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Title: An Empirical Analysis of Exploitation in the Labor Market Using a Weberian Approach: Manufacturing Industries in the U.S., 1971-1996

Citation Type: Conference Paper

Publication Year: 2007

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Abstract: Although references to exploitation are commonplace in sociology, the empirical investigation of exploitation has been neglected. Adopting a Weberian approach that defines exploitation asunderpayment in the market, we investigate data for U.S. manufacturing industries from 1971 to 1996. The results indicate high levels of exploitation among employees who are female, Hispanic, professionals,blue-collar workers, and service or sales workers. By contrast, workers who are significantly overpaid relative to their productivities include older workers, married workers, those with a college degree, and technicians. These latter groups obtain a substantial profit in theiremployment due to their unusually high salaries, net of their other measured characteristics. While we caution that our results pertain only to the manufacturing sector during this time period, our analysisnonetheless demonstrates that the empirical investigation of exploitation is feasible, and that it provides informative insights into economic sociology and social stratification.

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Authors: Sakamoto, Arthur; Kim, Changhwan

Conference Name: American Sociological Association

Publisher Location: New York, NY

Data Collections: IPUMS CPS

Topics: Labor Force and Occupational Structure

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