Women's Occupations and Local Labor Markets: 1950 to 1980

Abstract

Using published 1950-1980 census data for a random sample of 50 large US labor markets the authors examine effects of male/female supply characteristics and female demand characteristics on womens access to the labor market generally and to specific white collar occupations. The authors find general support for their hypotheses although the strength of the model varies among specific occupational categories. The hypotheses about the effects of womens supply characteristics the supply of men and demand factors were fairly well supported when they looked at womens share of jobs. More women with family responsibilities (as measured by marital distribution) meant that women had a smaller proportion of jobs overall with this effect decreasing over time. A higher percentage of women with high school diplomas meant a larger work force share for women with this effect increasing over time. Relatively more men in the population decreased womens share of jobs although the effect of the sex ratio has been declining. Where more men are unemployed women had a larger share of employment with this effect being stable over these decades. A larger part of the employed population in government increased womens share as did a southern location. This increase in the effect of percentage of the employed in manufacturing seems to reflect growth of high-tech industries which employ more women.