Prof. Dr. Skerdilajda Zanaj, from the department of Economics and Management has recently published a paper alongside Professor Athanasios Lapatinas from the University of Ioannina and Anastasia Litina from the University of Macedonia, in which they advance the hypothesis that economic complexity (ECI) is related to cultural changes and gender norms. Gender norms, encompassing social and cultural attitudes that dictate suitable behaviours for women and men, are pivotal in shaping societal dynamics.
This paper explores the complex relationship between knowledge accumulation, as reflected in a nation’s economic complexity, and its gender norms. Studying data from 64,954 individuals across 49 countries and their respective countries’ economic complexity indices has exposed an important correlation.
At lower levels of economic complexity, there is a contrary connection between less rigid gender norms and advanced technological. This suggests that the initial stages of knowledge accumulation are related to inflexible gender norms, particularly regarding women’s roles within households. However, as economic complexity exceeds a certain threshold, this correlation reverses. Further knowledge accumulation aligns with more adaptable gender norms, indicating a shift towards less rigidity, especially concerning women’s roles in the public sphere.
To understand the relationship and its complexity in details, read the full article in free access.
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