Economics of the Gender Wage Gap

Table of Contents

Simply comparing the average wages of men and women does not reveal the actual situation of the gender wage gap or the extent of progress made in narrowing it. The book explains how to apply the latest economic theories to measure and improve the true gender gap, drawing on evidence from Japanese companies and the behavioral characteristics of men and women.

The 2023 Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded to Professor Claudia Goldin of Harvard University for her pioneering research on gender disparities in the labor market. In Japan as well, efforts to reduce gender inequality have also been gaining momentum, with companies now required to disclose their gender wage gap.

Yet, understanding the actual state of the gap is not straightforward. Simple comparisons between men and women fail to account for differences in employee attributes such as age, occupation, and employment status. In addition, it is hard to adequately demonstrate companies’ improvement efforts. There are also many other issues that need to be addressed, such as gender bias and statistical discrimination, behavioral differences in self-promotion, and the influence of "old boy networks" through which information circulates only among male employees or executives.

The author, a leading expert in personnel economics who has conducted extensive joint research with companies, offers various insights and methodologies from economic research, presenting them in a clear and practical way that enables firms to apply them in their own initiatives to close the gender gap.

Introduction: Japan's Laggardly Efforts to Address the Gender Gap
Chapter 1: Social Structures that Create a Gender Wage Gap
Chapter 2: Gender Bias Hidden in Our Consciousness
Chapter 3: Problems Caused by Gender Differences in Behavioral Characteristics
Chapter 4: How to Measure the Gender Wage Gap
Chapter 5: Eight Key Points for Understanding the Gender Wage Gap within Your Company
Chapter 6: Formulation of Action Plans and KPIs
Chapter 7: Why the Elimination of the Gender Gap is Necessary―Analysis based on Human Capital Theory