FIN 607 (FIN 6070): The Economics of Gender in Households and Organizations

Contents
Where do gender gaps come from and how can households, firms, and governments close them? Once a niche topic, the economics of gender now sits at the centre of debates about occupational segregation, pay equity, promotion, caregiving roles, entrepreneur­ship, and corporate governance. This course will focus on gender roles in various contexts including intra-household decision-making and time allocation; human capital and fertility choices; the role of identity and social norms; leader­ship/promotions and institutional frameworks. We will cut through buzzwords and myths to clarify what the evidence shows and where uncertainty remains. We will use various approaches to understand the content: lectures, case studies, insights from practice, and students’ presentations.

Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1.Explain core theories of gender economics and empirical evidence

2.Understand the gender gaps in wages, wealth, and leader­ship

3.Analyze key drivers including psychological factors that explain gender specific behaviors (risk taking, saving/retirement, credit use, entrepreneur­ship) and diagnose sources of observed differences.

4.Evaluate the effectiveness and trade-offs of gender-specific interventions such as childcare and parental leave, flexible work, pay trans­parency, and leader­ship/board quotas.

Necessary prerequisites
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Recommended prerequisites
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Examiner Performing lecturer

Dr. Sehrish Usman Dr. Sehrish Usman