Women Managers and the Gender-Based Gap in Access to Education
Several studies explore the differences in men’s and women’s labor market participation rates and wages. Some of these differences have been linked to gender disparities in education attainment and access. The present paper contributes to this literature by analyzing the relationship between the proclivity of a firm to have a female top manager and access to education among women relative to men in the country. The paper combines the literature on women’s careers in management, which has mostly focused on developed countries, with the development literature that has emphasized the importance of access to education. Using firm-level data for 73 developing countries, the analysis finds strong evidence that countries with a higher proportion of female top managers also have higher enrollment rates for women relative to men in primary, secondary, and tertiary education.
Summary: | Several studies explore the differences
in men’s and women’s labor market participation rates and
wages. Some of these differences have been linked to gender
disparities in education attainment and access. The present
paper contributes to this literature by analyzing the
relationship between the proclivity of a firm to have a
female top manager and access to education among women
relative to men in the country. The paper combines the
literature on women’s careers in management, which has
mostly focused on developed countries, with the development
literature that has emphasized the importance of access to
education. Using firm-level data for 73 developing
countries, the analysis finds strong evidence that countries
with a higher proportion of female top managers also have
higher enrollment rates for women relative to men in
primary, secondary, and tertiary education. |
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