Search

In this paper, we build on a relational perspective on tasks to develop an ecological model of task disruption that unpacks the subtle yet far-reaching impacts of task alterations as they reverberate through a web of interconnections within and across organizations. Tasks are central to organizational life, and yet they have been primarily theorized as atomistic and interchangeable plug-and-play components. We take a relational perspective of tasks as embedded into and playing an essential role in structuring a complex web of relationships among people, jobs, and roles in organizations. We argue that this relational perspective is particularly important for understanding the full consequences of task alterations occurring with the implementation of AI in organizations. We theorize first-order changes to tasks in organizations with the introduction of AI technologies, followed by how responses to initial disruptions trigger second-order effects, as additional tasks are shifted in response through a process that we call "task vacancy chains." Our ecological model also unpacks how these task disruptions will have broader consequences for jobs, job incumbents, and the organization's social fabric. We discuss the theoretical contributions of this paper and conclude by proposing directions for research on task disruption and its impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has found that workplace equality by gender and race improved substantially in the 1970s but that progress towards desegregation stalled in the 1980s, particularly by race. This paper uses the EEO-1 dataset to examine whether the spread of corporate downsizing in the 1980s played a role in the managerial representation of women and black men. The results show that downsizing, in particular the reduction of managerial positions at large firms, has had an impact on opportunities for black men. The negative impact, though, is mainly due to the fact that black male managers work disproportionately at large firms, not because the practice of downsizing brings unequal treatment within firms. The results for women, meanwhile, show strong increases in managerial positions due to both industry-level shifts and changing opportunities within firms. Counter to most predictions, female managers seem to be particularly shielded from employment reductions while at the same time they also benefit when firms expand. Altogether, these findings demonstrate the value of the EEO-1 data in providing a more nuanced picture of how organizational practices lead to employment diversity outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2000, Jonathan Pontell published a book called Generation Jones pointing to the existence of an overlooked generation slipped in between the Baby Boom and Generation X. This generation, born between 1954 and 1965 was demographically part of the baby boom but was too young for most of the cultural events typically associated with this generation. In this paper I show evidence that the members of Generation Jones were distinct not only because they missed out on many cultural events, but because they missed out on employment opportunities as well. An age-based analysis of occupational trends shows a marked decline in entry into professional jobs within the Generation Jones cohort and a slowing of access to managerial positions among men. These findings have two important implications. The first implication is a practical one. Generation Jones corresponds exactly to the cohort in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. These findings suggest that research using the NLSY79 may be problematic because it reflects the experiences of an unusual generation. The second implication of these findings is the need to further investigate the possible causes these outcomes. I discuss two potential factors. One possibility is that Generation Jones suffered from a demographic disadvantage. At the tail end of the Baby Boom, their opportunities for mobility were restricted because the rungs above them on the ladder were already filled. A second possibility is that Generation Jones entered the labor market during a particularly bad economic recession and therefore suffered permanent setbacks. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a previous paper, I found large and widespread increases in occupational instability between two cohorts of the National Longitudinal Surveys. In this study, I examine this finding in more detail. First, I explore whether this increase in occupation changing is related to increases in upward or downward mobility. I find that both upward and downward mobility increased in the 1979, leading to a general situation of insecurity and anxiety. Contrary to expectations, this increase in occupational instability seems to have a similar pattern across all socioeconomic levels. In the second part of the analysis, I examine the transition rates between different major occupation groups. I find that there is no single culprit for the increase in occupational instability; all occupation groups saw a decline in stability between the two cohorts. There is some evidence, however, of an increase in transitions from all occupations into service occupations. In addition, laborer and service occupations make up an increasing share of all positions. These two occupation groups appear to be inherently less stable and therefore also contribute to the general increase in occupational instability. Current work (to be completed by summer), will extend this analysis to the PSID. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many Americans believe that the labor market has become much less stable in the last few decades. Academic research tenure and employer turnover, however, has led to mixed results. Meanwhile, conflicting predictions have emerged regarding the role of occupations in the changing economy, with some predicting an increasing role for occupations in the New Economy and others proposing that occupations have become less stable and less meaningful over time. I examine rates of instability in work status, employer tenure, and occupations for men ages 22 to 30 in two cohorts of the National Longitudinal Surveys. I find moderate increases in instability in work status and employer tenure in the later cohort, primarily concentrated among men from disadvantaged family backgrounds. In contrast, I find a large increase in occupational instability in the second cohort, an increased instability that occurred across all levels of family background. These results suggest that occupational instability, rather than work status and tenure, may be the central cause of the popular anxiety about the New Economy. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Americans are convinced that employment stability has declined in recent decades, but research on this question has led to mixed conclusions. A few recent studies have found that one source of these mixed conclusions is very different trends within public vs. private jobs, with job tenure levels declining among private sector workers but increasing among public sector workers. In this paper I examine several possible explanations for this pattern. The analysis points to both some interesting patterns and new puzzles, including a more recent sharp decline in job tenure patterns among public sector workers since 2000. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Americans are convinced that employment stability has declined in recent decades, but research on this question has led to mixed conclusions. A key challenge is that trends for men and women are in opposite directions and seem to cancel each other out. Some interpret these results as indicating little overall change in the labor market, while others believe that unique factors for women, in particular increasing labor force attachment, are masking a general labor market trend of declining tenures. In this paper we clarify this situation by examining trends in employer tenure by marital status. We find that while overall women have seen increases in employer tenure over time, this trend is completely driven by increases in tenure among married women. Never married women, in contrast, have seen declines in employer tenure, a pattern that matches the results for men. These findings support the view that overall job tenure is declining and the increase among women has more to do with their choice to stay in the labor market than changes within the labor market. Additional research will examine these trends further by examining the role of occupations as well as trends in the economic returns to employer tenure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]