Comments on: Do Women Make Less Because They Prefer Fixed Salaries? http://www.businesspundit.com/do-women-make-less-because-they-prefer-fixed-salaries/ Entrepreneurship, Startup Companies and Business Philosophy Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:31:15 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Kevin Brancato http://www.businesspundit.com/do-women-make-less-because-they-prefer-fixed-salaries/comment-page-1/#comment-709 Kevin Brancato Thu, 23 Mar 2006 01:56:40 +0000 http://www.businesspundit.com.php5-6.websitetestlink.com/?p=2604#comment-709 Laurence and David, I have to agree with you both. The lack of credibility is precisely why I don't like "economic experiments"; I believe that the decisions and tasks undertaken in the lab do not OFTEN take into account the way people think about real world decisions. It's like they've isolated people in a bubble for a few hours, and then asked them how much they enjoy the fresh spring air outside... I don't want to denigrate the experimental work too much -- it has some very good uses, and some of my best friends are economic experimentalists at GMU. I have been talking about the problems with such experiments for so long, I just wanted to start on a different direction. Laurence and David,

I have to agree with you both.

The lack of credibility is precisely why I don’t like “economic experiments”; I believe that the decisions and tasks undertaken in the lab do not OFTEN take into account the way people think about real world decisions. It’s like they’ve isolated people in a bubble for a few hours, and then asked them how much they enjoy the fresh spring air outside…

I don’t want to denigrate the experimental work too much — it has some very good uses, and some of my best friends are economic experimentalists at GMU. I have been talking about the problems with such experiments for so long, I just wanted to start on a different direction.

]]> By: David Foster http://www.businesspundit.com/do-women-make-less-because-they-prefer-fixed-salaries/comment-page-1/#comment-708 David Foster Thu, 23 Mar 2006 00:09:05 +0000 http://www.businesspundit.com.php5-6.websitetestlink.com/?p=2604#comment-708 Kevin...notice that the original study was conducted (a)in an artificial environment and (b)in Germany. I'm not sure that decisions made about pursuing an opportunity for 20 Euros can be generalized to real-life career decisions. Also, the problem involved a specific skill (multiplication) so it's possible that what was really being measured was the person's perception of his own relative multiplication skills. And I suspect that attitudes toward work (and gender roles in work) are somewhat different in Germany than they are in the USA. Kevin…notice that the original study was conducted (a)in an artificial environment and (b)in Germany. I’m not sure that decisions made about pursuing an opportunity for 20 Euros can be generalized to real-life career decisions. Also, the problem involved a specific skill (multiplication) so it’s possible that what was really being measured was the person’s perception of his own relative multiplication skills.

And I suspect that attitudes toward work (and gender roles in work) are somewhat different in Germany than they are in the USA.

]]> By: laurence haughton http://www.businesspundit.com/do-women-make-less-because-they-prefer-fixed-salaries/comment-page-1/#comment-707 laurence haughton Wed, 22 Mar 2006 22:34:30 +0000 http://www.businesspundit.com.php5-6.websitetestlink.com/?p=2604#comment-707 You make a good point Kevin but... 1) What's the statistical validity of the original study? 2) How does the original study "cut across all women, even "all" German women? 3) What can you learn from the question "do the women working for you earn less than the men working for you?" There are so many possible reasons why the men and women could differ. David is (for me and you I think) presenting some intuitions suggesting that we dig further and question this study's conclusions. That said you are right (as the maxim says) "for example is not proof." You make a good point Kevin but…

1) What’s the statistical validity of the original study?

2) How does the original study “cut across all women, even “all” German women?

3) What can you learn from the question “do the women working for you earn less than the men working for you?” There are so many possible reasons why the men and women could differ.

David is (for me and you I think) presenting some intuitions suggesting that we dig further and question this study’s conclusions. That said you are right (as the maxim says) “for example is not proof.”

]]> By: Kevin Brancato http://www.businesspundit.com/do-women-make-less-because-they-prefer-fixed-salaries/comment-page-1/#comment-706 Kevin Brancato Wed, 22 Mar 2006 18:22:46 +0000 http://www.businesspundit.com.php5-6.websitetestlink.com/?p=2604#comment-706 Personal experience is helpful challenging the assumptions and results of this type of study, but is unhelpful for validation -- unless you have come to personally know a statistically valid sample of working women. David's reply is a good example of this; his objection is coherent and strong, but doesn't cut across all working women. So my first question for David would be, "do the women working for you earn less than the men working for you?" Of course, I cannot and do not expect David to answer, but I think my point is clear. Personal experience is helpful challenging the assumptions and results of this type of study, but is unhelpful for validation — unless you have come to personally know a statistically valid sample of working women.

David’s reply is a good example of this; his objection is coherent and strong, but doesn’t cut across all working women.

So my first question for David would be, “do the women working for you earn less than the men working for you?” Of course, I cannot and do not expect David to answer, but I think my point is clear.

]]> By: David Foster http://www.businesspundit.com/do-women-make-less-because-they-prefer-fixed-salaries/comment-page-1/#comment-705 David Foster Wed, 22 Mar 2006 16:51:34 +0000 http://www.businesspundit.com.php5-6.websitetestlink.com/?p=2604#comment-705 I'm suspicious of this conclusion. If women are less willing to accept risk-based compensation plans, then why are there so many women in sales? Virtually all sales compensation systems are performance-based. I'm also not convinced that women in general negotiate for themselves less aggressively than men...certainly, there have been few shrinking-violet types among the women working for me... I’m suspicious of this conclusion. If women are less willing to accept risk-based compensation plans, then why are there so many women in sales? Virtually all sales compensation systems are performance-based.

I’m also not convinced that women in general negotiate for themselves less aggressively than men…certainly, there have been few shrinking-violet types among the women working for me…

]]> By: Brian Balfour http://www.businesspundit.com/do-women-make-less-because-they-prefer-fixed-salaries/comment-page-1/#comment-704 Brian Balfour Wed, 22 Mar 2006 08:26:17 +0000 http://www.businesspundit.com.php5-6.websitetestlink.com/?p=2604#comment-704 I also recently read a study that proved a reason women earn less is that they tend to negotiate their salary less then men do. I also recently read a study that proved a reason women earn less is that they tend to negotiate their salary less then men do.

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