On the Demand for Female Workers in Japan: The Role of ICT and Offshoring

Kozo Kiyota and Sawako Maruyama
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Sawako Maruyama: Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University

No 2017-027, Keio-IES Discussion Paper Series from Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University

Abstract: In light of the increasing importance of female labor participation in Japan, this paper examines the determinants of the demand for female workers. One of the contributions of this paper is that we shed light on the role of information and communication technology (ICT) and offshoring as determinants of female labor demand. Estimating a system of variable factor demands for manufacturing industries between 1980 and 2011, we find that, while the ICT capital stock has significantly positive effects on the demand for low, middle-high, and high skilled female workers, it has significantly negative effects on the demand for middle-low skilled female workers. In contrast, offshoring has insignificant effects on the demand for female workers. The results suggest that offshoring is at least neutral on the demand for female workers. A part of the increasing demand for female workers can be attributable to ICT, which contributes to narrow the gender wage gap in Japan.

Keywords: Labor demand; Female Workers; Offshoring; Information and Communication Technology; Skills (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F14 J23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 39 pages
Date: 2017-11-20
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ict, nep-lma and nep-tid
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Journal Article: On the Demand for Female Workers in Japan: The Role of ICT and Offshoring (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:keo:dpaper:2017-027

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