Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/53122 
Year of Publication: 
2002
Series/Report no.: 
WIDER Discussion Paper No. 2002/125
Publisher: 
The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), Helsinki
Abstract: 
This paper examines the effect of foreign trade induced product market competition, upon workplace gender discrimination in urban Mexico as measured by the gender earnings differential. More than four decades ago, Becker argued that labour market discrimination was economically inefficient in that discriminating firms must forego a quantity of profit. Thus, firms with more market power, i.e., firms facing less competition, may be more likely to discriminate. It therefore follows that competition in product markets may reduce discrimination in labour markets. The spread of foreign trade has traditionally been a major factor in increased product market competition. Hence, Becker’s thesis suggests foreign trade will reduce employment discrimination. This paper does find evidence of a negative relation between foreign trade linked competition in product markets and workplace gender discrimination in data from the Mexican National Urban Employment Survey (Encuesta National de Empleo Urbano).
Subjects: 
gender discrimination
trade liberalization
Mexico
JEL: 
F14
J16
J70
ISBN: 
9291903779
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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