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ABSTRACT: Female labor force participation can be influenced by persistent dif-ferences in cultural norms about the perception of women in society. We empirically examine where these differences come from. Central to our explanation are historic differences in agricultural technologies, which generated historical differences in the organization of market versus household work along gender lines. We show that, consistent with the existing anthropological evidence, in societies with a tradi-tional use of animal plough agriculture the division of labor is split along gender lines, with men working outside of the home in agricul-ture and industry, and women working within the home. We then document the persistence of these cultures over time by examining the relationship between historic plough use and contemporary fe-male labor force participation, female participation in politics, and individuals' attitudes about the role of women. We present estimates at the ethnicity, sub-national region, and country levels. We identify the causal effect of plough technology on attitudes about women by instrumenting for the historic use of the plough with the society's en-dowment of geography suitable for growing crops that require plough cultivation with those that do not.
10/2010;
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ABSTRACT: Given falling birth rates, ageing baby boomers approaching retirement age as well as a pension crisis in most advanced economies, understanding the characteristics of the labour supply function of the elderly have taken on a new significance. Even in developing countries, with labour surplus economies, this is a major issue as these poor countries try to build a pension scheme with at least a minimum amount of state provision for the elderly. What motivates retired people to enter or continue in the labour force is the focus of our analysis. We use panel data from Korea which is an interesting country since it transited from developing to developed economy status within the last few decades and therefore exhibits characteristics of both underdevelopment and economic advancement. The econometric methods include probit models of: pooled data; panel data with random effects; and 2SCML, to allow for possible endogeneity bias induced by the self-declared health status of the elderly. We stress the crucial importance of pecuniary and non-pecuniary factors in determining labour supply of the elderly. Contrary to expectations, non-pecuniary factors such as health status are crucial in the decision-making process of whether to work or not to work for the elderly.
Journal of Economic Growth 01/2010; 15(2):93-125. · 2.46 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This paper provides a survey on studies that analyze the macroeconomic effects of intellectual property rights (IPR). The first part of this paper introduces different patent policy instruments and reviews their effects on R&D and economic growth. This part also discusses the distortionary effects and distributional consequences of IPR protection as well as empirical evidence on the effects of patent rights. Then, the second part considers the international aspects of IPR protection. In summary, this paper draws the following conclusions from the literature. Firstly, different patent policy instruments have different effects on R&D and growth. Secondly, there is empirical evidence supporting a positive relationship between IPR protection and innovation, but the evidence is stronger for developed countries than for developing countries. Thirdly, the optimal level of IPR protection should tradeoff the social benefits of enhanced innovation against the social costs of multiple distortions and income inequality. Finally, in an open economy, achieving the globally optimal level of protection requires an international coordination (rather than the harmonization) of IPR protection.
Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, Working Papers. 01/2010;
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ABSTRACT: This study analyzes the effects of right-wing extremism on the well-being of immigrants based on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) for the years 1984 to 2006 merged with state-level information on election outcomes. The results show that the life satisfaction of immigrants is significantly reduced if right-wing extremism in the native population increases. Moreover ; the life satisfaction of highly educated immigrants is affected more strongly than that of low-skilled immigrants. This supports the view that policies aimed at making immigration more attractive to the high-skilled have to include measures that reduce xenophobic attitudes in the native population. --
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), IZA Discussion Papers. 01/2009;
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ABSTRACT: This paper provides a survey on studies that analyze the macroeconomic effects of intellectual property rights (IPR). The first part of this paper introduces different patent policy instruments and reviews their effects on R&D and economic growth. This part also discusses the distortionary effects and distributional consequences of IPR protection as well as empirical evidence on the effects of patent rights. Then, the second part considers the international aspects of IPR protection. In summary, this paper draws the following conclusions from the literature. Firstly, different patent policy instruments have different effects on R&D and growth. Secondly, there is empirical evidence supporting a positive relationship between IPR protection and innovation, but the evidence is stronger for developed countries than for developing countries. Thirdly, the optimal level of IPR protection should tradeoff the social benefits of enhanced innovation against the social costs of multiple distortions and income inequality. Finally, in an open economy, achieving the globally optimal level of protection requires an international coordination (rather than the harmonization) of IPR protection.
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), IZA Discussion Papers. 01/2009;
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ABSTRACT: Following recent work by Rosenzweig (1999), this paper reexamines the effect of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) benefits on nonmarital childbearing through age 22. Unlike most previous work, Rosenzweig finds a statistically significant and quantitatively large positive AFDC effect. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we replicate his analysis and explore the reasons his findings differ from earlier research findings. We are able to reproduce his main finding in a model that includes state and cohort fixed-effects; we find that control for state effects increases the estimated AFDC effect. When we examine fertility separately by age, we find no AFDC effect on teen non-marital births, but a large effect on the behavior of women in their early 20s.
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), IZA Discussion Papers. 01/2006;
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ABSTRACT: This paper provides evidence that the form of agriculture traditionally practiced--intensive plough agriculture versus shifting hoe agriculture--affected historic norms and preferences about fertility, and that these norms persist, affecting observed fertility around the world today.
American Economic Review 101(3):499-503. · 2.69 Impact Factor
