Conspicuous Work: Peer Working Time, Labour Supply and Happiness for Male Workers

Marion Collewet, Andries de Grip and Jaap de Koning ()
Additional contact information
Jaap de Koning: Erasmus University Rotterdam

No 9011, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper uncovers 'conspicuous work' as a new form of status seeking that can explain social interactions in labour supply. We analyse how peer working time relates to both labour supply and happiness for Dutch male workers. Using a unique measure of peer weekly working time, we find that men's working time increases with that of their peers and that peer working time is negatively related to men's happiness. These findings are consistent with a 'conspicuous work' model, in which individuals derive status from working time.

Keywords: well-being; social norms; working hours (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D62 I31 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 42 pages
Date: 2015-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eur, nep-hap, nep-hrm, nep-lma, nep-ltv and nep-soc
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Published - published in: Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 2017, 68, 79–90

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Working Paper: Conspicuous work: peer working time, labour supply, and happiness for male workers (2015)
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