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Abstract
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Before
Can job amenities help overcome gendered occupational choices? We conduct a discrete choice experiment to test whether (1) offering job amenities that girls (boys) particularly value and identify with increases the likelihood of them choosing jobs in stereotypically male (female) occupations, and (2) offering amenities favored by boys (girls) decreases the likelihood of girls (boys) choosing such jobs. Specifically, we conduct the discrete choice experiment in collaboration with a leading online platform for apprenticeships in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Since students use the platform to discover, explore, and apply for suitable occupations, leveraging user-specific data from the platform provides valuable insights into their interests and occupational fit, allowing us to tailor the choice sets to each participant’s relevant occupations.
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After
Can job amenities help overcome gendered occupational choices? We conduct a discrete choice experiment to test whether (1) offering amenities increase the probability that somebody chooses an offer, and (2) amenities that are generally favored by boys (girls) increase the probability of boys (girls) to choose a job offer with a counter-stereotypical occupation. Specifically, we conduct the discrete choice experiment in collaboration with a leading online platform for apprenticeships in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Since students use the platform to discover, explore, and apply for suitable occupations, leveraging user-specific data from the platform provides valuable insights into their interests and occupational fit, allowing us to tailor the choice sets to each participant’s relevant occupations.
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Trial Start Date
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Before
January 08, 2025
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After
February 03, 2025
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Last Published
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Before
January 15, 2025 05:22 AM
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After
January 30, 2025 10:32 AM
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Intervention Start Date
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Before
January 08, 2025
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After
February 03, 2025
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Primary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
The primary outcome is the job offer chosen in each choice set. We have the following primary hypothesis about this outcome.
Our primary hypothesis is the following: Stereotypical amenities increase the probability of choosing a job offer with a counter-stereotypical occupation and counter-stereotypical amenities, decrease the probability of choosing any job offer associated with them.
When analyzing these hypotheses, we can quantify the effect in both willingness to pay in terms of salary and willingness to sacrifice occupational fit.
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After
The primary outcome is the job offer chosen in each choice set. We have the following primary hypothesis about this outcome.
Our primary hypotheses are that 1) offering amenities increase the probability that somebody chooses an offer; 2) Stereotypical amenities increase the probability of choosing a job offer with a counter-stereotypical occupation.
When analyzing these hypotheses, we can quantify the effect in both willingness to pay in terms of salary and willingness to sacrifice occupational fit.
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Primary Outcomes (Explanation)
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Before
In order to analyze the effect of amenities on occupational choice, we use a discrete choice experiment in which respondents need to decide in seven choice sets which occupation they would rather want to pursue. To measure the effect of amenities on gendered occupational choice, each choice sets presents two options varying in i) occupation ii) salary and iii) amenity. Leveraging the user-specific search and application data from the online platform, we present students in total four different occupations, each tailored to their individual's preferences and fit. The individual fit is a combination of interests in tasks and work environments, if available derived by the online platform, and academic fit. One of the four occupations is the counter-stereotypical occupation for which the student demonstrated the highest fit. Two other occupations they see are forced to be either neutral or stereotypical. The fourth job is a job for which they have displayed interest by searching or applying for it – which is usually also neutral or stereotypical.
Within each choice set, each choice option contains either an amenity that is favored by girls (and thus is classified as stereotypically female), an amenity that is favored by boys, or no amenity (which is explicitly stated). Finally, the choice set also varies the wages in order to obtain a willingness to pay.
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After
In order to analyze the effect of amenities on occupational choice, we use a discrete choice experiment in which respondents need to decide in eight choice sets which occupation they would rather want to pursue. To measure the effect of amenities on gendered occupational choice, each choice sets presents two options varying in i) occupation ii) salary and iii) amenity. Leveraging the user-specific search and application data from the online platform, we present students in total four different occupations, each tailored to their individual's preferences and fit. The individual fit is a combination of interests in tasks and work environments, if available derived by the online platform, and academic fit. One of the four occupations is the counter-stereotypical occupation for which the student demonstrated the highest fit. Two other occupations they see are forced to be either neutral or stereotypical. The fourth job is a job for which they have displayed interest by searching or applying for it – which is usually also neutral or stereotypical.
Within each choice set, each choice option contains either an amenity that is favored by girls (and thus is classified as stereotypically female), an amenity that is favored by boys, an amenity that is gender-neutral, or no amenity (which is explicitly stated). Finally, the choice set also varies the wages in order to obtain a willingness to pay.
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Experimental Design (Public)
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Before
We design a discrete choice experiment targeting Swiss students who are about to make their first career decision. In particular, we work with a platform for apprenticeship occupations to target students who aim for an apprenticeship after compulsory education (typically starting after 9th grade), as those students represent the vast majority of the population, around two-thirds of a birth cohort. This first occupational choice is particularly interesting because, after boys and girls attend the same schools and classes, gender differences emerge for the first time, with apprenticeship occupations commonly showing gender imbalances with female shares well above 90% and well below 10%.
We present students 7 choice sets within a survey, each being a choice between two hypothetical apprenticeship offers. The options have each an occupation, an amenity (or specifically no amenity), and a monthly salary.
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After
We design a discrete choice experiment targeting Swiss students who are about to make their first career decision. In particular, we work with a platform for apprenticeship occupations to target students who aim for an apprenticeship after compulsory education (typically starting after 9th grade), as those students represent the vast majority of the population, around two-thirds of a birth cohort. This first occupational choice is particularly interesting because, after boys and girls attend the same schools and classes, gender differences emerge for the first time, with apprenticeship occupations commonly showing gender imbalances with female shares well above 90% and well below 10%.
We present students 8 choice sets within a survey, each being a choice between two hypothetical apprenticeship offers. The options have each an occupation, an amenity (or specifically no amenity), and a monthly salary.
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Planned Number of Observations
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Before
7000: 1000 individuals times 7 choice sets each
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After
8000: 1000 individuals times 8 choice sets each
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Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
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Before
500 observations for each scenario (there are 14 different choice sets in total, each participant sees 7)
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After
333 observations for each scenario (there are 24 different choice sets in total, each participant sees 8)
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Intervention (Hidden)
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Before
This is a discrete choice experiment. There is no treatment and control group per se. We randomize what kind of hypothetical job offers our participants see (varying in occupation, amenity, and salary). Each participant sees 7 pairs of job offers from which they have to choose one. Some of these random hypothetical job offers have stereotypical jobs, some do not. Some have stereotypical amenities, some have counter-stereotypical amenities. Since these characteristics are randomly chosen, we can evaluate if stereotypical amenities indeed increase the probability of choosing a job offer with a counter-stereotypical occupation and counter-stereotypical amenities decrease the probability of choosing any job offer (our primary hypothesis). It also allows to shed light on our secondary hypotheses and - since we vary occupational fit of the occupations displayed as well as the salary - to quantify these effects in terms of fit and salary.
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After
This is a discrete choice experiment. There is no treatment and control group per se. We randomize what kind of hypothetical job offers our participants see (with characteristics varying in occupation, amenity, and salary). Each participant sees 8 pairs of job offers from which they have to choose one. Some of these random hypothetical job offers have stereotypical jobs, some do not. Some have stereotypical amenities, some have counter-stereotypical amenities, and some have neutral amenities. Since these characteristics are randomly chosen, we can evaluate if amenities indeed increase the probability of choosing an offer, and if stereotypical amenities indeed increase the probability of choosing a job offer with a counter-stereotypical occupation and specifically if counter-stereotypical amenities decrease the probability of choosing any job offer (our primary hypotheses). It also allows to shed light on our secondary hypotheses and - since we vary occupational fit of the occupations displayed as well as the salary - to quantify these effects in terms of fit and salary.
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Secondary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
As secondary outcomes, we analyze the heterogeneity of our results with respect to the participants’ gender, their interest in the amenities and the occupations, and whether they are very advanced or less advanced in their occupational choices (8th grade vs 9th/10th grade).
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After
As secondary outcomes, we analyze the heterogeneity of our results with respect to the gender that traditionally works in the occupation at hand, the participants’ gender, their interest in the amenities and the occupations, and whether they are very advanced or less advanced in their occupational choices (8th graders vs 9th/10th graders).
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