution of women’s work between income generation, expenditure-saving and unpaid domestic responsibilities in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
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