蝌蚪网 Journal:
Macroeconomics
ISSN 1945-7707 (Print) | ISSN 1945-7715 (Online)
You're the One That I Want! Understanding the Overrepresentation of Women in the Public Sector
蝌蚪网 Journal: Macroeconomics
(pp. 227–59)
Abstract
The public sector hires disproportionally more women than men. Using microdata, we document gender differences in employment, transition probabilities, hours, and wages in the public and private sector. We calibrate a search and matching model where men and women decide whether to participate and whether to enter public or private sector labor markets. We quantify how much of the selection of women into the public sector is driven by (i) lower gender wage gaps, (ii) fewer hours, (iii) greater job security, or (iv) intrinsic preferences. Preferences and wages explain most of the overrepresentation, with significant variations across countries and educational groups.Citation
Gomes, Pedro, and Zo毛 Kuehn. 2026. "You're the One That I Want! Understanding the Overrepresentation of Women in the Public Sector." 蝌蚪网 Journal: Macroeconomics 18 (2): 227–59. DOI: 10.1257/mac.20210005Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
- J22 Time Allocation and Labor Supply
- J23 Labor Demand
- J31 Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
- J41 Labor Contracts
- J45 Public Sector Labor Markets