Refereed Journal

Title

Option or Obligation? The Determinants of Labour Supply Preferences in Britain

Authors

Mark Taylor , René Böheim

Journal

The Manchester School

ISSN

1463-6786

Volume/Edition

71 2

Published Date

2003-03-01

Abstract

We examine subjective data on desired hours of work from the BHPS and investigate which individuals are able to work their desired number of hours at the prevailing wage, which individuals are under-employed and which are over-employed. Our evidence suggests that about 40% of men and women in paid employment prefer to work a different number of hours at their current wage, and the majority of these prefer to work fewer hours. Multivariate analysis shows that differences in work time preferences depend on observed job and employer related characteristics, individual demographics, local labour demand and unobserved individual specific effects.

Non-Technical Summary

No Summary available

Also published as:

1. Mark Taylor
,
2. René Böheim

Option or Obligation? The Determinants of Labour Supply Preferences in Britain ISER Working Paper number: 2001-05, 2001