Where Do Women's Jobs Come From? Job Resegregation in an American Bank

We document changes in the gender composition of jobs in a large American bank. This change was occasioned by a restructuring initiative that created new positions. Through interviews with employees and direct observation of work in four geographic regions, we identify five factors that underlie the process of resegregation: managers built gendered assumptions into the new jobs; managers framed employees' choices based on these assumptions; employees responded to these cues and to the characteristics of the jobs; management made job assignments that were consistent with both their assumptions and employees' choices; and both managers and employees developed shared gender norms associated with the new positions.

It's Not Just the ATMs: Technology, Firm Strategies, Jobs, and Earnings in Retail Banking

The authors examine trends in job content and earnings in selected jobs in two American banks. Firm restructuring and technological changes resulted in higher earnings for college-educated workers. The banks followed different strategies in implementing these changes for lower-skill jobs, with different effects on bank tellers in particular. The authors conclude that technology enables workplace reform but does not determine its effect on jobs and earnings; these effects are contingent on managerial strategies. This focus on organizational processes and managerial strategy provides a complementary approach to accounts of growing inequality that center solely on the role of individual skills and technological change.

Exploring Experiences of Postsecondary Education for Adult Learners from Communities of Color in Oregon

In 2018, the State of Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) received funding from Lumina Foundation1 through a Talent, Innovation, and Equity (TIE) partnership grant to help reduce educational disparities faced by students of color. A key component of this work included focus group research on adult learners – those aged 25 to 64 years old – around the state. Through this research HECC aims to improve the success rates of underrepresented students in postsecondary education and training (specifically African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American/Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Oregonians) and make progress toward the State’s Adult Attainment goal. Strategies identified to support these goals include: better understand the barriers faced by students of color in seeking postsecondary education or training; note ways to effectively support their retention and re-entry into postsecondary programs; and document practical messages and strategies to engage these learners. During 2019, HECC contracted with faculty at Portland State University (PSU) and Southern Oregon University (SOU) to conduct focus groups and interviews with adult learners of color across Oregon. This report includes background information about the project, a description of the research methodology, findings on student of color experiences, and key recommendations for improvement. The report should be of interest to faculty and staff at higher education institutions in Oregon, students, and policy makers interested in higher education