Parenthood and employment: the impact of policies and culture on gender inequality in Switzerland

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruedi Epple ◽  
Martin Gasser ◽  
Sarah Kersten ◽  
Michael Nollert ◽  
Sebastian Schief
Keyword(s):  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Female Employment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effect of cantonal social policies and cultural settings (in Switzerland) on women’s and men’s employment behaviour. Special consideration is given to the transition to parenthood. Design/methodology/approach – Based on data from the Swiss Labour Force Survey (SLFS) this paper conducts multilevel analyses to test individual and cantonal effects on the probability of employment and on working hours. To analyse the effect of parenthood, models for women and men with children under three are contrasted with models for women and men without children or with older children. Findings – The paper documents the persistence of gender inequality in employment linked to parenthood. How the reconciliation of work and family life can be realised for women and men strongly depends on a set of policies and cultural conditions. Moreover, individual characteristics such as education or marriage are important predictors. Research limitations/implications – A shortcoming of this study is the focus on the individual employment use and not on household-level division of labour. This disadvantage is due to the design of the SLFS, which is (at present) the only available survey to allow regionalisation at the cantonal level. However, the paper adds important results to the debate about gender inequality and parenthood in Switzerland as previous research has focused only little on cantonal diversity. Originality/value – The paper connects to previous cantonal comparative studies of female employment but extends their analyses in three important ways. By analysing cantonal differences in policies and culture this paper takes the diversity of framework conditions in Switzerland into account. Furthermore it simultaneously analyses male and female employment behaviour to get a better understanding of gender inequality and parenthood.

Work-to-family and family-to-work conflicts among employed single parents in Germany

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 513-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mareike Reimann ◽  
Charlotte Katharina Marx ◽  
Martin Diewald
Keyword(s):  
Autonomy Support ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Single Parents ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Flexible Working Hours ◽  
Family Demands ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether and how employed single-parents differ from parents in two-parent families in their experience of work-to-family conflict (WFC) and family-to-work conflict (FWC). Looking at job-related as well as family-related demands and resources, this research investigated to what degree these demands and resources contribute to differences in WFC and FWC, how their relevance in predicting conflicts varies between single parents and other parents and the role of compositional differences in work and family demands and resources. Design/methodology/approach Cross-sectional linear regression analyses were applied to analyze a random sample of employees in large work organizations in Germany. The sample included 3,581 parents with children up to the age of 25, of whom 346 were single parents. Findings The results indicated that single parents face more FWC, but not more WFC, than other parents. For all parents, job demands such as overtime, supervising responsibilities and availability expectations were associated with higher levels of WFC, whereas job resources such as job autonomy, support from supervisors and flexible working hours were associated with lower levels of WFC. In predicting FWC, family demands and resources played only a minor role. However, results provide only scant evidence of differences between single parents and other parents in terms of the effects of job and family demands and resources. Originality/value This study offers interesting insights into the diversity of WFC and FWC experiences in Germany. It provides first evidence of the impact of job and family demands and resources on both directions of work–family conflicts among employed single parents as a specific social group.

Does work and family imbalance impact the satisfaction of police force employees? A “net or a web” model

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 585-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashid Ahmad ◽  
Talat Islam
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Police Force ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Work Family Conflict ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Family Work ◽  
Community Embeddedness ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of work–family conflict (WFC) and family–work conflict (FWC) on the level of job satisfaction for the police force employees, considering organizational and community embeddedness as the two moderators. Design/methodology/approach A convenience-based sample of 345 employees working in the capital city police force was collected using a questionnaire-based survey. Findings A negative association was found between WFC and the employees’ job satisfaction, and both organizational and community embeddedness were found to moderate these associations. Research limitations/implications The study suggests policymakers to develop HR strategies to mitigate work and family imbalances in order to enhance job satisfaction among the police force employees. Practical implications Practically, this study contributes by suggesting flexible working hours and reducing the workload of the police force. Originality/value This study highlights the importance of the effects of community and organizational embeddedness on the associations between inter-role conflicts and job satisfaction among police force employees. The study adds to the limited literature on the constructs of WFC and FWC to elucidate the moderating role of embeddedness.

Ownership as a determinant of chairperson activity: a study of Nordic listed companies

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 412-428
Author(s):  
Tor Brunzell ◽  
Jarkko Peltomäki
Keyword(s):  
Working Hours ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Ownership Concentration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Concentrated Ownership ◽  
The Board Of Directors ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Empirical Analysis ◽  
A Company

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explicitly focus on the roles of ownership concentration, ownership by the board, the chief executive officer (CEO) and the chairperson in the involvement and capabilities of chairpersons and other governors in their work. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, the authors investigate the impact of the concentration of ownership, the ownership of the board, the CEO and the chairperson on the chairperson’s activity when the roles of the chairperson and the CEO are separated The empirical analysis of this study is based on a survey sent to Nordic listed firms. Findings – The results show that the ownership characteristics of a company are important in determining the chairperson’s working hours, the chairperson’s communication with the CEO and the performance of governance activity. In addition, the authors found that while the ownership of the chairperson and the board of directors and ownership concentration improve governance activity, CEO ownership may undermine governance activity. Research limitations/implications – The primary implication of the study is that both ownership by internal governors and ownership concentration play an important role in determining the involvement of internal corporate governors. Originality/value – The study provides unique evidence that ownership by the chairperson, concentrated ownership and ownership by the board can potentially mitigate the costs of separating the roles of the chairperson and the CEO.

scholarly journals Changing dynamics in female employment around childbirth

2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 329-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Dirk Vlasblom ◽  
Joop Schippers
Keyword(s):  
Panel Data ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Female Employment ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Participation Rates ◽  
Female Labour ◽  
Policy Measures ◽  
The Uk

There is a strong effect of childbirth on female labour supply.This effect, however, is changing over time.This article uses panel data on the last two decades on three European countries (the Netherlands, Germany, the UK) to study changes in female labour force behaviour around childbirth and tries to find an explanation for these changes by looking at differences between the three countries.We conclude that there are substantial differences in participation patterns between the three countries in our study and that policy measures and institutions such as childcare that make the costs of combining work and family lower relative to being a full-time mother seem to increase female participation rates.

Macroeconomic determinants of trade openness: empirical investigation of SAARC region

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Tahir ◽  
SAF Hasnu ◽  
Mario Ruiz Estrada
Keyword(s):  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Trade Openness ◽  
Least Square Method ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Currency Exchange ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Macroeconomic Determinants ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Trade openness plays a significant role in the growth process of countries. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of macroeconomic determinants on the trade openness of countries. Design/methodology/approach The study focuses on the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries and the data used were from 1971 to 2011. Panel data econometrics techniques and two stages least square method (TSLS) are used to carry out empirical analysis and robustness testing. Findings The main finding of the paper is that macroeconomic determinants such as investment both in physical and human capital and per capita gross domestic product (GDP) positively affect trade openness. Further, the size of labour force and currency exchange rate has also impacted trade openness negatively and significantly. Practical implications It implies that efficient macroeconomic management matters for higher trade openness. The sampled developing countries are suggested to pay favourable attention to macroeconomic variables if they want to grow in the long run through outward-oriented policies. Originality/value This paper is an original contribution in the context of SAARC countries by focusing on the relationship between macroeconomic determinants and trade openness.

The effect of partner buffering on the risk of unemployment in Finland

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (11/12) ◽  
pp. 982-1007
Author(s):  
Oxana Krutova ◽  
Pertti Koistinen ◽  
Tapio Nummi
Keyword(s):  
Sociological Theory ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Multilevel Modelling ◽  
Employment Protection ◽  
Active Labour Market Policy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dual Earner ◽  
Partner Effect ◽  
Unemployment Risk ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to outline the study to determine whether the dual earner model better offsets the actual risk of unemployment compared to other household models.Design/methodology/approachThe authors linked the partner effect (household type) with macroeconomic institutional settings, such as employment protection, the active labour market policy, economic growth rate and globalisation, to study how these micro- and macro-level factors influence the unemployment risk of individuals.FindingsUsing European Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS) microdata for Finland from 2005 to 2013 and a multilevel modelling technique, the authors found that the partner effect is an important regulator of unemployment risks, but the effect is modified by institutional factors. Dual earners and breadwinners experience a less significant effect from employment protection legislation regulation and other external factors on the increase or decrease in unemployment risk compared to singles. The authors also found that unemployed singles are more exposed and vulnerable to fluctuations caused by economic events.Originality/valueIn this way, this paper contributes to the sociological theory of labour markets and a better understanding of how different household types buffer and mediate the risks of unemployment. The authors used the EU-LFS and novel multilevel analysis statistical solutions to determine the impact of macro- and micro-level factors. The case of Finland may also be of broader interest to researchers and policy-makers because of the long and strong tradition of the dual earner employment pattern and strong macro-economic fluctuations.

The impact of different supports on work-family conflict

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 903-920 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Maria Ferri ◽  
Matteo Pedrini ◽  
Egidio Riva
Keyword(s):  
Family Conflict ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Human Resource Managers ◽  
Work Family Conflict ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Work ◽  
Work Family ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore whether and how the actual use of supports available from the state, organisations and families helps workers reduce perceived work–family conflict (WFC), explored from both works interfering with family (WIF) and family interfering with work (FIW) perspectives. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a survey of 2,029 employees at six large Italian firms. To test hypotheses, a hierarchical regression analysis was performed. Findings WFC should be explored considering its bi-directionality, as supports have different impacts on WIF and FIW. Workplace instrumental support elicits mixed effects on WFC, whereas workplace emotional support and familiar support reduce both FIW and WIF. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to the Italian national context, and data were collected in a single moment of time, which did not allow for observing changes in employees’ lives. Practical implications Human resource managers, as well as policy makers, will find this study’s results useful in designing effective work–life balance policies and supports, in which attention is devoted mainly to promoting workplace emotional supports and facilitating familiar support. Social implications The study highlights that by reducing pressures from work and family responsibilities that generate WFC conditions, organisational and familiar supports elicit different effects, which should be considered carefully when defining policies and interventions. Originality/value This study is one of the few that compare the role of supports provided by actors in different sectors on FIW and WIF, thereby allowing for an understanding of whether the bi-directionality of the conflicts is a relevant perspective.

The impact of exporting on women's employment

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Begum Dikilitas ◽  
Burcu Fazlioglu ◽  
Basak Dalgic
Keyword(s):  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Female Employment ◽  
Women's Employment ◽  
Employment Rate ◽  
Women’S Employment ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Employment Rates ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the effect of exports on women's employment rate for Turkish manufacturing firms over a recent period of 2003–2015.Design/methodology/approachThe authors establish treatment models and use propensity score matching (PSM) techniques together with difference-in-difference methodology.FindingsThe results of the study indicate that starting to export increases women’s employment rate for manufacturing firms. Gains in female employment rates are observed for the firms operating in low and medium low technology intensive sectors, low-wage sectors as well as laborlabor-intensive goods exporting sectors.Originality/valueThe authors complement previous literature by utilizing a rich harmonized firm-level dataset that covers a large number of firms and a recent time period. The authors distinguish between several sub-samples of firms according to technology intensity of the sector in which they operate, wage level and factor intensity of exports and investigate whether or not women gain from trade in terms of employment opportunities.

scholarly journals Contextual and Compositional Risk Factors of Overweight and Obesity in India over Two Decades: An Analysis of National Demographic and Health Surveys

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1607-1607
Author(s):  
Jeswin Baby ◽  
Jithin Sam Varghese ◽  
Tinku Thomas ◽  
Shruthi Cyriac ◽  
Shivani Patel
Keyword(s):  
Health Surveys ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Participation Rate ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Demographic And Health Surveys ◽  
Labour Force Participation Rate ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives Identify contextual (state characteristics) and compositional (individual characteristics) drivers of changes in overweight in women from 1998–2016 across 26 states of India. Methods Nationally representative data on individual socio-demographics and objectively-measured anthropometry for non-pregnant and ever-married women 15–49y were obtained from the Indian National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-2, 1998–99, n = 61,979; NFHS-3, 2005–06, n = 66,694; and NFHS-4, 2015–16, n = 387,732). Individual-level data were merged with year-matched state-level nutritional and economic indicators obtained from multiple national databases. State indicators included per capita consumption of cereals, oils and sugar, per capita gross state domestic product (GDP), literacy rates, labour force participation rate, and population proportion engaged in sedentary employment. Cross-classified generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) with random effects classified each woman by state and round of survey. Models examined overweight/obesity trends as well as estimated the adjusted odds ratios and 95% Bayesian credible intervals for overweight/obesity associated with contextual and individual factors. Results From 1998 to 2016, the prevalence of overweight/obesity increased in all states of India. Higher household wealth (Quintile 5 vs 1: 4.18 [4.06–4.30]), education (post-secondary vs pre-school or less: 1.55 [1.51–1.60]), were associated with higher adjusted odds of overweight/obesity. State average sugar (g; 1.04 [1.03–1.05]) and oil (g; 1.04 [1.03–1.06]) intake, log (GDP per capita) (2.18 [2.14–2.21]) and literacy rates (1.01 [1.01–1.01]) were positively and independently associated with higher odds of overweight. The impact of state characteristics on prevalence of overweight/obesity decreased across rounds. Conclusions While the role of state economic and nutritional context as a driver of overweight has waned over time, contextual indicators remain salient correlates of an individual adult's likelihood of being overweight. Findings suggest that rising overweight in India must be understood and addressed from a socio-ecological lens that considers context alongside individual risks. Funding Sources None.

Perceived organizational support and employee well-being

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 469-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mashal Ahmed Wattoo ◽  
Shuming Zhao ◽  
Meng Xi
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Support ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Perceived Organizational Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Family ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Considering work and family responsibility has become an important issue due to changes in the lives of people, understanding work and family responsibilities is essential for organizations in assisting employees to increase their well-being. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to find the impact of perceived organizational support (POS) on work–family facilitation (WFF) and work–family conflict (WFC) and eventually on employee well-being. Design/methodology/approach A survey questionnaire is administered to 1,340 employees of Chinese enterprises. Structural equation modeling is used to test the model fit. Findings Results of this study indicate a significant positive relationship between POS and WFF and significant negative relation between POS and WFC. Results of this paper also indicate that WFF and WFC partially mediate the relationship between POS and employee well-being. Originality/value Over the past two decades, the extent of research on work–family literature has been increased. Most of the work–family research works have been conducted in the Western countries. Very little is known about whether these results are applicable to Eastern societies. This study is extended to focus on work–family literature by drawing a sample from different regions of China. The findings of this study may provide a good understanding of WFC and WFF for Chinese employees. This study stresses the importance of providing organizational support to increase the well-being of employees.

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