Gender-Differentiated Poverty among Migrant Workers: Aggregation and Decomposition Analysis of the Chinese Case for the Years 2012–2018

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

[Agriculture-1691123] Gender-differentiated poverty among migrant workers: Aggregation and decomposition analysis of the Chinese case for the years 2012–2018

Review:

This study uses data collected from Chinese Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2012 to 2018 to construct a relative poverty index for aggregating multidimensions of poverty and examine the gender differences of Chinese migrant workers. To validate the existence of gender bias, this study conducted a decomposition analysis based on Unconditional Quantile Regression (UCQR). The results imply that even with gender discrimination, female migrants are generally better off than male migrant workers due to their slight characteristic-led advantages. More targeted payment transfer and empowering projects for female migrant workers are required.

Comments:

1. This study focuses on the relative poverty and gender differences in poverty for migrant workers; the spatial distribution of the sample of migrant workers is crucial in interpreting the results. The relative poverty in the first-tier cities could be very different from the third-tier cities in China, and I could not see the author consider any spatial pattern in their analysis. Please provide estimation/discussion from the spatial perspective.
2. Besides migrant workers moving, how does the estimation help understand the poverty of migrant workers moving from one city to another?
3. When constructing relative poverty incidence (by A-F aggregation) at the group level and average relative deprivation (by UCQR) at the individual level, both steps ignore the gender difference but put age, education etc. The results may capture the missing variables in these stages for the “gender-differentiated” poverty. Authors must provide a strong rationale for why many individual characteristics are included but not gender in constructing the relative poverty index. Otherwise, the misspecification could lead to a misinterpretation of the results.
4. Usually, relative poverty is measured as the percentage of the population with income less than some fixed proportion of median income. This is a calculation of the percentage of people whose family household income falls below the Poverty Line and how the current estimation compares and contrasts with the traditional way of measuring relative poverty.
5. The practical implications seem to be creating gender discrimination. Most poverty-reduction measures are gender-neutral because it is no ground to justify that some resources should be allocated to a particular gender.
6. The conclusion is weak as the limitations of the study are more than the findings, or it should be combined with the Discussion Section.

 

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.doc

Reviewer 2 Report

This is an interesting paper and I enjoyed reading it. However, there are essential weaknesses that need to be addressed.

0) Abstract: Authors should state their contribution in terms of issue problems solved or ameliorated, theory or policy dilemmas resolved, or the like. Abstract should offer at least one example of a theoretical or managerial implication that authors concluded after their work.

1) The introductory/opening section should communicate a little clearer the literature gaps, as well as the study's aims & objectives in order to facilitate the flow of the study.

2) Additional references to recent & relevant empirical studies could increase the quality of the research paper and provide a much clearer message to the reader - these may help you building your discussion which needs to be extended. Add the following to your reference list:

Aibar-Guzmán, B., García-Sánchez, I., Aibar-Guzmán, C., & Hussain, N. (2022). Sustainable product innovation in agri-food industry: Do ownership structure and capital structure matter? Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 7(1), 100160. https://https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2021.100160

Gil-Alana, L. A., Škare, M., & Claudio-Quiroga, G. (2020). Innovation and knowledge as drivers of the ‘great decoupling’in China: Using long memory methods. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 5(4), 266–278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2020.08.003

Ye, Y., Chen, S., & Li, C. (2022). Financial technology as a driver of poverty alleviation in China: Evidence from an innovative regression approach. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 7(1), 100164. https://https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2022.100164

3) The statistical treatment is acceptable.

4) At the end of the ´Conclusion´ section, the author should include clear statements as to where research should now go.

5) Carefully check the references, so as to make sure they are all complete and follow the Guidelines to Authors.

6) The paper needs to be revised by an English native speaker. Some expressions need to be revised and given a fresh approach by an experienced native proof reader.

Thank you for the opportunity to read the paper.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.doc

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

The authors have addressed my comments and improved the paper.

Reviewer 2 Report

Nothing, good paper.