The Effects of Competition and Equal Treatment Laws on the Gender Wage Differential

Doris Weichselbaumer and Rudolf Winter-Ebmer

No 822, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper evaluates the impact of economic and legal variables on wage differentials between men and women. Since Becker (1957) economists have argued that competitive markets eliminate discrimination in the long run. On the other hand, practically all countries have enacted some sort of law mandating equal treatment of men and women. This paper uses a new international data set on the gender wage gap, which is constructed via a metaanalysis of existing studies. The findings show that both increased competition and the enactment of equal treatment laws reduce the gender wage gap.

Keywords: competition; equal treatment law; gender wage gap (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J16 J31 J71 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 26 pages
Date: 2003-07
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

Published - published in: Economic Policy, 2007, 22 (50), 235-287

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https://docs.iza.org/dp822.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: The effects of competition and equal treatment laws on gender wage differentials (2007)
Working Paper: The Effects of Competition and Equal Treatment Laws on the Gender Wage Differential (2003)
Working Paper: The Effects of Competition and Equal Treatment Laws on the Gender Wage Differential (2003)
Working Paper: The effects of competition and equal treatment laws on the gender wage differential (2003)
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