Summary for the book the economics of women, men, and work, blau, ferber, & winkler, 6th edition, 2006 prentice hall, pearson education, inc

The paper  “ Economics of Women, Men, and Work by Blau, Francine, Marianne Ferber, Ann Winkler” is an intriguing example of a book review on human resources. Changes in the labor market are continuing to alter not only the basic economy.  Alterations with family and home, as well as gender identity, are also developing and changing the lifestyle which many have.  In the book, Economics of Women, Men, and Work, there are specific perceptions of how the concepts of gender identity and family coincide with the changes in the economy and the labor market.  Segments of this book provide the reader with a deeper understanding of how this is changing with macroeconomics as well as through individual levels of living.  Family structures, as well as the concept of what it means to live a comfortable life,  are not only changing because of what individuals believe.  Instead, there is a belief that the concept of family is based on what is required for the labor market and is centered around creating new lifestyle systems that are based on the market demand.

Family Structures
The first concept that is shown in the book of economics is how the family structure is beginning to alter specifically because of the labor market.  The required lifestyle for most families is changing because of the needs for comfort and financial means.  At the same time, the labor market is also shifting with the need to have diverse workers and more resources available.  Marriages, family structure, and couple families are all beginning to alter because of the needs within the market.  The authors point out that marriages are now being based not only on love marriages but are becoming centered on the market needs and the way in which different families can build a comfortable home for themselves.  The family structure is also changing, specifically, because there are needs for resources within the market which parents have to comply with, leaving children and other members of the family with changing activities and rules which apply to the compliance with labor regulations.  The family is now being recognized as an economic unit, which is built from providing a lifestyle that is comfortable and which is able to thrive through the income and career that the parents are able to hold for their children.

The family structure that is altering is not only shifting the basic family structure but also is beginning to change the roles of women and men in the household.  The previous needs were based on women who would stay at home and would provide the domestic care of the home.  However, the demands for the labor market have also caused the cost of living to alter.  The gender roles are now based on both the husband and wife working.  The market prices have continued to increase, which has led to women and men needing a higher amount of income for basic care.  The gender identity is beginning to balance and become equivalent to work and is altering the way in which households are structured, specifically to provide a stronger quality of life to the family structure.  The changes within the family structure are altering as well, specifically because time is being divided between the home and the labor market.  The functions of the family are centered on when the parents have to work and when they are at home.  Children are then required to base outside events and activities around the demands of the labor market, while parents are adjusting the structure of the family specifically because of the market demands.

Gender Identity and the Market
The concept of gender roles and identity is also beginning to fluctuate because of the market.  The occupations and earnings that are between women and men had a large gap.  Men were provided with more education and opportunities for the occupations that they held.  The earnings were higher because of this and more abilities to change one’s occupation and to move up in a specific field were available for men.  However, the 1990s led to a forced change because of the demands in the market as well as the lifestyle of different homes.  Single mothers began to move into the market with the same capabilities as men with the need to make a larger amount of income.  The pressured change has led to a new set of concepts for gender identity where women are slowly closing the gap between education and wages.  Even though there are still several gaps with the capabilities of men and women, the traditional roles are slowly being recreated for an equal workforce.  The push from single mothers in the 1990s has now led several families to have joint earnings with women and men holding similar roles within their career field.

The concepts that apply to the book of The Economics of Women, Men, and Work show that there are now contrasts with how individuals work and have changed their lifestyle to meet the demands of the market.  Both women and men have restructured the marriages and family life for comfortable living.  However, this is no longer based on lifestyle within the concept of enjoyment or family but is instead based on the labor market and the demands one has for work.  The labor market demands have led to joint family incomes, changes within the household and restructuring of how time is spent within families.  The market has also created new demands and opportunities for both genders and is continuing to close the gender gap between men and women as more demands for resources in the market are displayed.  For men and women, the economics are beginning to change from individual lifestyles and into the overall economic structure.