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Kalleberg’s- Labor Market Polarization

For the term paper, students will research several dimensions of a career or job of their choice, developing an argument about where it fits into Kalleberg’s schemas of “good” and “bad” jobs and the broader context of labor market polarization. It could be a career or job that you are interested in, or you could choose to explore the job or career of someone you know. The paper will be easier to write if you know someone who has the career or job you choose, simply because this will help you find the relevant information, but this is not a requirement.
The arguments you present in the paper, and your discussion of the job should be thoroughly supported by your research. Your paper should include:

-An introduction that briefly describes the job or career you will focus on, whether it is a “good” or “bad” job, according to Kalleberg’s criteria, and states why you chose it.
– A summary and discussion of how your job fits into the polarized structure of the contemporary labor market, including the educational and other qualifications required for the job, and other social and economic forces that may influence the availability of the job and working conditions.
-A discussion of whether your job is “segmented” in a particular way—i.e. workers tend to fit into particular categories around race, gender, age or other social characteristic.
-A summary of the different aspects of job quality discussed by Kalleberg in Good Jobs, Bad Jobs, for the job you choose, including wages and the ability to earn a higher wage over time, access to fringe benefits, the amount of control a worker has over his/her work activities, the amount of flexibility a worker has in scheduling and dealing with non-work issues, and the degree of control a worker has over when a job ends (p. 9-10).
-A conclusion that discusses what you think the future holds for this job, in terms of the dimensions of job quality already described.
Research:
You will need to include information from at least 10 sources in addition to the Kalleberg book.
Possible sources:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov)
News articles (search Lexis-Nexis, or other news databases)
Industry specific publications and websites
Professional Associations
UC Berkeley Career Center
Professional and Graduate Schools
Trade Schools
Labor Unions
Informal interviews with workers, employers, human resource managers, public relations people, recruiters, etc.
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Kalleberg’s- Labor Market Polarization
Introduction
There are several jobs that are taken by a number of people for various reasons. While some people take jobs in order to earn or survive, others take job in order to have a feeling of service and relevance to the society. According to kalleberg 2011, jobs can either be described as good or bad according to a number of factors. Such factors that lead to classification or polarization of jobs as either good or bad include the level of education required, the earnings, and the autonomy of the specific workers, fringe benefits such as such as medical and retirement benefits. The polarization of labor has occurred in the backdrop of reduced job security across the board as well as stagnation of earnings except for the very top earners (Kalleberg, 2011).
One of the professional careers that are considered to be very skilled is architecture. It is also considered to be very professional as people willing to join are required to have high academic potential and must be willing and able to be trained into various facets of this career. According to the ancient Greeks, architecture was seen like a senior branch of carpentry or masonry. The chief reason for this perception was the key role that architects plaid in construction in that they aided in the design and planning structures as well as directing their construction in order to make them safe and economical among others. Today, architects are tasked with the responsibility designing various structures including buildings and should think through how the structure would look when finished. The current economic and environmental factors require that they ensure that structures are designed into various use areas which should be practical, safe and cost-effective and efficiently accommodate the needs of the users (Jacobs, Ryan & Bernan Press, 2003).
Architecture is considered to be a career for the people who are academically gifted and becomes very technical in practice. This makes it to be viewed as the career for the select few and is associated with development and refinement. In the US, it is considered as a career for the white Americans. Baccalaureate degree holders in architecture have high income compared to other graduates in most other fields. Additionally, architecture as a field enjoy to a significant extent self-regulation compared to other professions such as medicine and accounts among others. This increases the autonomy of the profession which trickles down to individuals. Due to the fact that some of them design long-lasting and magnificent structures among the other reasons seen above, the career can be classified as a ‘good job’ according to the perspectives of kalleberg (2001). This job is selected for discussion due to its direct association with the academically able people as well as the fact that they design buildings and structures which are a crucial part of human development today.
Background information
Architecture is associated with the refined members of the higher middle class in the US economy. The polarization results from very critical requirements that are needed for one to join this field. Additionally, a career in architecture requires one to demonstrate a high level of academic ability and requires one to study for longer in the college, be certified and participate in several internship programs. This career is very professional in nature and architects end up earning more in salaries and more fringe benefits that are relatively accessible compared to other careers (Autor & National Bureau of Economic Research, 2009).
The US is has been experiencing high standards of living for its citizens for a number of decades. This has created pressure for people to earn so as to afford descent lives. Over the same time, job security has consistently reduced in addition to a widening gap between the people earning the most in the population. The earnings for the middle class and lower class earners have stagnated and the economy has created a wide variety of choice for jobs which offers choice to the population. Classification of jobs as either ‘good’ or ‘bad’ has increased in earnest partly due to personal preferences and aspects such as earnings and work conditions (Monthly labor review, 2000).
Architecture is a high earning profession with high income. It is also desired by many through its being associated with sophistication. Holder of this career may feel like they have a better contribution to the society through the development of their (societies’) structures. Architects and architectural firms enjoy a marked autonomy in their work. The above factors make this job to be viewed as a good job.
In their duty to design structures, a substantial amount of formal education is needed. This is to ensure they are able to design structures that are safe, economical and suitable for activities such as shopping, offices, residence and worship among research paper writing service  others. The structures designed could be free standing or complexes and their designs may even integrate their environments (Weisman, 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay For Me Without Delay). In some instances, they design and develop entire neighborhoods. Due to professional nature of this occupation as seen earlier, it requires that one take at least professional (bachelors) degree in architecture which takes 5 years. In some few instances, graduate degrees are accepted.
Required Education Bachelor of Architecture or Master of Architecture
Other Requirements Internship, state licensure
Projected Job Growth* 17% between 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service. Custom Essay Services Cheap and 2022
Median Salary (2013)* $74,110
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The table above summarizes details of what is needed for one to be an architect, earnings as well as growth trends. The career requires accreditation and certification and hence the National Accrediting Board (NAAB) certifies programs for bachelors, masters and Ph.D (United States, 1990). The continued development and renovation of structures for various reasons make architects to always be relevant. It is also preferred by higher income earners and preferably the white Americans as a sure way of earning more in the working years. The working conditions for architects are generally good as they work in an open studio setting with frequent visits to clients’ sites. They earn more income and fringe benefits due to the nature of their job.
Architecture is ‘segmented’
Architecture has managed to remain autonomous for the better part of the twentieth century. Some architects started their own ventures unlike other professions that were integrated into large industries during industrialization and World War. It is in the last three to four decades where entrepreneurs have thought of introducing large firms in which architects work in a corporate setting. A large number or architecture in the US is from the white race. The autonomy and high earnings make it a ‘good job’. Additionally, this also goes back to the traditions of European Americans who like to be associated with development. They are also in a better position to attain all the requirements needed to be architects than the rest and especially the minority of the races. For this reason, on average, 80% of all architects in the US are whites.Most of architects are of the male gender (Kalleberg, 2011). This is taken from the tradition that construction jobs are masculine in nature. Additionally, the general assumption that women are better off with emotional and love jobs is one of the reasons why most ladies may not be interested in architecture. According to Kalleberg (2001), Women on their side are made to believe that they are better with ‘love jobs’ and have curved a niche in occupations such as air hostess, housekeeping, customer care representatives, and human resource representative among others. The social class that is more interested in the architecture is mainly middle class and constitutes people who like to be identified with refined skills (United States, 1980).
Different aspects of architecture that makes it a good job according’
According to Kalleberg, the official unemployment rate in the US is 5.9 % with some states experiencing a higher rate of 7.3% in the 2013. At the same time, the minimum wage is $7.25 while California had a higher rate of 9.00%. The median average income for most of the US homes averaged$52,100 in an assumption that man and woman in each household were working. The data on the minimum wage sheds light on occupation that is considered as bad. Very few Americans are interested in being paid that low in the backdrop of elevated standards of living demanding higher income. People earning the minimum wages are the unskilled and perform unskilled or deskilled labor. At the same time, the median data shows the average income for two people working and living together. Architecture shows a profession characterized by skilled and highly empowered labor. The level of education makes the income to be high and competition to be low. Kalleberg (2011) observed that education paid in making people more competitive and earn more.
The diagram below shows how the level of education/skills, income and competition for job opportunities relate. Highly skilled people enjoy less competition and earn more. This case applies for architecture. As discussed earlier, people are allowed to practice as architects after bachelor’s degree and certification. According to the table below, the average weekly income for such people is 1053 dollars and increases to 1665 at the doctorate level. In the same educational category, the level of unemployment is 4.9 and below. Thisreduces as more and more education is attained. In terms of income and competition, architecture can be classified as a ‘good’ job.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected growth in the jobs for architects for a decade between 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service. Custom Essay Services Cheap and 2022 is around 17 %. This is among the highest among other professional careers. This comes with prospects for reduced unemployment rate among architects and possible increase in income as demand for their services increases. According to the above table, an architect can increase his income from 1053 to 1665 by up~ Hire our professional writers now and experience the best assignment help online with our custom paper writing service. We ensure your essays and assignments are expertly researched, written and delivered on time. ~ Grading skills from bachelor’s degree to doctors. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that the median annual income for architects in the year 2013 was $74,110, an amount that is higher than most other professions. Additionally, each individual architect can increase income. Several ways for increasing their income may include performing their duties in a distinct and innovative way among others (Kalleberg, 2011).
With ever reducing job security throughout the twentieth century and especially after the WWII, the access to fringe benefits in the US is also decreasing. The employers may fail to promise such benefits to their employees. The main reason for this is the increase in the number of trained and proficient people seeking same job opportunities which reduces the need for any employer to express any significant need to retain employees as it is easy to replace them. However, fringe benefits for architects in US are higher and more accessible. This has been occasioned by the observations that architects earn lower than doctors and lawyers despite undergoing similar quality of academic and practical training.
In 2007, architect magazine carried out a survey to identifyvarious aspects of architects’ job. This included the availability and access to fringe benefits. The survey established that for most of the respondents, the employer was responsible for remitting the full amount of premiums for health insurance. The study also found out that despite the fact that other firms did not pay the full amounts, they remitted between 75-80% of the whole insurance premiums and other costs of healthcare (Kalleberg, 2011).
Another fringe benefit that is almost specific to the field of architecture included subsides for fitness services while some other firms extended flexible spending accounts aimed at assisting employees in out-of-pocket medical costs. It was also found out that some architectural firms allowed their employees some other family benefits. Such included allowing paternity leave aimed at letting new fathers to spend more time with their families.
Architecture magazine of 2008 – Affordable Custom Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay from Pro Writers found out that around 90% of architectural firms gave their employees IRA or 401(k) plan (both are retirement plans). Additionally 83% of the firms studied met charges levied by professional association on each architect, while approximately 70% either paid fees for their employees pursuing further education or met dental insurance subscriptions.The study also disclosed that over 68% of architectural firms offered long-term incapacity coverage for their employees. 56% of the firms studied offered their employees a form of spending plan that was flexible.

Workers Autonomy
The whole architectural industry depends mainly on self-regulation and only a small percentage of government regulation. This allows a lot of freedom to architectural firms and individuals. The job allows each architect to explore and show his creativity as he works for favorable combination of factors such as the cost, safety and environmental concerns of each living space (Scheer, 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay For Me Without Delay).
The autonomy of each individual varies. On average, it is estimated that architects work for 40 hours every week. This may not involve fixed schedules and one chooses when to work as long as deadline for submission of plans and other documents are made. Additionally, architects work involves freedom regarding where and how to meet the clients. The architect has to plan and evaluate a number of factors before making a site visit and may not have a fixed schedule as to when to visit. This means that each architect is free to prepare his schedules according to various conditions. These factors make architects’ work to have some marked autonomy. On the other hand, an architect may find himself working for long hours in order to meet deadlines. In addition, his artistic expression is limited by various scientific rules that need to be followed strictly during the design and construction of structures (Macaulay, 2000).
The ability of each architect to be able to plan his own schedules makes this career a ‘good’ job. However, this becomes one of the greatest drawbacks of the same in that each architect may be solely responsible for meeting all his deadlines. For this reason, some instances may require one to work through the night and even over the weekends which might intrude into family time and may affect how one respond to non-work issues. Self-employed architects may lack fringe benefits among others but enjoy the greatest autonomy. In addition, they possess the ability to determine how much they earn depending on how they work and manage their time. This makes them to work for longer hours. Some of them work even after work hours and meet their clients in the weekends or in the evenings. This may affect how such people deal with other issues that are not work related (Card & Ashenfelter, 2011). They may lack enough personal or family time.
With good management, architects whether employed or self-employed earn more from their skills and may have more benefit. They enjoy autonomy and can plan to have enough time to carry out other activities outside work. Each of them is responsible for successful completion of a specific project with very minimal supervision. This makes this career to fit into Kalleberg’s category of what are considered to be ‘good’ jobs in today’s highly polarized labor market.
Conclusion
The future for architecture as a career is promising. This field is known to continuously reinvent itself. For instance, the new field or neo-futuristic architecture has not been adequately explored. Additionally, with the first developing global economy and the elevated standards of living among the Americans indicate that new structures will always be needed. More living spaces need to be designed and constructed while the old ones will need to be improved to cater for the current and the future needs. This means that architects will always be relevant. It is expected that the architectural industry in the US will grow by 17% between 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service. Custom Essay Services Cheap and 2022. This rend can also be seen by the past trends in the increase of annual earnings for each architect. For instance, the median earnings for architects in the year 2004 were $60,300. This rose steadily over the next decade such that the earnings in 1004 were $74,110; this shows an increment of almost $ 4000 over a period of only 10 years hence indicating further growth. It is also important to note that this has occurred in the backdrop of stagnation of earnings in many careers other.
The quality and the perception of the job will improve with improvement in technology. Through the use of computer aided design, design and development of plans have become very easy. Additionally, these tools are continuously improved to respond to various needs of the market. Programmers are also working to develop collaborative tools for designing which will further ease the workload and improve the quality (Scheer, 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay For Me Without Delay). The projected increase in earning that arises with the current trend will make the career to continue being viewed as ‘good’. The increase in use of computer technology may also help in making it more appealing to the youth but the freedom for architects to have free hours outside their work schedules will play a crucial role in making this career to continue appealing to many people.

References
Kalleberg, A. L. (2011). Good jobs, bad jobs: The rise of polarized and precarious employment systems in the United States, 1970s to 2000s. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Macaulay, D. (2000). Building big. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Weisman, A. (2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay For Me Without Delay). The world without us. s.l.: HarperCollins Canada.
Jacobs, E. E., Ryan, M. M., & Bernan Press. (2003). Handbook of U.S. labor statistics: Employment, earnings, prices, productivity, and other labor data. Lanham, MD: Bernan Press.
Autor, D. H., & National Bureau of Economic Research. (2009). Studies of labor market intermediation. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Card, D., & Ashenfelter, O. (2011). Handbook of labor economics: Volume 4B. San Diego, CA: North Holland.
United States. (1980). Exploring careers: Industrial production occupations. Washington, D.C.?: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Monthly labor review. (2000). Washington, DC: Department of Labor.
United States. (1990). Highlights of women’s earnings in. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Scheer, D. R. (2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay For Me Without Delay). The death of drawing: Architecture in the age of simulation. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

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