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Getting a Foot in the Door: “Learning,” State Dependence, and the Racial Integration of Firms

Author

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  • Whatley, Warren C.

Abstract

Economists have emphasized supply-side learning when explaining long-term trends in racial income differences. This article demonstrates that learning also occurred on the demand side. Estimation of a state-dependence model of the sequence of racial employment outcomes of firms in Cincinnati, Ohio, during World War I shows that the introduction of black workers into a previously all-white firm generated new experiences within the firm, altering its future racial employment decisions.This suggests that more research should be done on how firms and labor markets processed information about workers and how that influenced worker opportunities.

Suggested Citation

  • Whatley, Warren C., 1990. "Getting a Foot in the Door: “Learning,” State Dependence, and the Racial Integration of Firms," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 50(1), pages 43-66, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jechis:v:50:y:1990:i:01:p:43-66_03
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    Cited by:

    1. William J. Collins, 2003. "The Labor Market Impact of State-Level Anti-Discrimination Laws, 1940–1960," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 56(2), pages 244-272, January.
    2. Christopher L. Foote & Warren C. Whatley & Gavin Wright, 2003. "Arbitraging a Discriminatory Labor Market: Black Workers at the Ford Motor Company, 19181947," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 21(3), pages 493-532, July.
    3. Agrawal, David R. & Trandel, Gregory A., 2019. "Dynamics of policy adoption with state dependence," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    4. William A. Sundstrom, 1997. "Explaining the Racial Unemployment Gap: Race, Region, and the Employment Status of Men, 1940," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 50(3), pages 460-477, April.
    5. Collins, William J., 2021. "The Great Migration of Black Americans from the US South: A guide and interpretation," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    6. Anna Aizer & Ryan Boone & Adriana Lleras-Muney & Jonathan Vogel, 2020. "Discrimination and Racial Disparities in Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from WWII," NBER Working Papers 27689, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Andreas Ferrara, 2023. "Wars and the Labor Market Outcomes of Minorities in the U.S," NBER Working Papers 31811, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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