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Occupational Choice across Generations

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  • Amelie Constant
  • Klaus F. Zimmermann

Abstract

There are few studies on occupational choices in Germany, and the second generation occupational choice and mobility is even less investigated. Such research is important because occupations determine success in the labor market. In a country like Germany occupations also reflect a general socio-economic standing. This paper looks at the patterns of employment in Germany, analyzes how individual men and women access jobs given their family background, and investigates why men and women have different occupational distributions. Based on the German Socio-Economic Panel we estimate multinominal logit models of occupational choice for thechildren of immigrants as well as for the natives. Our findings are surprisingly similar for both natives and immigrants. For both Germans and immigrants, we find that gender significantly and differentially affects occupational choice, and that individuals with more education choose higher ranking jobs. The role of experience is important for natives and qualified individuals only. Germans are more likely to choose occupations similar to their fathers' occupation when their father is in the white collar or professional category. In stark contrast, the immigrants occupational choice is more influenced by their mother's education and not by their fathers' occupation.

Suggested Citation

  • Amelie Constant & Klaus F. Zimmermann, 2004. "Occupational Choice across Generations," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 395, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp395
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    Cited by:

    1. Baul, Tushi, 2013. "Self-selection and peer-effects in experimental labor markets," ISU General Staff Papers 201301010800004327, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    2. Barrera, Oscar & Bensidoun, Isabelle & Edo, Anthony, 2022. "Second-Generation Immigrants and Native Attitudes Toward Immigrants in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 15393, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Katrin John & Stephan Thomsen, 2014. "Heterogeneous returns to personality: the role of occupational choice," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 553-592, September.
    4. Crystal Zhan, 2022. "Wage distributions in origin societies and occupational choices of immigrant generations in the USA," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 35(1), pages 89-133, January.
    5. Raluca Prelipceanu, 2010. "A Gendered Approach To Temporary Labour Migration And Cultural Norms The Case Of Migration From Romania," Romanian Journal of Regional Science, Romanian Regional Science Association, vol. 4(1), pages 54-90, JUNE.
    6. Corneo, Giacomo, 2013. "Work norms, social insurance and the allocation of talent," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 79-92.
    7. Chakraborty, Shankha & Thompson, Jon C. & Yehoue, Etienne B., 2016. "The culture of entrepreneurship," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 288-317.
    8. Magno Rogerio Gomes & Marina Silva Cunha & Solange Cassia Inforzato Souza & Paulo Jorge Reis Mourão, 2023. "Reproduction of Parental Occupations, Income and Poverty in Brazil," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 339-362, June.
    9. Ira N. Gang & Kunal Sen & Myeong-Su Yun, 2017. "Is Caste Destiny? Occupational Diversification among Dalits in Rural India," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 29(2), pages 476-492, April.
    10. Larry L. Howard & Nishith Prakash, 2012. "Do employment quotas explain the occupational choices of disadvantaged minorities in India?," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(4), pages 489-513, August.
    11. Raluca Prelipceanu, 2008. "A Gendered Approach to Temporary Labour Migration and Cultural Norms. Evidence from Romania," Post-Print halshs-00344790, HAL.
    12. Oscar Barrera & Isabelle Bensidoun & Anthony Edo, 2022. "Second-generation immigrants and native attitudes toward immigrants in Europe," Working Papers 2022-03, CEPII research center.
    13. repec:lan:wpaper:4356 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Cat-My Dang & Aki Harima, 2020. "Dual Embeddedness and Entrepreneurial Activities of Second-Generation Ethnic Entrepreneurs: Multiple Case Studies with Vietnamese Entrepreneurs in Germany," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 6(1), pages 84-113, January.
    15. repec:lan:wpaper:4484 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Huebener, Mathias, 2019. "Life expectancy and parental education," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 351-365.
    17. Rahmah Ismail & Maryam Farhadi & Chung‐Khain Wye, 2017. "Occupational Segregation and Gender Wage Differentials: Evidence from Malaysia," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 31(4), pages 381-401, December.
    18. A Aggarwal & R Freguglia & G Johnes & G Spricigo, 2011. "Education and labour market outcomes : evidence from India," Working Papers 615663, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    19. Zhan, Crystal, 2020. "Wage Distributions in Origin Societies and Occupational Choices of Immigrant Generations in the US," GLO Discussion Paper Series 685, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    20. repec:lan:wpaper:4355 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Nabamita Dutta & Saibal Kar & Russell S. Sobel, 2021. "What influences entrepreneurship among skilled immigrants in the USA? Evidence from micro-data," Business Economics, Palgrave Macmillan;National Association for Business Economics, vol. 56(3), pages 146-154, July.
    22. Hammermann, Andrea & Mohnen, Alwine, 2012. "Who Benefits from Benefits? Empirical Research on Tangible Incentives," IZA Discussion Papers 6284, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    23. Natalie Obergruber, 2018. "Microeconometric Analysis of Individual and Institutional Determinants of Education and Occupational Choice," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 80.
    24. Ham, Roger & Junankar, Pramod N. (Raja) & Wells, Robert, 2009. "Occupational Choice: Personality Matters," IZA Discussion Papers 4105, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    25. repec:lan:wpaper:4789 is not listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Occupational choice; Intergenerational issues; Human capital; Migration;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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