The Economics of Women, Men and Work by Blau - Book Report/Review Example

The chapter has discussed the importance of family in the contemporary environment where it primarily functions as an important economic unit. The head of the family and adults continue to make rational decisions based on informed choices for the wider welfare of the family members and not for individuals within the family. Despite the shifting paradigm of social structure which poses more challenges, the family continues to act as an integrated economic unit, especially in semi-urban regions. In the contemporary transforming values of societies, gender biases have become more prominent, especially where women add to the family income. At the same time, multicultural societies encompassing racial and ethnic identities have also contributed to split socio-political views of new family composition or structure. But Blau et al (2009) are emphatic that despite changing dynamics of societies, the significant contribution of gender stratification to the economy of the family has not only been maintained but also emerged as its major strength. (277)

Chapter 4 

          Blau et al (2009) declare that allocation of time between household and labor market is linked to home labor time. Within the family, the market goods are changed into commodities that are used for the optimal good of the family. They insist that the time spent on home production equally important as time spent on paid labor that helps to buy goods from the market. They clarify that goods and services bought from the market need to be used in such a manner so as to maximize their worth for the family. Therefore, if the purchased goods do not deliver the desired result due to the lack of time that the home labor spends on converting the goods into useful commodities for the family, the objective of earning or the paid labor would not be realized. 

          The authors’ views have given a new and important perspective to the division of labor within and outside the home life. Home production is a vital part of home economics as it converts the purchased merchandise into useful commodities which are utilized for the family as a whole. Thus, home production fruitfully utilizes the outside earning which the paid labor brings within the family. The chapter has highlighted the importance of women who remain at home and significantly contribute to home economics. The status of women, who have been traditionally been considered as a non-paid and not important economic unit within the family, has now been raised to key labor participants of home production units without whom the earnings of paid labor cannot be realized. The authors justifiably claim that gender equality must become an intrinsic part of social structure as it significantly influences the consumption of market goods and services. (284)

Chapter 5 

The chapter has discussed the dichotomy in the roles of men and women, especially vis-à-vis home economics. The authors believe that the difference in the roles was considerably reduced when the women started contributing financially to the household expenses. The feminist movement was significant because it encouraged women to work outside their homes and become paid labor who were able to contribute significantly to home economics. They were also able to realize their importance as an individual within their own rights. Despite working long hours at home, the women were hitherto denied as part of the economic unit. The wage work thus provided women with more importance as individuals who are equally capable of contributing to home economics.

The women who do household chores have also been put at par with the paid labor as home productions are intrinsically linked to home economics where market goods are converted into useful commodities. Interestingly, the authors have also raised the issue of gender segregation in an occupation which highlights gender inequality.  But they are also optimistic that working outside the home has also provided women with more challenges and significantly contribute to the narrowing economic disparity between the genders. In contemporary times, affirmative action and reduced discrimination in job allocation have been important factors that have helped promote gender equity in wages. The authors say that understanding gender issues has become critical for optimal production within and outside home economics as the changing dynamics of social structure have become more complex.