نوع مقاله : پژوهشی

نویسندگان

• رقیه پوران ¹
• حمیده محمدی ²

¹ گروه اقتصاد، دانشکده علوم اجتماعی و اقتصادی، دانشگاه الزهرا، تهران، ایران

² طلبه سطح دوم، مدرسه علمیه خواهران فاطمه‌الزهرا (س)، تهران، ایران

چکیده

بهره‌وری زنان شاغل به مشارکت و سهم زنان در فعالیت‌های اقتصادی، تولید کالاها و خدمات، و ایجاد ارزش اقتصادی در یک جامعه اشاره دارد و تحت تأثیر عوامل مختلف حاکم بر ابعاد مختلف زندگی ایشان قرار دارد. در این پژوهش تحلیلی- توصیفی، ایتدا با استفاده از روش مطالعه کتابخانه‌ای، چارچوب مفهومی عوامل اثرگذار بر بهره‌وری زنان شاغل در ابعاد فردی، خانوادگی، نهادی و سازمانی و نیز، فرهنگی و اجتماعی شناسایی شد. سپس، با استفاده از روش دلفی تعدیل شده و به شیوه پرسشنامه، با استفاده از نظرات خبرگان (زنان متأهل دارای تحصیلات بالاتر از دیپلم و حداقل 10 سال سابقه شغلی)، از میان 35 معیار استخراج شده بر اساس مدل مفهومی فوق، 10 عامل مهم اثرگذار بر بهره‌وری زنان شاغل در قالب سه معیار مشارکت اقتصادی زنان، اشتغال رسمی و حفظ بنیان خانواده معرفی گردید. سپس، با بکارگیری روش تحلیل فرآیند سلسله مراتبی (AHP) و استفاده از نرم افزار Expert Choice این عوامل رتبه‌بندی شدند. نتایج نشان می‌دهد با تلفیق وزن عوامل در قالب سه معیار فوق، سه عامل؛ امنیت شغلی، مجوزهای قانونی و کیفیت نهادی و نیز، شرایط شغلی از جمله مهمترین عوامل مؤثر بر بهره‌وری زنان شاغل محسوب می‌شود. عامل گسترش خانواده، جایگاهی قابل‌انتظار در رتبه‌بندی عوامل مؤثر بر بهره‌وری زنان شاغل ندارد. دلیل این امر را شاید بتوان چنین تحلیل کرد که به دلیل گرایش روزافزون زنان به مشارکت در فعالیتهای اجتماعی- اقتصادی و نیاز به کسب درآمد، تمایل به گسترش خانواده (تأهل و فرزندآوری) کاهش یافته است.

کلیدواژه‌ها

• بهره‌وری زنان شاغل
• حفظ بنیان خانواده
• مشارکت اقتصادی زنان
• اشتغال رسمی زنان

موضوعات

• اقتصاد

عنوان مقاله [English]

Ranking of Factors Influencing the Productivity of Employed Women using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach

نویسندگان [English]

• Roghayeh Pouran ¹
• Hamideh Mohammadi ²

¹ Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

² Second-level student, Fatemeh al-Zahra Seminary for Women, Tehran, Iran.

چکیده [English]

In recent decades, the role of women in the labor market and their share in economic activities has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers and policymakers worldwide. In this context, new thematic areas have emerged in both theoretical and empirical literature. One of these topics is the productivity of working women. Productivity in employment refers to the amount of output (goods or services) produced by an individual or group in a specific time frame concerning the inputs (time, effort, resources, etc.) invested. This concept can be measured quantitatively (e.g., the number of products produced) or qualitatively (e.g., the quality of services provided) (Abtahi & Kazemi, 2000). When this concept is generalized to working women, considering the complexities of women's familial, social, and economic roles, the scientific definition of the productivity of working women necessitates a multifaceted approach that goes beyond merely measuring work outputs.

Recent research in development economics and labor has emphasized the importance of various factors in explaining the productivity of working women. Some of these studies attribute the productivity gap between women and men in labor markets, particularly in high-level jobs, to gender inequality and differences in their human capital, which lead to lower wages and responsibilities for women (Polachek, 1981; Goldin & Rouse, 2000; Black & Strahan, 2001). Contemporary literature also considers the impact of psychological and non-cognitive traits such as self-confidence, risk aversion, competitive acceptance, and interpersonal skills (Gneezy et al., 2009; Bertrand, 2011; Huang & Kisgen, 2013; Blau & Kahn, 2017).

In this analytical-descriptive study, we first identified the conceptual framework of factors impacting the productivity of employed women across individual, familial, institutional, organizational, and cultural-social dimensions using library research methods.

Methodology

In this research, in order to identify and rank the factors influencing women's productivity, the first step involved establishing a panel of experts consisting of married women aged 30 and above, with a minimum of 10 years of work experience in various activities, preferably with at least a bachelor's degree. After three rounds of discussions among 30 experts and the withdrawal of some individuals from the Delphi process, the opinions of the remaining 15 were used as the basis for prioritizing the factors affecting the productivity of working women. Furthermore, considering that the nature of the research is analytical-descriptive, after conducting a library study and identifying the factors affecting women's productivity using theoretical and empirical studies and employing the opinions of the Delphi experts, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used to rank the criteria.



The First Step:

Initially, the productivity criteria for working women (35 criteria) were provided to the panel members in the form of a questionnaire. In this questionnaire, experts' opinions were assessed regarding the approval or rejection of proposals or the provision of new criteria using open-ended questions. Possible challenges in implementing these criteria and suggested solutions were also inquired about. Using the Delphi method, the panel experts' opinions were gathered and analyzed through thematic analysis. Subsequently, the revised criteria were presented to the panel of experts in the form of a questionnaire to express their agreement or disagreement with the group's consolidated views on the proposed productivity criteria for working women.



The Second Step:

Based on the analysis of the information obtained from the first step, the criteria that serve as the basis for decision-making in the second level of the hierarchical analysis process in this research were determined as follows: 1- Family foundation preservation, 2- Women's economic participation, and 3- Women's formal employment. According to the conceptual model presented in the previous section and the Delphi expert method, women's productivity was summarized into three overarching criteria: First, family-related factors such as marital status, childbearing, and caregiving responsibilities are encompassed within a single criterion of "family foundation preservation." Second, women are motivated by factors such as economic independence, income generation, and gender equality, irrespective of the type of work, seeking "economic participation." Third, while pursuing economic participation, the type of job, job security, and legal guarantees are also significant to them. Therefore, the criterion of "women's formal employment" is considered a separate measure in relation to the productivity of working women.



The Tirth Step:

Finally, from among the 35 factors identified in the initial questionnaire by the panel of experts, 10 factors were recognized to assess their impact on women's productivity in the economy. Some factors were combined and expressed in broader propositions (third-level alternatives). These factors are: 1- Age, 2- Skills and education, 3- Job conditions and type of work in terms of hours and flexibility, 4- Wages, 5- Legal permits, 6- Family income, 7- Family expansion (marriage and childbearing), 8- Unemployment rate, 9- Job security, 10- Social justice. Ultimately, all 10 factors were categorized under the three identified criteria at the second level.

Findings

Research findings indicate that overall, the economic productivity of employed women, considering the criteria of preserving the family foundation, formal employment, and the enhancement of women's economic participation, is closely linked to job security, legal permits, institutional quality, as well as working conditions in terms of flexible working hours, parental leave, and quality access to childcare.



Conclusion

Research findings indicate that if all three criteria of family foundation preservation, formal employment, and the promotion of women's economic participation are considered simultaneously, there exists a close relationship among the factors affecting the productivity of employed women, job security, legal permits, institutional quality, and work conditions in terms of flexibility in working hours, parental leave, and access to childcare services. These factors hold significantly more importance than elements such as age, skill level, education, income, and social justice (in terms of gender discrimination). A noteworthy observation from the prioritization of factors influencing the productivity of employed women in this research is that the factor of family expansion does not hold an expected position in the ranking of impactful variables. This can perhaps be explained by the increasing inclination of women towards participation in socio-economic activities and the necessity to earn income, leading to a decrease in the desire to expand the family (marriage and childbearing). The sharp decline in population growth rates in recent years is a concrete manifestation of this discussion. In fact, the research findings emphasize this reality. Accordingly, in line with the concerns of policymakers and decision-makers in the country, if the goal of women's employment and increasing their economic participation is to be pursued alongside the objective of preserving the family foundation and consequently preventing the decline in women's fertility rates and population growth, the findings of this research suggest that: Firstly, job security plays a particularly important role in women's employment, especially during periods when, due to reasons such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, and childcare, there is a need for short-term leaves, necessitating special legal and institutional frameworks to facilitate flexibility in working hours and the nature of job performance. Secondly, at higher levels, in order to create opportunities for women's entry into major decision-making arenas, there is a need for the approval and acquisition of legal permits that can provide suitable grounds for promoting the quantitative and qualitative presence of women in social activities, while fostering social justice and eliminating gender discrimination.

کلیدواژه‌ها [English]

• Productivity of working women, preservation of the family foundation, women'
• s economic participation, formal employment of women