Characteristics of female managers in the US labour market

Abstract

We use 1% Public Use Micro Data Samples 1990 and 1% Public Use Micro Data Samples 2000 data to investigate characteristics of female managers in the US labour market. The results of this study indicate that the presence of husbands affected the probability of female presence in management-type occupations negatively during the 1980s. However, during the 1990s, the results show a reversed pattern. Also, having higher education positively affected this probability both during the 1980s as well as the 1990s. However, the premium for a higher education was not as high during the 1990s as it was during the 1980s.

‘… highly qualified women have an importance beyond their numbers. This is partly due to the fact that women in senior positions are better placed to look after the work interests of other women in their organization.’ Dolton et al. (1996, p. 551).

Notes

¹ Table A-1: Employment status of civilian population by sex and age. Employment Situation Summary, Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov).

² Census 1990: Code Lists – Technical Documentation, Occupation Appendix H. Census 2000: G–47 Code Lists, Occupation Detailed Code List, (US Census Bureau)

³ Due to space restrictions, discussion is restricted to only statistically significant coefficient estimates.

⁴ The use of standardized β estimates helps determine the relative importance of a variable in a multiple regression model.

⁵ An odds ratio of 1 implies a 50–50 chance of either outcome.

⁶ Except for females who are separated. In this case the coefficient is negative significant. For females who fall under “Married, spouse absent” and “Widows,” the coefficients are statistically insignificant.