Social-economic Analysis on Gender Differences in Time Allocation in China

As the economy in China has developed in recent years people are now paying more attention to quality of life. How people choose to spend their time and the social-economic factors influencing these choices are both key factors in shaping the well-being of the nation. Time-use survey, a statistical tool to measure time allocation on various human activities, was first done in China in 2008. The survey exhibited obvious gender gaps in time spent on paid work, unpaid work, and non-work activity. Statistically analyzing the raw data collected in the survey allows decomposition of the overall gender gaps into explained variances, i.e. the differences that can be attributed to social-economic factors, and unexplained ones. As a result of this research the influencing social-economic factors will be further understood; this enhanced understanding will assist policy makers in China in developing more sustainable strategies for national economic and psychological well-being.

Faculty Supervisor:

Mobinul Huq

Student:

Partner:

Beijing Institute of Technology

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Saskatchewan

Program: