Investigation of Female Labor Force Participation Rate With Additive Models and Panel Data Models in Turkey

Abstract

In this study, it is aimed to determine the factors affecting the participation of women in the labor force in Turkey and to model the labor force participation rate with different statistical methods. For this purpose, 12 regions included in Statistical Region Units Classification (NUTS) Level 1 for the period of 2015-2020 were taken into consideration. Then, a one-way random effect panel data model was constructed by taking into account the variables of the labor force participation rate, employment rate, unemployment rate and education level, which are among the most important factors affecting women's labor force participation. Then, it is aimed to reveal the nonlinear effects of these determinants. For this purpose, considering the period of 1988-2019, additive and semiparametrik additive models were constructed by using the natural cubic spline for the effect of each determinant on the labor force participation rate with the roughness penalty approach. The constructed models were compared using adjusted Rsquare, deviation, generalized cross validity and Akaike information criterion, and the most suitable model was selected. These analyzes show that the unemployment rate, employment rate and population variables also have non-linear effects on the female labor force participation rate.