AN ANALYSIS OF OCCUPATIONAL UPGRADING DIFFERENTIALS BETWEEN BLACK-AND-WHITE MALES

The racial occupational mobility gap is examined by applying a decompo sition methodology to logistic functions. Results indicate that approx imately one-third of the mobility gap between black and white male wor kers is due to differences in average characteristics (the endowment e ffect). The residual difference accounts for the remaining two-thirds. Formal education is found to be a major component of both the endowme nt effect and the residual difference. The 'returns' to tenure with a firm, overall labour market experience and marriage reduce the mobilit y gap in favour of black workers.