Schedules as sequences: a new method to analyze the use of time based on collective rhythm with an application to the work arrangements of French dual-earner couples

Laurent Lesnard ()
Additional contact information
Laurent Lesnard: CREST - Laboratoire de Sociologie Quantitative (Insee-Crest)

electronic International Journal of Time Use Research, 2004, vol. 1, issue 1, 60-84

Abstract: This paper sets out a new method to analyze schedules with an application to the analysis of synchronization within dual-earner couples. The flaws of the traditional time-budget approach are brought to light: time is not a constant flux and disregarding the social dimension of time and the significance of scheduling dismantles a great part of the phenomenon analyzed. The method proposed is inspired by Optimal Matching techniques but also informed by sociological theory: it relies on information about the collective rhythm. This method is further applied to French dual-earner couples in 1985 and 1998 (enquêtes Emploi du Temps, Insee, France, N=2574): twelve work arrangements are uncovered. Six of them refer to double full time schedules days, and two to feminine partially worked days. A significant proportion (20%) of the spouses who both worked a full time schedule experiences a high degree of desynchronization (greater than 50%). A few of them are even found to be completely desynchronized. Women who worked partially the day observed are also concerned by off-scheduling: though the probability of being desynchronized is reduced, a significant number of women work while their spouses are not working. Desynchronization dramatically increased between 1985 and 1998: more spouses work more desynchronized days but desynchronization also expands in most of the days. The increase observed is particularly prominent for couples where women work partial schedules.

Keywords: method; sequence; optimal matching analysis; collective rhythm; dual-earner couples; synchronization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C61 J20 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2004
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www2.leuphana.de/ffb/eijtur/pdf/volumes/eIJTUR-1-1.pdf#page=67 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:leu:journl:2004:vol1:p60-84

Access Statistics for this article

electronic International Journal of Time Use Research is currently edited by Joachim Merz, Jonathan Gershuny and Andrew S. Harvey

More articles in electronic International Journal of Time Use Research from Research Institute on Professions (Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)) and The International Association for Time Use Research (IATUR) Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Joachim Merz ( this e-mail address is bad, please contact ).