Influence Factors on Gender Wage Gap: Evidences from Chinese Household Income Project Survey

Abstract

By constructing a gender wage gap evolution model, this paper examines the source and evolutionary process of gender wage inequality from a theoretical perspective. The purpose of this study is thoroughly investigating the factors affecting the gender wage inequality from the perspective of gender discrimination and variations in non-gender endowments. Based on the Chinese Household Income Project Survey Data, this study indicates that: (1) since companies continue to re-evaluate the gender endowment value of gender, the gender wage inequality exhibits an endogenous sustainability and self-reinforcing effect. (2) The gender wage gap of urban residents is derived mainly from the top tier of wages, while the gender wage gap of the migrant people is mainly determined from the bottom rung of wages. (3) Female age has a ‘U-curve’ impact on gender wage inequality from the standpoint of non-gender endowment differences, and the female age has an ‘inverted U-curve’ impact on gender wage inequality as a result of discrimination. (4) Female appearance and actual work hours are insufficient to affect the changing trend of gender wage inequality; however, h-register location and marital status are still considered to be very important.

Keywords:

• gender wage inequality
• gender discrimination
• non-gender endowment difference

JEL Classifications:

• J31
• J71
• C21

Notes

¹ This article and the vast majority of the relevant literatures focus on those skilled traits, namely the endowments reflected by requiring a relatively long period of work practice; however, this thesis also does not neglect the factors that could strongly affect wages, such as age, household registration, height, and so on.

² Actually it is not ‘random’, because gender is predetermined; however, only the gender structure of the respondents obtained from the perspective of observers can be considered as a random sample.

³ As there are numerous quantities of equation deductions in this thesis, in simplicity, this thesis does not repeatedly set different parameter symbols, otherwise the equations will seem to be extremely messy. However, it should be clarified that different equations with seemingly identical symbols actually represent different parameter meanings.