This paper investigates the joint resource allocation of households usinga utility-maximizing model. The joint time allocation model is formulated, from which a nonlinear Tobit model is derived. The model parameters are estimated using empirical data collected through household time allocationsurveys held in 2003 in Tokyo and Toyama, Japan. Four models a weekday model and a weekend day model for Tokyo and Toyama each are estimated. The empirical analysis reveals the common characteristics between the two cities with respect to the childs gender; the husbands weekly non-working days, allowance, and job; and the wifes age and job that significantly influence the households welfare. The empirical analysis also reveals different characteristics between the two cities. First, the greater the number of children in a household, the higher is the significance of the husband and wifes joint out-of-home leisure activity on a weekday for household welfare in Tokyo, and the lower is the same in Toyama. Second, the greater the non-working days of the husbands, the lower is the significance of their individual out-of-home leisure activities on a weekday for household welfare in Tokyo and the higher is the same in Toyama. These characteristics may reflect the locals attitudes in intra-household interaction. (A) Reprinted with permission from Elsevier.
Samenvatting