Assessing Alternative Perspectives on Race and Sex Employment Segregation

Abstract

Four major explanations for employment segregation—skill deficits, worker preferences, economic and organizational structure, and stereotyping/queuing—are assessed using a diverse and overlapping set of predictors: general skills and training, product market structure, race- and sex-typed tasks and conditions, desirable employment and growth rates, and links to other labor market actors. A two-stage measurement and analytic strategy controls for relevant worker-level factors. Data from the 1990 census PUMs are analyzed to measure the employment segregation of black women, black men, and white women in relation to white men across 1,917 labor market positions, net of human capital, family structure, geographic residence and labor supply. Archival data provide measures of variables characterizing labor market positions. Stereotyping and queuing explanations are broadly consistent with nearly all results, while a worker preference approach applies to somewhat fewer predictors and is largely but not wholly compatible with their effects. A skill deficits explanation applies to, and is supported by, a narrow set of findings, while the economic and organizational structure explanations are restricted in their relevance and receive limited support.