Gendered change: 150 years of transformation in US hours

The research conducted by Ngai, Olivetti, and Petrongolo explores the transformation of US hours over 150 years in relation to gendered changes in the economy. They highlight the non-monotonic trend in women's employment throughout US history, influenced by structural changes and evolving social norms. The study reveals that while high-income countries experienced a significant increase in women's labor force participation in the latter half of the 20th century, this trend was not universal, with declines observed in developing countries. The relationship between women's employment and GDP per capita follows a U-shaped pattern, contrasting with the consistent decline in men's employment across different developmental stages. The analysis incorporates data from various sources to track changes in men's and women's work patterns, industry structures, and hours worked, shedding light on the impact of structural transformation and marketization of home production on gender-specific labor trends. The study's model successfully replicates observed trends in men's and women's work, emphasizing the roles of structural transformation, marketization, gender specialization, and evolving social norms in shaping labor dynamics over time.