
arXiv: 2004.09293
We propose an equilibrium interaction model of occupational segregation and labor market inequality between two social groups, generated exclusively through the documented tendency to refer informal job seekers of identical "social color". The expected social color homophily in job referrals strategically induces distinct career choices for individuals from different social groups, which further translates into stable partial occupational segregation equilibria with sustained wage and employment inequality -- in line with observed patterns of racial or gender labor market disparities. Supporting the qualitative analysis with a calibration and simulation exercise, we furthermore show that both first and second best utilitarian social optima entail segregation, any integration policy requiring explicit distributional concerns. Our framework highlights that the mere social interaction through homophilous contact networks can be a pivotal channel for the propagation and persistence of gender and racial labor market gaps, complementary to long studied mechanisms such as taste or statistical discrimination.
Social Networks; Inbreeding Bias; Occupational Segregation; Labour Market Inequality, FOS: Computer and information sciences, social networks, 330, Labor markets, Social Networks; Occupational Segregation; Labour Market, J24, job referrals, Lohndifferenzierung, Homophily, Inbreeding Bias, occupational segregation, FOS: Economics and business, Economics - Theoretical Economics, Occupational Segregation, J31, J70, A14, Social and Information Networks (cs.SI), homophily, labor market inequality, ddc:330, Labor Market Inequality, Computer Science - Social and Information Networks, Labour Market, Social Networks, Homophily, Inbreeding Bias, Occupational Segregation, Labor Market Inequality, Social Welfare, Soziales Netzwerk, Wohlfahrtstheorie, Social Networks, PDEs in connection with game theory, economics, social and behavioral sciences, Z13, Arbeitsmarktsegmentierung, Arbeitsmarktdiskriminierung, Theoretical Economics (econ.TH), Social Welfare, Theorie, social welfare, Social networks; opinion dynamics, jel: jel:Z13, jel: jel:J24, jel: jel:A14, jel: jel:J70, jel: jel:J31
Social Networks; Inbreeding Bias; Occupational Segregation; Labour Market Inequality, FOS: Computer and information sciences, social networks, 330, Labor markets, Social Networks; Occupational Segregation; Labour Market, J24, job referrals, Lohndifferenzierung, Homophily, Inbreeding Bias, occupational segregation, FOS: Economics and business, Economics - Theoretical Economics, Occupational Segregation, J31, J70, A14, Social and Information Networks (cs.SI), homophily, labor market inequality, ddc:330, Labor Market Inequality, Computer Science - Social and Information Networks, Labour Market, Social Networks, Homophily, Inbreeding Bias, Occupational Segregation, Labor Market Inequality, Social Welfare, Soziales Netzwerk, Wohlfahrtstheorie, Social Networks, PDEs in connection with game theory, economics, social and behavioral sciences, Z13, Arbeitsmarktsegmentierung, Arbeitsmarktdiskriminierung, Theoretical Economics (econ.TH), Social Welfare, Theorie, social welfare, Social networks; opinion dynamics, jel: jel:Z13, jel: jel:J24, jel: jel:A14, jel: jel:J70, jel: jel:J31
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