Use of Time and Value of Unpaid Family Care Work: a Comparison between Italy and Poland

Francesca Francavilla (), Gianna Claudia Giannelli (), Gabriela Grotkowska () and Mieczyslaw W. Socha
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Mieczyslaw W. Socha: University of Warsaw

Working Papers - Economics from Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa

Abstract: The study provides a comparison of the size and value of unpaid family care work in two European member States, Italy and Poland. A micro-data analysis is conducted using the Italian and Polish time use surveys. Both the opportunity cost and the market replacement approaches are employed to measure family care work distinguishing between childcare and care of the elderly. The comparison between the two countries reveals that Italians participate somewhat less than Poles in child care, but substantially more in elderly care, because of demographic factors. However, the main explanation of the difference in the value of unpaid family care work, which is higher in Italy, is to be attributed to the discrepancy in hourly earnings, since average earnings of Poles are about one fifth of those of Italians. The value of unpaid family care work is more comparable when computed as percentage of the national GDP. Depending on the approach, it ranges between 3.7 and 4.4 per cent of the Polish GDP and 4.1 and 5 per cent of the Italian GDP. The national values of these activities are discussed and an interpretation of the country differentials in the family caretaking gender gaps is given in terms of differences in culture, economic development and institutions.

Keywords: Time Use; Unpaid Work; Care-giving; Child care; Elderly care; Poland; Italy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E01 E26 J13 J14 J16 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 19 pages
Date: 2011
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eur and nep-lab
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Working Paper: Use of Time and Value of Unpaid Family Care Work: A Comparison between Italy and Poland (2011)
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