Revisiting the neoclassical theory of labour supply - Disutility of labour, working hours, and happiness

"In empirical analyses, employment status has a substantial influence on individual wellbeing. People without work are consistently less happy, even after controlling for income. This result seems to contradict the standard theory assumption of labour disutility. In this paper, we analyze the i...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Rätzel, Steffen
Institution:ETUI-European Trade Union Institute
Format: TEXT
Language:English
Published: Magdeburg 2009
Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.labourline.org/KENTIKA-19188069124919062419-Revisiting-the-neoclassical-th.htm
Description
Summary:"In empirical analyses, employment status has a substantial influence on individual wellbeing. People without work are consistently less happy, even after controlling for income. This result seems to contradict the standard theory assumption of labour disutility. In this paper, we analyze the impact of working time on happiness. The results show distinct positive utility effects caused by employment and working time. Happiness correlates positively with hours worked. However, there is an inverse U-shaped correlation – excessive hours reverse the relationship. Additionally, the results show the importance of exogenously given deviations of working time from the individually preferred labour supply. These discrepancies reduce well-being and counterbalance the positive effects of work."
Physical Description:28 p.
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