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Showing posts with the label double income families

Decision Making as Output and Bounded Rationality

  The classical economics theories proceed on the assumption of rational agents. Rationality implies the economic agents undertake actions or exercise choices based on the cost-benefit analysis they undertake. The assumption further posits that there exists no information asymmetry and thus the agent is aware of all the costs and benefits associated with the choice he or she has exercised. The behavioral school contested the decision stating the decisions in practice are often irrational. Implied there is a continuous departure from rationality. Rationality in the views of the behavioral school is more an exception to the norm rather a rule. The past posts have discussed the limitations of this view by the behavioral school. Economics has often posited rationality in the context in which the choices are exercised rather than theoretical abstract view of rational action. Rational action in theory seems to be grounded in zero restraint situation yet in practice, there are numerous restra

Job- Family Balance: Trade Offs, Double Income and Single Income Families

Many believe that job-family balance is strictly a time management issue. With many women and men reporting difficulties in constantly adjusting to the demands of the double duties of employment and family in an atmosphere of economic insecurity, demanding jobs, and unsupported workplaces, tradeoffs become essential.    Yet inspite of these perceived difficulties, we do find existence of both single income and double income families. Let us explore this phenomenon through a lens of an economist. Economics posits the presence of trade-offs. Studies indicate the existence of both employment trade-offs and family trade-offs.   The former refer to sacrifices that people make in their jobs because of their family responsibilities and the latter refers to the other way round.   As individuals offer themselves in the labour market, the benefits accrue through increased income, increased knowledge and consequent associated higher living standards. This however results in decreased t