Chapter 2 Studying the World of Work

How Do We Measure Concepts?  We try to use reliable and valid measures. Valid: You are measuring what you think you are: ie. What is class? Reliable: Consistent measure over time  Wages: How can we understand why white men tend to make more?

Why Do White Men Make More?

What is a Research Method?  Way of collecting information that is unbiased and attempts to reflect reality.  Epistemologies:  Positivism  Symbolic Interactionism

Research Methods  1) Qualitative: Tries to uncover meaning. Ethnograpahy – Ethnograpahy –Observation  Helps uncover meaning for worker in a particular position  De-constructs realities that people take for granted  Participant Observation  B) Non participant observation Experimental bias -- Hawthorne Effect”Experimental bias -- Hawthorne Effect”

Research Methods  2) Quantitative: Gather data using large samples with the goal of representing the population under study Surveys Surveys Secondary Data Analysis Secondary Data Analysis Representative samples are imperative. Representative samples are imperative.

Research Methods  2) Multiple Methods HistoricalHistorical ComparativeComparative SURVEYS (SAMPLES VS POPULATIONS)SURVEYS (SAMPLES VS POPULATIONS) (RANDOM VS NONRANDOM)(RANDOM VS NONRANDOM) Bureau of the Census (monthly labor)Bureau of the Census (monthly labor) Case StudiesCase Studies One place, multiple perspectives and multiple methods: interviews, documents, observations. One place, multiple perspectives and multiple methods: interviews, documents, observations.

Pros and Cons  1) Qualitative versus Quantitative

Units of Analysis  What and Whom is being studied.  Workers?  Professions?  Workplaces?  Countries?

Example: Unemployment  How do we measure unemployed? Quantitatively: Current Population Survey monthly checks with 60,000 households. 16 years or older ¼ of survey changes each month Cluster sampling: first stage is counties and then households and then individuals within households. Stratified: Rural/Urban PROBLEMS WITH THESE DEFINITIONS? PROBLEMS WITH THESE DEFINITIONS?

Definition of Unemployment  1) Anyone who is actively looking for work but who has not received a wage.  Who is unemployed? Someone who worked 2 hours the previous week? Someone who worked 2 hours the previous week? Someone with a PhD working at a fast food joint? Someone with a PhD working at a fast food joint? Someone seeking work but who babysits occasionally. Someone seeking work but who babysits occasionally.

Unemployment  How to measure qualitatively:  Interview people to understand their experience.  How would data differ?

Qualitative: Inductive Coding Find Sociological Themes. What makes a theme sociological? What makes a theme sociological? The theme uncovers the relationship between concepts under study.The theme uncovers the relationship between concepts under study. The themes are deeper and more meaningful than manifest symbolsThe themes are deeper and more meaningful than manifest symbols The themes show the social construction of how we think about concepts such as crime, gender, homelessness, poverty, wealth, rationality. In other words, these themes call into question everything we take for granted.The themes show the social construction of how we think about concepts such as crime, gender, homelessness, poverty, wealth, rationality. In other words, these themes call into question everything we take for granted.

Qualitative Analysis  DON’T Organize analysis based on questions Organize analysis based on questions Begin with pre-determined ideas of how to analyze data Begin with pre-determined ideas of how to analyze data Analyze by summarizing answers to each questions. Analyze by summarizing answers to each questions.  DO Read/Listen the interviews several times. Read/Listen the interviews several times. Jot down trends you see related to concepts of interest. Jot down trends you see related to concepts of interest.

Important Concepts in Study of Work  1) Occupation: Economic role in paid labor market. Problems with this concept: job titlesProblems with this concept: job titles  2) White/Blue Collar: Professional versus Office workers. Problems with this concept: Starbucks vs FactoriesProblems with this concept: Starbucks vs Factories