But can she cook? Women's education and housework productivity
Abstract
Previous inquiries into the relationship between education and housework productivity reveal that expectations differ along disciplinary (i.e., economics vs. non-economics) lines and empirical results from the economics literature are mixed. Expectations of a positive sign between education and housework productivity in the economics literature may be a function of misinterpretations of [J. Polit. Economy 81 (1973) 306] original theory pertaining to all non-market production, which is far more general than just housework. Mixed empirical results may be a function of incomplete or overly assumption-reliant econometric models derived previously. We streamline the procedures for estimating the parameters of a one-person, one-period housework production function such that the system of equations may be specified with a single, literature-based assumption. Our estimation of the production function parameter that measures the effect of education on housework productivity suggests that authors in the non-economics literature may have a point; the relationship between education and housework productivity may be negative due to "morale" effects. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Title
Economics of Education Review
Recommended Citation
Sharp, D., Heath, J., Smith, W., & Knowlton, D. (2004). But can she cook? Women's education and housework productivity. Economics of Education Review, 23 (6), 605-614. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2004.03.003
