数字基础设施能否缩小社会经济地位的性别差距

Can Digital Infrastructure Narrow the Gender Gap in Socioeconomic Status?

本文旨在探讨在数字经济快速发展的背景下,数字基础设施能否缩小社会经济地位的性别差距。首先,本文通过分析不同性别在不同经济活动中的时间配置以及数字要素在消费和生产中的作用,构建数字基础设施影响社会经济地位性别差距的理论模型。接着,本文基于中国家庭追踪调查数据与“宽带中国”政策,利用异质性双重差分模型进行经验分析。研究发现,数字基础设施显著缩小了社会经济地位的性别差距。微观机制是数字基础设施缩小了人力资本和市场劳动参与的性别差距;宏观环境机制是促进了教育培训数字化,推动了第三产业发展,并且促进了性别角色观念的进步。进一步研究表明,数字基础设施使得女性就业机会有更多增加,但并未显著优化女性的就业质量。这意味着政府需要进一步制定相关政策,促进女性获得更高水平的地位提升。

This paper explores whether digital infrastructure can narrow the gender gap in socioeconomic status.To this end,it first constructs a theoretical model to investigate the impact of digital infrastructure on the gender gap in socioeconomic status,considering the time allocation between different genders in various economic activities and the impact of digital element on consumption and production.Then,based on data from China Family Panel Studies(CFPS)and the“Broadband-China”policy,it employs a heterogeneity difference-in-differences(DID)model to empirically analyze the impact and mechanism of digital infrastructure on the gender gap in socioeconomic status.The paper indicates that digital infrastructure significantly narrows the gender gap in socioeconomic status,manifesting itself at the micro level in human capital and labor market participation,and at the macro level in the promotion of digitalization in education and training,facilitating the development of the tertiary industry and advancing gender-role attitudes.On the other hand,while digital infrastructure has increased women’s employment opportunities it has not significantly improved the quality of employment.This suggests that the government must continue to formulate policies aimed at facilitating gender equity.