2015 Cambridge Business & Economics Conference
ISBN : 9780974211428
Using Culture, Labor Market and Social Policies to Explain Gender Differences in the Impact of
the Great Recession.
Jean-Luc E. Grosso
University of South Carolina Sumter
jlgrosso@mailbox.sc.edu
803-938-3859
Teresa L. Smith
University of South Carolina Columbia
tlsmith0@mailbox.sc.edu
803-777-4029
Sheryl S. Grosso
University of South Carolina Sumter
slgrosso@mailbox.sc.edu
803-938-3740
July 1-2, 2015
Cambridge, UK
1
2015 Cambridge Business & Economics Conference
ISBN : 9780974211428
ABSTRACT
The Great Recession has been the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression,
because of its length, severe job loss, and prolonged recovery period. Economies around the
world have not yet fully recovered, and some are still experiencing severe cyclical pains. This
paper will examine how men and women fared globally during the Great Recession. It will
examine the differences in the features of the labor markets, the national social protection
policies, and the national cultures, then examine how those differences effected the impact the
recession had on men and women. The goal of this paper is to understand the national conditions
for women and men during the recession and how these national conditions compare to those of
other nations.
INTRODUCTION
Both men and women were vulnerable to the turbulent economicconditions of the Great
Recession, but their trajectories have not been identical.Men experienced greater jobloss at the
height of the recession, while women are being affected in larger numbers as nations exit the
Great Recession. The Great Recession has affected families in some important ways. Labor force
participation rates forwomen with children increased over the course of the recession, and
families have become increasinglydependent upon women’s labor and earnings. Cyclical
changes will affect workers, but also their families. The employed and primary breadwinner
spouse could lose his or her job, forcing the other spouse to enter the labor force to make up for
the loss of income. This is known as the added-worker effect. During the 2008-2014 period, most
added-workers were women.
July 1-2, 2015
Cambridge, UK
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2015 Cambridge Business & Economics Conference
ISBN : 9780974211428
In most nations, a gender comparison reveals that unemployment rates for men are now
higher than those forwomen, but women tend to have more part-time positions, and be more
under-employed than men. However, the labor market gender differences in terms of both
numbers and trends vary greatly from nation to nation. For example, in November 2014, the
unemployment rates in France were 10.2 % and 9.7% for men and women respectively. In the
United States, they were 5.9% and 5.8% respectively. Why do we observe those differences,
both across nations and also across genders?
References Available Upon Request
July 1-2, 2015
Cambridge, UK
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