Attitudes of Czech University Graduates towards the Position of Women in the Labour Market

Abstract

This paper brings an overview of theoretical -economic and sociological -approaches to gender differences in the labour market. Major shortcomings of these theories are underscored using Czech and foreign empirical studies. The empirical part of the study is based on gender theories that highlight the influence of biases concerning the female labour force on the behaviour of employers, employees and those preparing for employment. Based on data from empirical research, we explore the existence of these biases among Czech university graduates. An interpretation of a lower position of women in the labour market which is held by the educational elite is also investigated. For that purpose, the collected data are analysed in a quantitative statistical as well as qualitative explorative way. The results showed that women often tend to interpret gender differences in the labour market, such as payment differences and the segregation of men and women into different labour sectors, branches, professions, firms, work collectives and positions, as discriminatory, while men interpret them more often as a result of women's nature. Although comparable data among the whole Czech population were not available, results of the research on university graduates (employers, employees, superiors and employees without subordinates) indicate that it is possible to use theories that highlight biases as a source of gender discrimination in the labour market as a basis for the research of the lower position of women in the current Czech labour market.