Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/34373 
Year of Publication: 
2007
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 2767
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Economists have devoted substantial attention to firms’ supply of variety, but little to consumers' demand for variety. Employing the framework of home production, we trace differences in demand to differences in the opportunity costs of activities, which are associated with investments in human capital. Schooling alters time costs and changes the variety of activities household members choose. In time budgets from Australia, Israel, and West Germany we find that higher own and spouses' incomes raise variety (suggesting positive income effects). Education increases variety independent of income and earnings; part of its impact goes beyond a correlation of educational attainment with preferences for variety.
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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