Chinese Journal of Sociology

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Impacts of Individual Factors on Women’s Employment in Urban China:Comparison of 1995 and 2002

Wu Yuxiao,School of Philosophy and Social Development, Shandong University   

  1. Wu Yuxiao,School of Philosophy and Social Development, Shandong University  
  • Online:2010-11-24 Published:2010-11-24
  • Contact: Wu Yuxiao,School of Philosophy and Social Development, Shandong University E-mail:ywu2008@sdu.edu.cn
  • About author:Wu Yuxiao,School of Philosophy and Social Development, Shandong University
  • Supported by:

    The research was supported by the project “Changes of Occupational Structure in China since the Reform”(RC28) of Independent Innovation Foundation of Shandong University

     

Abstract:

It is well known that women’s employment has been decreasing since mid1990s in urban China. Using data from 1995 and 2002 Urban Household Income Surveys, this paper estimates the effects of education, family responsibility (marriage and children), and family economic status on women’s employment in urban China and their changes over time. It is found that, between 1995 and 2002, the positive effect of education on women’s employment decreased, whereas the negative effects of marriage and family economic situation increased. Compared with the situation in 1995, married women who enjoyed high household incomes in 2002 were more likely not to participate in the labor market, which suggests a transition in women’s employment decision making toward rational reasoning since they had the liberty to decide whether they would like to go for the paid work or stay at home. The author does not agree with the “discouraged workers” argument because laidoff women in lowincome families should be very likely to enter the secondary labor market rather than permanently retire from the labor force because of their loss of confidence for reemployment.

Key words: women’s employment , market transition  ,    economic development  ,   urban labor market