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Work more to earn more? The mixed feelings of Europeans
Author(s) -
DAVOINE Lucie,
MÉDA Dominique
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
international labour review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.433
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 1564-913X
pISSN - 0020-7780
DOI - 10.1111/j.1564-913x.2009.00047.x
Subject(s) - work (physics) , feeling , space (punctuation) , wish , economics , work experience , demographic economics , positive economics , labour economics , sociology , social psychology , psychology , mechanical engineering , linguistics , philosophy , anthropology , engineering
. Would Europeans prefer to work more or less? How do they rate the importance of work in society? Surveys suggest that they attach great importance to work, yet a proportion of them would like to see work take up less space in their lives. How to explain this paradox? Three hypotheses are examined in the light of the findings of international surveys: lower expectations in regard to work, the gap between those expectations and disappointing labour market experience and, lastly, the wish to devote more time to other activities. The article concludes with some policy suggestions.