Reaching the top - Racial differences in mobility paths to upper-tier occupations

This study uses data from the 1988 to 1992 waves of the Panel Study of Inco me Dynamics (PSID) to assess predictions from the particularistic mobility thesis concerning how African American and White males reach the Managers-A dministrators and Professional-Technical census-based occupational categori es. The findings provide support for the particularistic mobility thesis. I n particular African Americans relative to Whiles, attain bath occupational categories on the basis of a narrow and circumscribed route:for African Am ericans, the acquisition of significant human capital credentials and exper ience at a similar level in the occupational structure in next-to-last job with the same employer are important prerequisites for moving into privileg ed occupations. Furthermore, analyses indicate that particularistic employm ent practices are more pronounced in the private than the public sector. Th e implications of the findings for explaining racial differences in represe ntation in the two occupational categories are discussed.