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Technological change and women’s labour force participation in less developed countries Basu, Leslirae

Abstract

This study attempts to examine the effects of technological change on women's labour force participation in less developed countries. Regression analysis in the context of a simultaneous equation model, using cross sectional data for thirteen Indian manufacturing industries during the latter half of the 1960's was used. The literature survey outlines how technological progress may have either positive or negative effect upon the proportion of women workers in individual sectors. However the overall effect of technological progress on an agriculturally-based economy is to cause a change in the structure of the economy and a rise in the relative importance of urban based industries. This leads to a separation of women from production, and a decline in the overall participation rate of women. The results of this study show that technological change can have a positive impact on the proportion of women in individual industries; that foreign business and increasing capital/labour ratio also have positive impacts on women's participation. In addition, it is found that technology transfer from foreign business was positively and significantly linked to technical progress in Indian Manufacturing in the late 1960s.

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