This repository contains the processing and analysis codes of the work planned to develop my doctoral thesis at the Institute of Sociology of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
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Study 1 (Macro process): Following the conceptualization of Cheng and Park (2020) of "mobility classes", the first paper aims to detect "occupational mobility classes" over a 10-year period in Chile. The key idea can be divided into 3 parts: 1) detect clusters using InfoMap and evaluate modularities over time with LinkRank, 2) Analyze how gender dissimilarity is distributed between occupation clusters, and 3) evaluate whether there are different cluster configurations (and topologies) by analyzing individual trajectories separated by gender.
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Study 2 (Microdynamics and mechanisms I): In this study I follow the proposals of Block (2023) and Lin and Hung (2022). I wonder about the contagion dynamics that underlie the emerging processes of occupational isomorphism in the occupational market in Chile. The study should evaluate 1) how distances on axes such as gender composition regulate mobility opportunities between pairs of occupations? And 2) To what extent do shared levels of segregation between connected occupations predict greater internal occupational segregation? The study explores recent developments by Block (Block et al., 2022) for developing analysis of mobility tables with ERGM models and, from there, seeks to develop contagion modeling strategies following the substantive theoretical ideas behind ALAAM models (Parker et al., 2022).
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Study 3 (Micro dynamics and mechanisms II): This study seeks to test the "Trojan horse" and "replacement" mechanisms. Specifically, I seek to explore differentiated effects by subgroups. For example, Arvidsson et al. (2021) mention that the strength of the Trojan horse mechanism probably varies according to the institutional framework. Other possible sources of heterogeneity are the life cycle stage, the educational level or the activity sector. Studying these variations would allow us to better understand the contours and limits of these processes. On the other hand, following the Block et al paper. (2023) we can understand that measuring occupational attributes at one point in time assumes a certain stability during the analyzed period. The possibility of unobserved changes in dimensions such as wages and income that could bias the estimated effects cannot be ruled out. In this sense, the analysis can be extended considering sensitivity analysis, repeated measures and quasi-experimental designs, which would provide robustness and evidence in favor of the mechanism. Another option is to investigate the underlying micro-foundations, that is, the psychosocial processes that operate at the individual and interpersonal level for these mechanisms to unfold. Is there a desire for distinction on the part of men when women enter certain occupations? Is there a legitimation effect when the first engineers follow the first female engineers in certain companies? What exactly leads men to leave occupations when more women join? This type of question would require qualitative or experimental methods.
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Study 4 (Mismatch): The phenomenon of mismatch in the labor market refers to a situation where the skills, education or other characteristics of workers do not match well with the requirements of available jobs. This imbalance between supply and demand for profiles generates friction and inefficiencies in the economy (Handel 2003; Leuven & Oosterbeek 2011). This study proposes to analyze the skills mismatch in the Chilean labor market from a temporal network perspective. The methodology will consist of constructing and comparing two different networks:
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An occupation-individual network, connecting workers with their occupational occupations over time. This network will then be projected onto an occupation-occupation network, summarizing aggregate mobility patterns between occupational categories.
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A skills-occupation network, connecting occupational profiles with the skills required to perform them. This network will also be projected to the occupation-occupation level to capture similarities and skill gaps between occupations.
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By comparing the convergence and temporal evolution of both occupational networks, the dynamics of the skills mismatch phenomenon in the workforce can be mapped. Critical areas will be identified where there are large gaps between the skills possessed by workers moving between occupations and their requirements. This network approach allows us to study mismatch as an emerging process of (non) convergence between supply and demand for skills, beyond aggregate stock comparisons.
- Bearman, P. (1997). Generalized Exchange. American Journal of Sociology, 102(5), 1383–1415. https://doi.org/10.1086/231087
- Cheng, S., & Park, B. (2020). Flows and Boundaries: A Network Approach to Studying Occupational Mobility in the Labor Market. American Journal of Sociology, 126(3), 577–631. https://doi.org/10.1086/712406
- Cornwell, B. (2015). Social sequence analysis: Methods and applications. Cambridge University Press.
- Knoke, D., Diani, M., Hollway, J., & Christopoulos, D. (2021). Multimodal Political Networks (1st ed.). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108985000
- Lin, K.-H., & Hung, K. (2022). The Network Structure of Occupations: Fragmentation, Differentiation, and Contagion. American Journal of Sociology, 127(5), 1551–1601. https://doi.org/10.1086/719407