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Gender Earnings Differential in Urban China

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  • Meiyan Wang
  • Fang Cai

Abstract

This study uses survey data collected from five large cities in China to describe and decompose the earnings difference between female and male workers. The results indicate that the main source of lower earnings for females lies in unequal pay within sectors, and that the earnings gap due to differences in sectoral attainment is relatively small. The results also reveal that most of the gender earnings differential is attributable to sex discrimination rather than to the gender difference in the endowment of human capital. Therefore, eliminating discrimination against females within individual sectors is effective in narrowing the gender earnings gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Meiyan Wang & Fang Cai, 2008. "Gender Earnings Differential in Urban China," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(2), pages 442-454, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:rdevec:v:12:y:2008:i:2:p:442-454
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9361.2008.00450.x
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    1. William T. Dickens & Lawrence F. Katz, 1987. "Inter-Industry Wage Differences and Theories of Wage Determination," NBER Working Papers 2271, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Xing, Chunbing & Yuan, Xiaoyan & Zhang, Junfu, 2022. "City size, family migration, and gender wage gap: Evidence from rural–urban migrants in China," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. Almas Heshmati & Biwei Su, 2017. "Analysis Of Gender Wage Differential In China’S Urban Labor Market," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 62(02), pages 423-445, June.
    3. Rickne, Johanna, 2010. "Gender, Wages and Social Security in China’s Industrial Sector," Working Paper Series, Center for Labor Studies 2010:6, Uppsala University, Department of Economics.
    4. Ye Luo, 2016. "Gender and Job Satisfaction in Urban China: The Role of Individual, Family, and Job Characteristics," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 125(1), pages 289-309, January.
    5. Gheorghe H. POPESCU & Elvira NICA, 2013. "Gender Equality And Global Economic Governance," Proceedings of Administration and Public Management International Conference, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 9(1), pages 127-138, June.
    6. Ebenezer Lemven Wirba & Fiennasah Annif’ Akem & Francis Menjo Baye, 2021. "Earnings gap between men and women in the informal labor market in Cameroon," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 1466-1491, August.
    7. Xinxin Ma, 2022. "Internet use and gender wage gap: evidence from China," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 56(1), pages 1-17, December.
    8. Shuaizhang Feng & Yingyao Hu & Robert Moffitt, 2015. "Long Run Trends in Unemployment and Labor Force Participation in China," Working Papers id:7279, eSocialSciences.
    9. Ma, Xinxin, 2022. "Parenthood and the gender wage gap in urban China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    10. Dasgupta, Sukti. & Matsumoto, Makiko. & Xia, Cuntao., 2015. "Women in the labour market in China," ILO Working Papers 994879663402676, International Labour Organization.
    11. Zhou, Xiaoyao & Ye, Jingjing & Li, Hao & Yu, Hongyan, 2022. "The rising child penalty in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    12. repec:rom:campco:v:9:y:2013:i:1:p:127-138 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Lin Xiu & Morley Gunderson, 2013. "Performance Pay in China: Gender Aspects," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 51(1), pages 124-147, March.
    14. Lee, Leng, 2012. "Decomposing wage differentials between migrant workers and urban workers in urban China's labor markets," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 461-470.
    15. Jane Golley & Yixiao Zhou & Meiyan Wang, 2019. "Inequality of Opportunity in China's Labor Earnings: The Gender Dimension," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 27(1), pages 28-50, January.
    16. Min Qin & James Brown & Sabu S. Padmadas & Li Bohua & Qi Jianan & Jane Falkingham, 2016. "Gender Inequalities in Employment and Wage-earning among Economic Migrants in Chinese Cities," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 34(6), pages 175-202.
    17. Shi Li & Jin Song, 2011. "Changes in the Gender Wage Gap in Urban China, 1995-2007," University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP) Working Papers 201120, University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP).
    18. repec:rom:campco:v:9:y:2013:i:1:p:113-126 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Anni Kajanus, 2015. "Overthrowing the First Mountain: Chinese Student-Migrants and the Geography of Power," Journal of Current Chinese Affairs - China aktuell, Institute of Asian Studies, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 44(3), pages 79-102.
    20. Huo, Yujia & Golley, Jane, 2022. "Intergenerational education transmission in China: The gender dimension," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    21. repec:ilo:ilowps:487966 is not listed on IDEAS
    22. Elvira NICA & Gheorghe H. POPESCU, 2013. "Gender Differences In Strategy And Human Resource Management," Proceedings of Administration and Public Management International Conference, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 9(1), pages 113-126, June.
    23. CAI, Fang & DU, Yang, 2011. "Wage increases, wage convergence, and the Lewis turning point in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 601-610.

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