Measuring the Relative Productivity of Multitasking to Sole-tasking in Household Production: New Experimental Evidence

Gigi Foster and Charlene Kalenkoski

No 6763, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: We present a household production model that incorporates multitasking and results from a customized experiment designed to measure the individual-specific productivity parameters from this model. We observe these productivity parameters under alternative incentive scenarios, designed to mimic changes in the relative utility payoffs to the two tasks. Using information on demographic and other characteristics collected through an on-screen survey taken by our experimental participants, we examine the correlates of individuals' sole-tasking and multitasking performance. Finally, we provide the literature's first measures of the own- and cross-price elasticities of household task supply in a multitasking context.

Keywords: time use; child care; household production; experiment; productivity measures (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 D13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 38 pages
Date: 2012-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp
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Published - published in: Applied Economics, 2015, 47 (18), 1847-1862

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