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Sex‐Based Occupational Segregation in U.S. State Bureaucracies, 1987–97
Author(s) -
Kerr Brinck,
Miller Will,
Reid Margaret
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
public administration review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.721
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1540-6210
pISSN - 0033-3352
DOI - 10.1111/0033-3352.00195
Subject(s) - bureaucracy , agency (philosophy) , state (computer science) , distribution (mathematics) , sex segregation , political science , demographic economics , public administration , labour economics , business , economics , politics , sociology , law , social science , mathematical analysis , mathematics , algorithm , computer science
Is the extent of sex‐based occupational segregation in U.S. state bureaucracies related to agency policy missions? Drawing on arguments by Lowi (1985), we contend that levels of sex‐based occupational segregation in state bureaucracies vary depending on whether an agency's policy mission is distributive, regulatory, or redistributive. We employ data on the distribution of administrative and professional employees by sex in several types of state agencies across all 50 states for 1987–97. Our findings indicate high levels of occupational segregation among administrative cadres in agencies with distributive and regulatory policy commitments; however, professional workforces in these agencies have become less gender segregated over time. We find no evidence of occupational segregation among administrative and professional workforces in redistributive agencies. We argue that researchers need to examine the relationship between glass walls and other kinds of sex‐based employment impediments, such as glass ceilings.