Skip to main content

ETHNOS_APP

Home • Search • Journals • List 0

Organizational Career Mobility

Promotion Chances in a Corporation During Periods of Growth and Contraction

Bibliographic Data

ID2209358
AuthorsJames E Rosenbaum (0000-0001-5703-631X, corresponding author)
Year1979
Volume85
Issue1
Pages21-48
Publication date1979-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Sociology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-9602 • E-ISSN: 1537-5390
PublisherUniversity of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1086/226972
OpenAlexW1973535374
LanguageEN
Citations received74
References cited18

This study analyzes the age distribution of upward mobility in a large corporation, examining changes in the age-promotion relationship for different levels in the organizational hierarchly, for different kinds of employess, and across time periods of increasing and creasing organizational growth. Analyzing the corporation's complete personnel records over three times periods, this paper test a precipitous-decline hypothesis derived from the organizational careers literature, an exponential-decline hypothesis derived from the Markov literature on career mobility, and an increase-decrease hipothesis derived from the economic literature on life-cycle earnings patterns. Analysis finds partial support for each hypothesis for different groups of employees. It also finds remarkable stability in these patterns across periods, particularly for the most and least favored groups; the changes which do occur tend to "spillover" to specific stadby age-education groups. The age-promotion curves and the spillover patterns are explained in terms of a new efficiency-motivation model of organizational mobility. Finally, analysis indicates that these age effects seem to persist after controlling for years of service. The implications of these findings for organizational selection systems and for career and life-cycle phenomena are considered

Corporation · Demographic economics · Earnings · Earnings growth · Economics · Microeconomics · Political science · Promotion (chess) · Spillover effect · Accounting · Finance · Firm Innovation and Growth · Labor market dynamics and wage inequality · Retirement, Disability, and Employment

  • Symbolic meanings of prices

    Open Access•Olav Velthuis•Journal of Economic Sociology•2008

  • The Sociological and Economic Approaches to Labor Market Analysis

    Open Access•Mark Granovetter•Journal of Economic Sociology•2011

  • Welcome to the Higher School of Economics

    Open Access•Maxim Markin•Journal of Economic Sociology•2011

  • Rationality, Responsibility, Health Care

    Open Access•Ivan Zabaev•Journal of Economic Sociology•2011

  • Factors of Formation of the Secondary School Children Status Among Classmates

    Open Access•Elena Nazarbaeva•Journal of Economic Sociology•2011

  • Towards an Institutionalist Political Economy

    Open Access•R Buaye, Eric Brousseau et al.•Journal of Economic Sociology•2008

  • Mentorship

    Open Access•Ludmila Cheglakova•Journal of Economic Sociology•2011

  • The Role of Internal Firm Processes and Structures in the Income Inequality Formation

    Open Access•Igor Chirikov•Journal of Economic Sociology•2008

  • "The Series "Russian Overseas

    Open Access•Alexander Kurakin•Journal of Economic Sociology•2008

  • Commodification of Intimacy within the Post-Soviet Space

    Open Access•Christopher Swader, Ekaterina Bunich et al.•Journal of Economic Sociology•2011

  • The Policy of Competition Support

    Open Access•Svetlana Avdasheva, Светлана Авдашева et al.•Journal of Economic Sociology•2008

  • Economic Sociology

    Open Access•Kieran Healy•Journal of Economic Sociology•2011

  • Guns, Butter, and Federal Careers

    Gregory B Lewis•Journal of Public Administration…•1997

  • Innerbetriebliche Mobilitätsprozesse

    Josef Brüderl, Peter Preisendörfer et al.•Zeitschrift für Soziologie•1991

  • The Relationship Between Children's Perceptions of Ability and Perceptions of Physical Attractiveness

    Richard T Campbell•Social Psychology Quarterly•1979

  • Le vieillissement des cadres supérieurs de la fonction publique québécoise

    Open Access•Yves‐C Gagnon, Yves-C Gagnon et al.•Canadian Public Administration•1992

  • The Organization of Career Lines

    T Diprete, Thomas A Diprete et al.•American Sociological Review•1986

  • Race and Sex Differences in Career Dynamics

    Rachel A Rosenfeld•American Sociological Review•1980

  • Ontogenesis and Sociogenesis

    David L Featherman, Richard M Lerner•American Sociological Review•1985

  • New Wrinkles in the Theory of Age

    Barbara Lawrence, B S Lawrence•Academy of Management Journal•1988

  • Models of Career Advancement in Organizations

    H Ishida•European Sociological Review•2002

  • Occupational Segregation and the Career Mobility of White Men and Women

    David J Maume Jr, David J Maume•Social Forces•1999

  • Do Age Stereotypes Predict Personnel Decisions? The State of the Evidence

    Open Access•Kevin R Murphy, Angelo S Denisi et al.•Work Aging and Retirement•2021

  • Status and Career Mobility in Organizational Fields

    Open Access•Chad Borkenhagen, J Levi Martins et al.•Social Forces•2018

  • Organizational Promotion and Career Satisfaction

    Open Access•Nikos Bozionelos, Nicholas Bozionelos•Psychological Reports•1996

  • Participative epistemology in social data science

    Gian Marco Campagnolo•International Journal of Social…•2021

  • Age grading

    Open Access•Barbara Lawrence, Barbara S Lawrence•Journal of Organizational Behavior•1984

  • The New Legal Scholarship

    Open Access•J Hagan•Canadian Journal of Law and…•1986

  • Age stratification at work

    Open Access•Alair Maclean•Research in Social Stratification…•2006

  • When upward social mobility leads to frustration

    Open Access•Kasper Otten•Research in Social Stratification…•2019

  • Bringing the Firms Back in

    James N Baron, William T Bielby•American Sociological Review•1980

  • Job-change and age

    Mary Ann Danowitz Sagaria, Kathryn M Moore•Sociological Spectrum•1983

  • Family formation and occupational status

    Open Access•Maye Ehab•Research in Social Stratification…•2025

  • Ascription into Achievement

    Katherine Stovel, Michael Savage et al.•American Journal of Sociology•1996

  • Features of Educational Attainment and Job Promotion Prospects

    Seymour Spilerman, Tormod Lunde•American Journal of Sociology•1991

  • The Ecological Dynamics of Careers

    Heather A Haveman, Heather Haveman et al.•American Journal of Sociology•1994

  • Toward a Theory of Mobility and Behavior in Organizations

    David R Jacobs, David Jacobs•American Journal of Sociology•1981

  • Gender and Opportunity in the Federal Bureaucracy

    William T Markham, J South et al.•American Journal of Sociology•1985

  • Selection by Certification

    Michael A Faia, A Michael•American Journal of Sociology•1981

  • The Social Class Structure of Occupational Mobility

    R Breiger, Ronald L Breiger•American Journal of Sociology•1981

  • History and Career in a Bureaucratic Labor Market

    Burke D Grandjean•American Journal of Sociology•1981

  • Careers and Organizational Labor Markets

    Shelby Stewman, Suresh L Konda et al.•American Journal of Sociology•1983

  • The Age Structures of Occupations and Jobs

    Robert L Kaufman, Seymour Spilerman•American Journal of Sociology•1982

  • A Brownian motion model for decision making

    Allyn L Romanow•Journal of Mathematical Sociology•1984

  • Career mobility and satisfaction of women administrators in postsecondary education

    A R Tickamyer, Janet L Bokemeier•Sociological Spectrum•1984

  • Administrative Promotion within a University

    Linda K Johnsrud, Ronald H Heck•The Journal of Higher Education•1994

  • Differential Job Change and Stability among Academic Administrators

    Kathryn M Moore, Mary Ann Danowitz Sagaria•The Journal of Higher Education•1982

  • Administrative Mobility and Gender

    Mary Ann Danowitz Sagaria•The Journal of Higher Education•1988

  • Administrative Promotion

    Linda K Johnsrud•The Journal of Higher Education•1991

  • The Preference Puzzle

    Open Access•James M Glaser•Political Behavior•2001

  • Race and Job Dismissal

    Open Access•George Wilson•American Behavioral Scientist•2005

  • The Parity Penalty in Life Course Perspective

    Open Access•Anja-Kristin Abendroth, Matt L Huffman et al.•American Sociological Review•2014

  • Structural Determinants of Occupational Mobility in a Regional Labor Market

    Open Access•Philip C Emmi•Environment and Planning A…•1987

  • Wage Changes and Intrafirm Job Mobility over the Business Cycle

    Open Access•Gary Solon, Warren Whatley et al.•Industrial and Labor Relations…•1997

  • Merit Pay Practices

    Donald P Schwab, Craig A Olson•Industrial and Labor Relations…•1990

  • Managerial careers and the problem of control

    Open Access•Alan Berkeley Thomas, Alan Thomas•Social Science Information•1983

  • Affirmative Action

    Open Access•Dula J Espinosa•Sociological Perspectives•1992

  • Expected Managerial Careers within Growing and Declining R&D Establishments

    Open Access•Yehouda Shenhav•Work and Occupations•1991

  • Managerial Promotions in the Public Sector

    Open Access•Ronnie J Steinberg, Lois Haignere et al.•Work and Occupations•1990

  • Sex Differences in Support for Organizational Advancement

    Open Access•J South, Scott J South et al.•Work and Occupations•1987

  • The Effects of Career Origins on Subsequent Socioeconomic Attainments

    Open Access•Ronald D''Amico, Ronald Dʼamico et al.•Work and Occupations•1985

  • Sociological Research on the Labor Market

    Open Access•Aage B Sorensen•Work and Occupations•1983

  • High Hopes

    Open Access•Naomi Cassirer, Barbara Reskin et al.•Work and Occupations•2000

  • Inequality and Careers

    Open Access•Rachel A Rosenfeld, François Nielsen•Sociological Methods & Research•1984

  • Scientists in Organizations

    Open Access•Yehouda Shenhav, Yehouda A Shenhav et al.•Sociological Quarterly•1988

  • Job Values, Rewards, and Work Conditions as Factors in Job Satisfaction Among Men and Women

    Open Access•Janet L Bokemeier, William B Lacy•Sociological Quarterly•1987

  • Black/White Differences in Job Shift Behavior

    Open Access•Gary D Sandefur•Sociological Quarterly•1981

  • The Corrosion of Career?-Occupational Trajectories of Business Economists and Engineers in Switzerland

    Felix Bühlmann•European Sociological Review•2008

  • The Race Is to the Swift

    C Elman, Angela M O''Rand•American Journal of Sociology•2004

  • The effects of social origins, life events, and institutional sorting on adults' school transitions

    Open Access•C Elman, Angela M O''Rand•Social Science Research•2007

  • Gender and returns to promotion

    Open Access•Linda K Johnsrud•Social Science Research•1991

  • Particularism in authority outcomes of black and white supervisors

    Open Access•Charles W Mueller, Toby L Parcel et al.•Social Science Research•1989

  • Organizational boundaries and upward job shifts

    Open Access•Gary D Sandefur•Social Science Research•1981

  • Social Capital and Opportunity in Corporate R&D

    Open Access•Shaul M Gabbay, Ezra W Zuckerman•Social Science Research•1998

  • What money buys

    Lee Rainwater•What money buys•1974

  • Internal labor markets and manpower analysis

    Peter B Doeringer•Internal labor markets and…•1985

  • Making inequality

    James E Rosenbaum•Making inequality•1976

  • Men and women of the corporation

    Rosabeth Moss Kanter•Men and women of the corporation•1977

  • Socioeconomic background and achievement

    Otis Dudley Duncan•Socioeconomic background and…•1972

  • Education and jobs

    Ivar E Berg•Education and jobs•2003

  • Variations in Role-Playing Patterns among Different Echelons of Bureaucratic Leaders

    Stanley A Hetzler•American Sociological Review•1955

  • Rewards, Resources, and the Rate of Mobility

    Nancy Brandon Tuma•American Sociological Review•1976

  • The American occupational structure

    Peter Michael Blau•The American occupational structure•1978

  • Occupations, Labor Markets and the Process of Wage Attainment

    Ross M Stolzenberg•American Sociological Review•1975

  • The Structure of Intragenerational Mobility

    Aage B Sorensen•American Sociological Review•1975

  • Demotion in Industrial Management

    Fred H Goldner•American Sociological Review•1965

  • Two Markov Models of Open System Occupational Mobility

    Shelby Stewman•American Sociological Review•1975

  • A Stochastic Model of Social Mobility

    Robert Mcginnis•American Sociological Review•1968

  • Careers, Labor Market Structure, and Socioeconomic Achievement

    Seymour Spilerman•American Journal of Sociology•1977

  • The 'Cooling-Out' Function in Higher Education

    Burton R Clark•American Journal of Sociology•1960

  • Social Mobility and Occupational Career Patterns II. Social Mobility

    Seymour Martin Lipset, Reinhard Bendix•American Journal of Sociology•1952

  • Informal Factors in Career Achievement

    Melville Dalton•American Journal of Sociology•1951

Unique citing works74
Citations per year1,57
Citation span1979 - 2025 (47)
Citation velocityrecent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 55
Ethnos_APP • Open Source Project • MIT License • Frontend v2.0.0 • Privacy and Cookies • API Documentation: api.ethnos.app/docs • API Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17049435 • Frontend Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17050053 • cruz.rio.br • Expectantes Misericordiae