1. Sociology 243: Occupations Fall 2007 Professor: Dr. J. Aurini Week 1: Sept 12

2. Overview: Introductions Course Outline ◦ Key Concepts ◦ Ground Rules ◦ Questions, Clarification Soc. 243_Week 1

3. ‘Work’ vs. ‘Occupations’ ◦ Work – paid and unpaid ◦ Occupations - a collection of jobs or types of work sharing similar skills and responsibilities  Management occupations  Business, finance and administrative occupations  National and applied sciences and related occupations  Health occupations  Occupations in social science, education, government service and religion  Sales and service occupations  Trades, transport, and equipment operators and related occupations.  Occupations unique to primary industry  Occupations unique to processes, manufacturing and utilities Soc. 243_Week 1

4. Our Mission: To examine the connections between the organization of work and: Broader social change ◦ i.e., labour markets trends Social inequality and opportunity ◦ i.e., wages, mobility How people experience work Status/identity formation  lifestyle and health Soc. 243_Week 1

5. Course Outline: Part 1: ◦ Sociological Approaches Part 2: ◦ Organizations  The institutions where work takes place  How informal (i.e. culture) and formal (i.e. promotion practices) structure shape the experience of work Soc. 243_Week 1

6. Course Outline: Part 3: Inequalities and Opportunities ◦ Opportunity and reward structures  Occupation trends – between and within sectors  Canadian Trends (Saez and Veall, 2005):  1980: Top 1 % of earners = 7.5% of all income  2000: Top 1% of earners = 13% of all income  ‘Winner-take-all’ vs. ‘Flatter’ labour markets Soc. 243_Week 1

7. Statistics Canada: Employment and Hourly Wages by Occupation Sector (2006) Occupation Sector # of employees 1 (thousands) % $ wage/hr Management occupations1,021.5010.7%31.98 Business, finance and administrative2,771.3018.018.56 Natural and applied sciences1,027.206.527.18 Health occupations8735.423.03 Social science, education, government service and religion1,271.507.925.36 Art, culture, recreation & sport329.12.819.36 Sales and service occupations3,574.0023.412.96 Trades, transport and equipment operators2,133.5014.419.35 (Not a complete listing) Source: http://www40.statcan.ca/cbin/fl/cstprintflag.cgi

8. Course Outline: Part 3: Inequalities and Opportunities ◦ Opportunity and reward structures  Occupation trends – between and within sectors  Canadian Trends (Saez and Veall, 2005):  1980: Top 1 % of earners = 7.5% of all income  2000: Top 1% of earners = 13% of all income  ‘Winner-take-all’ vs. ‘Flatter’ labour markets Soc. 243_Week 1

9. Brilliant CEO or Lucky Break? Soc. 243_Week 1

10. Course Outline: Part 3: Inequalities and Opportunities ◦ Opportunity and reward structures  Gatekeeping ‘workhorses’ (i.e., credentials)  Homophily: Having 1 or more common attribute  Characteristics: gender, ethnicity  Norms/values: religion, animal rights etc.  Structural location: geography (i.e. neighbours), positional (i.e., middle managers, Soc 243 students)  Relative numbers: How social composition impacts relationships and opportunities Soc. 243_Week 1

11. Course Outline: Part 3: Inequalities and Opportunities ◦ Opportunity and reward structures  Professions and managers/white collar work  Relationship between gatekeepers/gate keeping mechanisms and rewards  Occupational status and its connection to:  Inequality  Identity formation, self-worth  Culture and lifestyle  Health  Politics Soc. 243_Week 1

12. Course Outline: Part 4: Emerging Trends and Challenges ◦ How/why occupations are changing  consequences to opportunity/inequality Part 5: Policy at the high and low ends ◦ Connect to formal/informal structure of work Soc. 243_Week 1

13. Required Readings ◦ Adams and Welsh ◦ CW ◦ 2 e-resources (on Angel) ◦ Either: Newman or Hochschild Soc. 243_Week 1

14. Assessment: Assessment ◦ Assignment 1: Data Collection and Interpretation ◦ Assignment 2: Read and analyze book ◦ Midterm Quiz: Multiple choice ◦ Final Exam: Mix of multiple choice, short and long essay Soc. 243_Week 1

15. Ground Rules  Official Documentation: ◦ …that is, not from your mom. Classroom etiquette: ◦ Cell phones, text messaging, msn, solitaire, talking, reading newspapers etc… Soc. 243_Week 1

16. Office Hours and Contact Information: Instructor: Dr. Aurini Weekly: Wed: 12-1, PAS 2051 (or by appt) E: jaurini@uwaterloo.cajaurini@uwaterloo.ca TA: Kelly Barrie Week 3, 7, 11 and one more before final exam (and by appt.) Wed: E: kbarrie@uwaterloo.ca Soc. 243_Week 1