Urban versus Rural Labor Patterns - A Gendered Moderation Tobit model of Hours Worked

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between the degree of urbanisation and the amount of time spent on paid work, with a specific focus on the moderating role of gender. This study uses data from the Dutch Liss Panel to estimate the relationship through Tobit models, specifically a Correlated Random Effects (CRE) Tobit model is utilized. The analysis differentiates between three household compositions, single respondents, couples without children and couples with children. Results reveal that the degree of urbanisation significantly influences hours worked. The interaction between urbanisation and gender revealed context-dependent results, women in rural areas tended to increase work hours, while men decreased work hours in that region. Some regional characteristics exert statistically significant effects, but these are modest in size. The study highlights the importance of place-based and gender-sensitive perspectives in labor market research. Future research should consider the use of larger, balanced panel datasets to better capture dynamic effects over time.