Occupation and Growing Wage Inequality in the United States, 1983-2002.

During the last two decades, explanatory power of detail occupation on wage has diminished and within-occupational-inequality has grown faster than between-occupational inequality. Growing within-group-inequality is not universal phenomenon by occupations. Both inequality change and mean wage change over time varies across occupation. Using these variability, causes of growing inequality is tested with multi-level growth model. New panel data is constructed from CPS-MORG 1983-2002 for this analysis. Popular union effect hypothesis and skill-biased-technological-change hypothesis are not working well within occupational context. Organizational culture change hypothesis seems to be better explanation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]