Interview with Professor Ryan Herzog of the University of Oregon clarifies that a majority of the pay differential between men and women is due to the fields of work they are in.Men typically have jobs in higher paying fields such as business and finance and women choose more humanity- oriented professions.
Topic:Should the Obama administration work to eliminate pay inequality for women?
Category: Citizen/Interview
Interview Information:Ryan Herzog is an Adjunct Professor of Economics at the U of O who has specialized in International Macroeconomy,with a background in Labor Economy, for the past five years.The interview took place March 12,2009 with Bronwynn Manaois, a student in the university’s Journalism department.
Support:Prof. Herzog quotes statistics from NBER.org, an Economist website. He also draws upon his knowledge as an instructor and from his own studies.
Source Analysis: Prof. Herzog is employed by the U of O and had no motive for conducting the interview other than as a request by his student.
Usefulness: Prof.Herzog added a lot of insight to understanding my topic. He believes that each individual provides a value to their firm and should be paid according to that value. He states that the gaps between men and women’s pay is because of the fields they have selected , although he believes there is outright discrimination occurring. The difficulty, he asserts, is in showing that there is discrimination. Prof. Herzog is confident that ten years from now we will see the pay differential correcting , reflecting the current efforts of women learning higher paying fields. Although these actions are happening now, there is a lag in assembling the data and doing economic analysis of the labor. This same lag may explain that the information we have now is somewhat behind the times for the nationwide average pay scales.
Prof. Herzog states that ” the birth control pill and the microwave allowed women to participate in the labor force.” He admits this statement is ” sexist, but true.” He attributes this to cultural values of the woman being the traditional homemaker and the man as breadwinner. He says that society as a whole has held on to these stereotypes, even in today’s “Politically Correct” climate. Prof. Herzog has seen the wage gap decline over time, but maintains there is still a gap. He concludes with the statement, ” Women should not be punished for having babies.”
Works Cited: NBER.org
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