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A Social Network Analysis of Occupational Segregation

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  • Marco van der Leij

    (University of Alicante)

  • Sebastian Buhai

    (Aarhus University)

Abstract

We propose an equilibrium interaction model of occupational segregation and labor market inequality between two social groups, generated exclusively through the documented tendency to refer informal job seekers of identical "social color". The expected social color homophily in job referrals strategically induces distinct career choices for individuals from different social groups, which further translates into stable partial occupational segregation equilibria with sustained wage and employment inequality -- in line with observed patterns of racial or gender labor market disparities. Supporting the qualitative analysis with a calibration and simulation exercise, we furthermore show that both first and second best utilitarian social optima entail segregation, any integration policy requiring explicit distributional concerns. Our framework highlights that the mere social interaction through homophilous contact networks can be a pivotal channel for the propagation and persistence of gender and racial labor market gaps, complementary to long studied mechanisms such as taste or statistical discrimination.
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Suggested Citation

  • Marco van der Leij & Sebastian Buhai, 2010. "A Social Network Analysis of Occupational Segregation," 2010 Meeting Papers 554, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    • Handle: RePEc:red:sed010:554
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    Cited by:

    1. Sergio Currarini & Fernando Vega Redondo, 2010. "Search and Homophily in Social Networks," Working Papers 2010_24, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    2. Zenou, Yves & De Martí, Joan, 2009. "Ethnic Identity and Social Distance in Friendship Formation," CEPR Discussion Papers 7566, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Kahanec, Martin, 2007. "Ethnic Competition and Specialization," IZA Discussion Papers 3167, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Pintea Mihaela, 2020. "Dynamics of female labor force participation and welfare with multiple social reference groups," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 20(1), pages 1-23, January.
    5. Toomet, Ott & Van Der Leij, Marco & Rolfe, Meredith, 2013. "Social networks and labor market inequality between ethnicities and races," Network Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(3), pages 321-352, December.
    6. Nuno Crespo & Nadia Simoes & Sandrina B. Moreira, 2014. "Gender differences in occupational mobility - evidence from Portugal," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(4), pages 460-481, July.
    7. Tiago V. V. Cavalcanti & Chryssi Giannitsarou, 2017. "Growth and Human Capital: A Network Approach," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 127(603), pages 1279-1317, August.
    8. POTHIER, David, 2012. "Referral Networks and the Allocation of Talent," Economics Working Papers ECO2012/18, European University Institute.
    9. Gauer, Florian & Landwehr, Jakob, 2014. "Continuous homophily and clustering in random networks," Center for Mathematical Economics Working Papers 515, Center for Mathematical Economics, Bielefeld University.
    10. Balázs Lengyel & Rikard H. Eriksson, 2015. "Co-worker networks and productivity growth in regions," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1513, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised May 2015.
    11. Balázs Lengyel & Rikard H. Eriksson, 2017. "Co-worker networks, labour mobility and productivity growth in regions," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 17(3), pages 635-660.
    12. Andre Hofmeyr, 2010. "Social Networks And Ethnic Niches: An Econometric Analysis Of The Manufacturing Sector In South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 78(1), pages 107-130, March.
    13. Horváth, Gergely, 2014. "Occupational mismatch and social networks," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 442-468.
    14. Pothier, David, 2012. "Referral networks and the allocation of talent," MPRA Paper 39895, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. David Pothier, 2018. "Occupational Segregation and the (Mis)allocation of Talent," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 120(1), pages 242-267, January.
    16. Araujo, Luis & Minetti, Raoul, 2011. "Knowledge sharing and the dynamics of social capital," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(8), pages 1109-1119.

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    JEL classification:

    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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