Effects of relative advantage on time use in farm families

An assumption of comparative advantage is that all members in efficient households specialize in market or household work. Comparative advantage was examined in 1988/89 2-day time-use diary data from 283 OR farmers by measuring differences between husbands & wives in wages & schooling for nonfarm work, farm decision-making responsibility, & years lived on a farm for farm work. The hypothesis that the spouse with the advantage is assumed to spend more time in that work sector & less time in household work than the other is supported for market work. For farm decision making, results are consistent with the hypothesis but not significant. Years lived on a farm is consistent for husbands, but wives who have the comparative advantage do significantly less farm work than wives of men with the comparative advantage. Thus, experience may not be a good measure of comparative advantage, or perhaps farm work provides process satisfaction to farm men (& their wives) who work longer hours. 5 Tables, 9 References. Adapted from the source document.