- Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research - Research Publications
Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research - Research Publications
Permanent URI for this collection
11 results
Filters
Reset filtersSettings
Statistics
Citations
Search Results
Now showing
1 - 10 of 11
-
ItemThe dynamics of income poverty in Australia: Evidence from the First Three Waves of the HILDA SurveyHEADEY, BW ; MARKS, G ; WOODEN, MP (Australia Council of Social Service, 2005)This paper reports an analysis of income poverty dynamics in Australia using longitudinal data from the first three waves of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. As in other developed countries, far fewer people are found to be living in persistent poverty than are poor on an annual basis. With a poverty threshold set at 50 per cent of median equivalised income, just over four per cent of Australians were measured as being in income poverty in all three waves. Among those who were poor during 2000‐01, about half subsequently had incomes above the 50 per cent threshold. However, the longer people remained in poverty, the less likely they were to exit, the greater was their risk of re‐entering poverty, and the lower were their incomes if they temporarily escaped poverty.
-
ItemLow-Paid Employment and Unemployment Dynamics in AustraliaBuddelmeyer, H ; Lee, W-S ; Wooden, M (WILEY, 2010-03)This article uses longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (or HILDA) Survey to examine the extent to which the relatively high rates of transition from low‐paid employment into unemployment are the result of disadvantageous personal characteristics or are instead a function of low‐paid work itself. Dynamic random effects probit models of the likelihood of unemployment are estimated. After controlling for unobserved heterogeneity and initial conditions, we find that, relative to high‐paid employment, low‐paid employment is associated with a higher risk of unemployment, but this effect is only significant among women. We also find only weak evidence that low‐paid employment is a conduit for repeat unemployment.
-
ItemMoney does not buy happiness: Or does it? A reassessment based on the combined effects of wealth, income and consumptionHeadey, B ; Muffels, R ; Wooden, M (SPRINGER, 2008-05)
-
ItemLife satisfaction and the economic and social characteristics of neighbourhoodsShields, MA ; Price, SW ; Wooden, M (SPRINGER, 2009-04)
-
ItemWorking Time Mismatch and Subjective Well-beingWooden, M ; Warren, D ; Drago, R (WILEY, 2009-03)Abstract This study uses nationally representative panel survey data for Australia to identify the role played by mismatches between hours actually worked and working time preferences in contributing to reported levels of job and life satisfaction. Three main conclusions emerge. First, it is not the number of hours worked that matters for subjective well‐being, but working time mismatch. Second, overemployment is a more serious problem than is underemployment. Third, while the magnitude of the impact of overemployment may seem small in absolute terms, relative to other variables, such as disability, the effect is quite large.
-
ItemLong Work Hours: Volunteers and ConscriptsDrago, R ; Wooden, M ; Black, D (WILEY, 2009-09)Abstract Using panel survey data from Australia, we divide long hours workers (persons reporting usually working 50 or more hours per week) into groups of ‘volunteers’, who prefer long hours, and ‘conscripts’, who do not. We study both the static and dynamic prevalence of the phenomenon. Norms surrounding ideal workers and consumerism play major roles in explaining conscript status, with bargaining power less important. The self‐employed often appear as volunteers or conscripts, while gender, rather than motherhood, is a strong predictor of shorter work hours. Both the demand and supply sides of the labour market play a role in explaining the prevalence of long hours conscripts.
-
ItemPaid Annua Leave and Working Hours: Evidence from the HILDA SurveyWooden, M ; Warren, D (SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC, 2008-09)Using data from wave 5 of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, this study examines: (1) the extent to which Australian employees use their annual leave entitlements; and (2) the association between annual leave taking and weekly hours of work. After restricting attention to employees likely to have entitlement to at least 4 weeks of paid annual leave, it is found that the mean number of days of leave taken per year is around 16 and that the majority of employees (63%) take less than 20. The incidence of annual leave taking is found to vary positively with the number of usual weekly hours of work, but the size of this effect is small and weak.
-
ItemOverskilling, Job Insecurity, and Career MobilityMcGuinness, S ; Wooden, M (WILEY, 2009-04)This paper uses longitudinal data from Australia to examine the extent to which overskilling—the extent to which work‐related skills and abilities are utilized in current employment—is a transitory phenomenon. The results suggest that while overskilled workers are much more likely to want to quit their current job, they are also relatively unconfident of finding an improved job match. Furthermore, some of the greater mobility observed among overskilled workers is due to involuntary job separations, and even where job separations are voluntary, the majority of moves do not result in improved skills matches.
-
ItemFemale breadwinner families: their existence, persistence and sourcesWOODEN, MP ; BLACK, DJ ; DRAGO, R ( 2005)
-
ItemHousehold wealth in Australia: its components, distribution and correlatesMARKS, G ; HEADEY, BW ; WOODEN, MP (Sage Publications, 2005)Using data from the second wave of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, conducted in 2002, this article provides information on the composition, distribution and correlates of the wealth holdings of Australian households. The survey results indicate that Australian households have an average net worth (or wealth) of just over A$400,000, comprising assets of $473,000 and debts of $68,000. The largest component of wealth is home equity. The degree of inequality across households in wealth inequality is found to be much larger than the inequality in income and varies substantially with age and, to a lesser extent, with household type and education. Age, socio-economic background, educational attainment, marital status and the number of children can account for about 30 percent of the variation across households in (logged) wealth.