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Knowledge and Job Opportunities in a Gender Perspective: Insights from Italy

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  • Angela Cipollone
  • Marcella Corsi
  • Carlo D’Ippoliti

Abstract

The paper proposes an enlargement of the traditional notion of human capital, by conceptualising knowledge in a comprehensive and multidimensional way. In our empirical approach, knowledge encompasses several formal and informal skills, to complement the mainstream view narrowly concerned with education and on-the-job training. Our results for Italy point out that despite much rhetoric about the reduction (or even the reversal) of gender gaps in education, women often lack the main skills and competencies that can profitably be deployed in the labour market. Unsurprisingly, in Italy women’s accumulation of labour market experience is mostly hindered by unpaid housework burdens. However, when adopting an extensive definition of knowledge these activities may be regarded as a source of relevant knowledge. Yet, they do not seem to be positively valued by the market, either in terms of employability or in terms of wages, thus calling for a serious rethinking of the role of knowledge in shaping men’s and women’s economic opportunities. Key words: Definition of knowledge, Gender imbalances, Critique of human capital.JEL: J24, J16, B54.

Suggested Citation

  • Angela Cipollone & Marcella Corsi & Carlo D’Ippoliti, 2011. "Knowledge and Job Opportunities in a Gender Perspective: Insights from Italy," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 58(5), pages 735-757.
    • Handle: RePEc:voj:journl:v:58:y:2011:i:5:p:735-757:id:339
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Stephan Humpert, 2014. "Occupational Sex Segregation and Working Time: Regional Evidence from Germany," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 61(3), pages 317-329, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Definition of knowledge; Gender imbalances; Critique of human capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General

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