How do occupations structure labour market processes? : a theoretical institutional sketch

Abstract

"The aim of this essay is to elaborate a proposal on how the phenomenon of a profession can be put into a theoretical framework and can be integrated into the current theoretical debate in sociological research on the labour market and inequality. The central assertion is that occupations can be understood as institutions which couple the educational system to the labour market and whose degree of institutionalisation varies - and that this institutional variance has an effect on the functioning of the labour market and the positional opportunities of the actors. This look at occupations will be dealt with together with a treatment of the transaction cost theory. The relevance of this approach will then be shown in order to explain labour market processes using an empirical example. Here it is shown that the homogeneity of educational qualifications in a profession, as an indicator of its institutionalisation, influences the occupational level of wages." (author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Abraham, M., Damelang, A. & Schulz, F. (2011): Wie strukturieren Berufe Arbeitsmarktprozesse? Eine institutionentheoretische Skizze. (LASER discussion papers 55), Erlangen, 25 p.