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Partner effects on labour market participation and job level: opposing mechanisms

Author

Listed:
  • Ellen Verbakel

    (Tilburg University, E.Verbakel@uvt.nl)

  • Paul M. de Graaf

    (Tilburg University, Pdegraaf@uvt.nl)

Abstract

This study investigates to what extent a partner’s career resources affect labour market par ticipation and job level. Theories on this topic predict opposing par tner effects: economic theory expects a negative relationship due to financial incentives, whereas a positive relationship can be expected from a social capital point of view. In order to test these opposing mechanisms properly, (a) labour market outcomes are decomposed into labour market participation and job level, and (b) a historical perspective is introduced. Large scale labour force surveys conducted by Statistics Netherlands from 1977 onwards show that a partner’s career resources have a negative influence on working hours and a positive influence on job level. Over birth cohorts, the negative effect on working hours has become stronger for males and weaker for females, whereas the positive effect on job level has decreased for both men and women.

Suggested Citation

  • Ellen Verbakel & Paul M. de Graaf, 2009. "Partner effects on labour market participation and job level: opposing mechanisms," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 23(4), pages 635-654, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:23:y:2009:i:4:p:635-654
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017009344909
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Katia Begall, 2013. "How do educational and occupational resources relate to the timing of family formation? A couple analysis of the Netherlands," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 29(34), pages 907-936.
    2. Giulia M Dotti Sani & Stefani Scherer, 2018. "Maternal Employment: Enabling Factors in Context," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 32(1), pages 75-92, February.
    3. Yassine Khoudja & Lucinda Platt, 2016. "Labour market entries and exits of women from different origin countries in the UK," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 1603, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
    4. Asiedu, Elizabeth & Azomahou, Théophile T. & Getachew, Yoseph & Yitbarek, Eleni, 2021. "Share the love: Parental bias, women empowerment and intergenerational mobility," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 846-867.
    5. Nadia Simoes & Nuno Crespo & Sandrina B. Moreira, 2016. "Individual Determinants Of Self-Employment Entry: What Do We Really Know?," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 783-806, September.
    6. Berkay Özcan, 2011. "Only the lonely? The influence of the spouse on the transition to self-employment," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 465-492, November.
    7. George Saridakis & Anne-Marie Mohammed & Jesús M. García-Iglesias & Rebeca I. Muñoz Torres, 2018. "Economy and Divorces: Their Impact Over Time on the Self-Employment Rates in Spain," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 422-435, September.
    8. Ragni Hege Kitterød & Marit Rønsen & Ane Seierstad, 2011. "Working hours in dual-earner couples: Does one partner work less when the other works more?," Discussion Papers 670, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    9. Ragni Hege Kitterød & Marit Rønsen & AneSeierstad, 2011. "Mobilising female labour market reserves: What promotes women's transitions from part-time to full-time work?," Discussion Papers 658, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    10. Florence Lebert & Erika Antal, 2016. "Reducing Employment Insecurity," SAGE Open, , vol. 6(4), pages 21582440166, October.
    11. Michael Gebel & Stefanie Gundert, 2023. "Changes in Income Poverty Risks at the Transition from Unemployment to Employment: Comparing the Short-Term and Medium-Term Effects of Fixed-Term and Permanent Jobs," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 507-533, June.
    12. Khoudja, Yassine & Platt, Lucinda, 2016. "Labour market entries and exits of women from different origin countries in the UK," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 65384, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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