Gender stereotyping and wage discrimination among Italian graduates



8
explained by differences in average observed characteristics. The remaining 88% of the gender gap
is attributable to gender differences in unobserved characteristics7.

3 - Gender pay gap versus other differences in pay between groups

We ask first whether our data are too poor to explain wage differences arising among heterogeneous
individuals since the early years after graduation. So we try to check the adequacy of the data to
explain the differences in wages other than the gender pay gap.

Tab. 4 - Gender pay gap versus other differences in pay between groups

Explained pay gap

Unexplained pay gap

Raw pay gap %

Gender pay gap (Male employees versus

Female employees)___________________

12,23

87,77

11,05

Public sector versus Private sector

80,32

19,48

0,74

Self-employed versus Employees

65,02

34,98

6,34

Permanent contracts versus Fixed-term
contracts_________________________________

40,44

59,56

13,18

Graduate degree required versus not
required (
overeducation )

48,40

51,60

9,44

Recruitment through open competition
versus without open competition_______

66,31

33,69

1,37

Table 4 presents the gender pay gap and other differences in pay between groups separating the
differential explained by observable characteristics from the residual unexplained reflecting the
different returns to the same characteristics. The comparison between several types of wage
differentials shows that the gender wage gap is of substantial amount and by far the most
unexplained among the above considered groups.

In the literature, the factor most commonly cited to explain the gender pay gap is the impact of
motherhood and the uneven division of domestic responsibilities on women lifetime earnings
profile (Eurostat 2009, p. 7). For example, more women than men tend to match to part-time jobs
that have lower returns and less training opportunities due to coping with childbirth and care. These
differences in labour market choices make women to accumulate lower work experience compared
to men and therefore to have lower earnings. But in our sample we only consider individuals

7 - Castagnetti and Rosti (2009) find very similar results using a different data set and Castagnetti and Rosti (2010) find
very similar results running a slightly different methodology. Rustichelli (2010) finds a gender pay gap in employees
hourly earnings of 7% using data from ISFOL-GPG 2007 survey (13,9% for the sample of graduates).



More intriguing information

1. The name is absent
2. The name is absent
3. The name is absent
4. Pricing American-style Derivatives under the Heston Model Dynamics: A Fast Fourier Transformation in the Geske–Johnson Scheme
5. A Rational Analysis of Alternating Search and Reflection Strategies in Problem Solving
6. Qualification-Mismatch and Long-Term Unemployment in a Growth-Matching Model
7. On the Desirability of Taxing Charitable Contributions
8. Evolutionary Clustering in Indonesian Ethnic Textile Motifs
9. Nach der Einführung von Arbeitslosengeld II: deutlich mehr Verlierer als Gewinner unter den Hilfeempfängern
10. Spousal Labor Market Effects from Government Health Insurance: Evidence from a Veterans Affairs Expansion