Abstract:
Although much has been written on various aspects of women’s experience in the New Zealand economy, the last comprehensive account was made thirty years ago by economist Anne Horsfield. The aim of this thesis is to provide an update on women’s economic status since the 1980s. First, the definition of economic status is clarified. Second, using this definition, a range of selected statistical indicators are examined to provide an overall assessment of women’s economic status and the ways in which it has changed over the past three or so decades. In Horsfield’s account, the discussion is limited to similar statistical indicators. Indeed, in the existing literature on women’s economic experiences, minimal effort has been made to understand what may be driving the various trends identified in these data. As a point of difference, this thesis goes beyond the statistical narrative by drawing upon theories of institutions and institutional change advanced by Douglass C. North, Elinor Ostrom and Gérard Roland. With New Zealand cases we examine the short- and long-run implications for women’s economic status of institutional change generated by the complex interaction between formal (written) and informal (unwritten) institutions. Furthermore, the institutional focus of this thesis offers some insights for policymakers and academic researchers. First, the merits of ‘economic status’ as a conceptual tool to guide the objectives and formation of public policy are considered. Second, a penultimate chapter reflects on the challenges that continue to hinder empirical work within institutional economics. Prima facie, these challenges appear insurmountable. However, this thesis suggests that some research methods and econometric models have the potential not only to boost empirical work in this field; they may also help enrich our understanding of the underlying causes of change in the overall economic experiences of New Zealand women over time.