Individual preferences and labour market outcomes of women and men in Germany

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Previous Research and Hypotheses

2.1. The theoretical foundations of preference theory

2.2. Testing preference theory

2.3. Preferences in Germany

2.4. Gender pay gap and preference theory

2.5. Hypotheses

3. Data, variables and methods

3.1. Data

3.2 Variables

3.3. Strategy of Analysis

4. Descriptive statistics

5. Results

5.1. Effect of preferences on women

5.2. Effect of preferences on men

5.3. Comparison between women and men

6. Longitudinal Model

7. Discussion

Research Objectives and Key Topics

This Master thesis investigates the applicability of Catherine Hakim’s preference theory to the German labour market. The primary research objective is to determine whether individual work-family preferences influence labour market success for both women and men, and to analyze if these preferences can explain the persistent gender pay gap.

• Application of Hakim’s preference theory to both female and male target groups.
• Analysis of labour market outcomes including income level and occupational status.
• Investigation into the long-term stability of preferences over the life course.
• Examination of the gender pay gap while controlling for individual preferences and structural factors.
• Empirical assessment using the German Socioeconomic Panel (SOEP).

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1. Introduction: Introduces the topic of labour market inequalities and presents the research questions regarding preference theory in the German context.

2. Previous Research and Hypotheses: Details the theoretical foundations of Hakim’s preference theory, reviews existing empirical studies, and outlines the specific hypotheses tested in the thesis.

3. Data, variables and methods: Describes the data source (SOEP), the operationalization of preference categories, the dependent variables (income, service class), and the analytical strategy applied.

4. Descriptive statistics: Provides an overview of the sample composition and displays the distribution of women and men across the defined preference types.

5. Results: Presents the findings of the regression analyses regarding the effects of preferences on income and occupational status for women and men, including a comparative analysis.

6. Longitudinal Model: Investigates the long-term effects of preferences on labour market outcomes and tests the stability of preferences over the life course.

7. Discussion: Summarizes the key findings, discusses unexpected results in the context of human capital theory, and suggests starting points for future research.

Keywords

Preference theory, labour market success, gender pay gap, Germany, SOEP, work-family preferences, home-centred, adaptive, work-centred, labour market outcomes, income, occupational status, longitudinal analysis, human capital, social research.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this research?

The research evaluates the impact of individual lifestyle preferences on labour market success and examines if Hakim's preference theory effectively explains gender differences in income and career status within Germany.

What are the primary thematic fields covered?

The thesis covers preference theory, labour market sociology, gender studies, the gender pay gap, and the analysis of individual life-course choices.

What is the main research question of this study?

The study primarily asks whether preferences lead to variations in labour market success between women and men, and if these preferences can explain the remaining gender pay gap.

Which scientific methodology is utilized?

The author conducts cross-sectional and longitudinal regression analyses using the German Socioeconomic Panel (SOEP) data, specifically focusing on waves from 2012, 1992, and 2004.

What topics are discussed in the main part of the thesis?

The main part covers the categorization of individuals into preference types, statistical modeling of income and occupational status, and testing the long-term stability of these preferences.

Which keywords best characterize the work?

Key terms include Preference theory, gender pay gap, labour market outcomes, Germany, and longitudinal analysis.

How does this study differ regarding preference categorization?

Unlike Hakim’s original three-category model, this study introduces a fourth category ("none") for respondents who consider both family and work success as unimportant, based on the empirical finding that these individuals show distinct income patterns.

What conclusion does the author reach regarding the gender pay gap?

The author finds that while preferences have a significant effect, they do not fully eliminate the gender pay gap, leading to the rejection of the hypothesis that preferences are the sole determinants of career paths.