Effects of Trade on Female Labor Force Participation

51 Pages Posted: 8 Sep 2009

See all articles by Philip U. Sauré

Philip U. Sauré

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz - Gutenberg School of Management and Economics; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Hosny Zoabi

New Economic School (NES)

Date Written: September 8, 2009

Abstract

Expansions or contractions of sectors intensively use female labor must affect female labor force participation (FLFP). We suggest that, whenever trade and international specialization expand sectors intensive in female labor, FLFP actually drops. This is because expansions of those sectors come along with contractions of others. These latter contractions, in turn, induce male workers to move to the expanding sectors, driving female workers out of formal employment. Thus, a country that is exporting female labor content is actually substituting male labor for female. Finally, building on U.S.-Mexican trade agreement, we provide empirical evidence that support our argument.

Keywords: Trade, Female Labor Force Participation, Fertility, Technological Change

JEL Classification: F10, F16, J13, J16

Suggested Citation

Sauré, Philip U. and Zoabi, Hosny, Effects of Trade on Female Labor Force Participation (September 8, 2009). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1469959 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1469959

Philip U. Sauré

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz - Gutenberg School of Management and Economics ( email )

Germany

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute) ( email )

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

Hosny Zoabi (Contact Author)

New Economic School (NES) ( email )

100A Novaya Street
Moscow, Skolkovo 143026
Russia

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