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Related Experiment Videos

Explaining women's employment patterns: 'orientations to work' revisited

R Crompton1, F Harris

  • 1Department of Sociology, University of Leicester.

The British Journal of Sociology
|May 7, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Employment structures for men and women result from both individual choices and societal constraints. This study integrates sociological and economic perspectives, using cross-national data to support this dual explanation.

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Area of Science:

  • Sociology
  • Labor Economics
  • Gender Studies

Background:

  • Persistent differences in men's and women's employment structures are a long-standing debate in social sciences.
  • Sociological perspectives emphasize structural constraints limiting women's opportunities, even after formal barriers are removed.
  • Neoclassical economic theories highlight individual choice, with some scholars suggesting occupational segregation reflects women's 'type'-based decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interplay of choice and constraint in shaping employment structures for both men and women.
  • To bridge the gap between sociological and economic explanations of gendered employment patterns.
  • To test a unified framework using cross-national comparative data.

Main Methods:

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  • Utilized a framework from a previous debate on men's 'orientations to work'.
  • Employed cross-nationally comparative biographical interviews.
  • Collected data from participants across five different countries.

    • Main Results:

    • Employment structures are demonstrated to be a product of both individual choice and structural constraints.
    • This dual explanation applies equally to men's and women's employment patterns.
    • Evidence supports an integrated model over single-factor explanations.

    Conclusions:

    • Both choice and constraint are crucial determinants of employment structures for all genders.
    • A nuanced understanding requires considering individual agency alongside societal and economic factors.
    • Cross-national evidence validates the combined influence of choice and constraint on labor market participation and segregation.