Gender and network effects on occupation: a case study of China
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
ISSN: 0144-333X
Article publication date: 10 January 2020
Issue publication date: 9 April 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to ask whether or not social networks can compensate for the disadvantages of being part of an unprivileged group in the job attainment process in urban China, using the 2008 China General Social Survey.
Design/methodology/approach
The author compares the network effects on monthly income of local urban residents and rural migrants.
Findings
First, the results show that social capital exerts no significant effect on monthly income for local residents and rural migrants. Second, having network members who work in state-owned and non-state-owned enterprises helps female rural migrants to obtain higher monthly incomes, compared to those whose network members work only in either state-owned enterprises or non-state-owned enterprises. The same is not true of male rural migrants or local residents.
Originality/value
It can be concluded that a more diversified network may compensate for female rural migrants’ disadvantages, caused by being part of an unprivileged group, in their occupational attainment process.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship and publication of this paper.
Citation
Fung, K.Y. (2020), "Gender and network effects on occupation: a case study of China", International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Vol. 40 No. 3/4, pp. 267-281. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-09-2019-0190
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited