Gender differences in occupational mobility – evidence from Portugal

Abstract

In this paper we evaluate if gender influences the pattern of upward and downward occupational mobility. With data for Portugal in the period 1998–2009, we find that women have a lower probability of upward mobility and a higher probability of downward mobility. The results also reveal the importance of some other determinant factors, especially education and initial occupation. Additionally, considering an analysis in which we group occupations into four ranked categories (low, medium-low, medium-high, and high level occupations), we confirm that the determinants of occupational mobility depend on the ranking of the initial occupation. This analysis allows us to conclude that the unfavorable pattern of occupational mobility in the case of women is due, essentially, to the disadvantage they have at the bottom of the distribution. On the contrary, in the top occupations, the results suggest the existence of equality between genders.

Keywords:

• occupational mobility
• gender
• determinant factors
• Portugal

• JEL Classifications:
• J24
• J62

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Office of National Statistics (INE) for kindly providing us with the survey data and to the financial support from Fundação para a Ciência e para a Tecnologia (PIHM/GC/0115/2008 and PEst-OE/EGE/UI0315/2011). The usual disclaimer applies.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nuno Crespo

Nuno Crespo; Professor at ISCTE-IUL; Researcher at UNIDE-IUL; PhD in Economics at Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (ISEG-UTL).

Nadia Simoes

Nádia Simões; Professor at ISCTE-IUL; Researcher at UNIDE-IUL; PhD in Economics at Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (ISEG-UTL).

Sandrina B. Moreira

Sandrina B. Moreira; Professor at ESCE-IPS; Researcher at UNIDE-IUL; PhD in Economics at ISCTE-IUL.