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Will you marry me? A perspective on the gender gap

Author

Listed:
  • José Angel Silva Reus

    (Universidad de Alicante)

  • Oscar Volij

    (Brown University)

  • Ronel Elul

    (Brown University)

Abstract

This paper develops a general equilibrium model of the gender wage up. The difference in earningsis a consequence of a demographic regularity -that men tend to marry younger women- whichlimits women´s labor mobility. However, couples are always free not to marry, and do so only if itis in each´s self-interest. In our model, marriage is beneficial because the joint consumption is a household public good.The intrafamily allocation of resources is determined via noncooperative bargaining; this leads tointeresting interactions between the game played by husband and wife on the other hand, and thecompetitive environment in which they are immersed on the other. One example of this is thegender gap.

Suggested Citation

  • José Angel Silva Reus & Oscar Volij & Ronel Elul, 1997. "Will you marry me? A perspective on the gender gap," Working Papers. Serie AD 1997-20, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, S.A. (Ivie).
    • Handle: RePEc:ivi:wpasad:1997-20
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Elisabeth Hermann Frederiksen, 2006. "An Equilibrium Analysis of the Gender Wage Gap," EPRU Working Paper Series 06-08, Economic Policy Research Unit (EPRU), University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics.
    2. Pavlo Blavatskyy, 2018. "Why do young women marry old men?," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 85(3), pages 509-525, October.
    3. Miriam Beblo & Julio Robledo, 2008. "The wage gap and the leisure gap for double-earner couples," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 21(2), pages 281-304, April.
    4. Graciela CHICHILNISKY & Elisabeth HERMANN FREDERIKSEN, 2008. "An equilibrium analysis of the gender wage gap," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 147(4), pages 297-320, December.
    5. Bowles, Hannah Riley & McGinn, Kathleen L., 2007. "Untapped Potential in the Study of Negotiation and Gender Inequality in Organizations," Working Paper Series rwp07-062, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    6. Miriam Beblo & Julio Robledo, 2008. "The wage gap and the leisure gap for double-earner couples," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 21(2), pages 281-304, April.
    7. Dekel, Eddie & Pauzner, Ady, 2011. "Job satisfaction and the wage gap," Foerder Institute for Economic Research Working Papers 275770, Tel-Aviv University > Foerder Institute for Economic Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender gap; bargaining household models; overlapping generations;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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