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The effect of labour demand on women’s intra-household decision power: Evidence from Indonesia

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  • Sarah Xue Dong

Abstract

This study contributes to the literature on household decisions and women’s empowerment by looking at the relationship between labour market opportunities and women’s intra-household decision power in Indonesia. Using Bartik labour demand measures, I estimate the effect of change in local labour demand for women in large and medium manufacturing on women’s intra-household decision power. Household decision power is calculated using direct information on who makes decisions in the household. I find that increase in labour demand for women in large and medium manufacturing increases women’s intra-household decision power by a large magnitude. Increase in labour demand for men decreases women’s household decision power. Consistent with intra-household bargaining theories, increase in labour demand for women increases women’s decision power even for women who do not work. Based on new literature discussing the validity of Bartik instruments, I discuss the validity of my identification strategy and conduct robustness tests.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Xue Dong, 2021. "The effect of labour demand on women’s intra-household decision power: Evidence from Indonesia," Departmental Working Papers 2021-01, The Australian National University, Arndt-Corden Department of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:pas:papers:2021-01
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    intra-household decisions; women’s empowerment; labour demand; large and medium manufacturing; shift-share (Bartik) instrument;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D10 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - General
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology

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