Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Tacsir, Ezequiel
Author-Email: tacsir@merit.unu.edu 
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University
Title: Occupation Choice: Family, Social and Market Influences
Abstract: The advance of knowledge-based societies has modified
	 the labor markets and qualification requirements. In this
	 sense, and considering that individual choices about careers
	 and occupations have pervasive social effects, there is a growing
	 interest from both academics and policy makers in understanding 
	 and influencing the process of education choice. Specifically, there 
	 is a worldwide renewed concern on achieving higher levels of graduation 
	 from scientific and technological disciplines. Available evidence 
	 shows that mobilizing individual wills towards these highly priority 
	 careers is not an easy nor mechanical task. Thus, it is necessary to 
	 expand the standard view about the process of occupation choice by 
	 adding non pecuniary factors, influence of social networks and the 
	 role of information and guidance policies. With these objectives in 
	 mind, and after reviewing the theoretical literature about occupation 
	 choice in economics, the present paper analyzes the effects that 
	 diverse personal, family, social and economic aspects have in the 
	 selection of an university career. Based on the empirical findings, 
	 some policy recommendations are put forward.
Classification-JEL: J44, J48, J24, I21
Keywords: Occupational Choice, Professions, Public Policy
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2010
Number: 013
File-URL: http://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2010/wp2010-013.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2010013