• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.35-62
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• 2001

Using panel data (KLIPS) we examine the relation between respondents' occupation and their fathers' occupation. We divide the urban employed into four subgroups according to their occupation: employer, self-employed, white collar worker and blue collar worker. We find that the effects of fathers' occupation on respondents' occupation are mediated by the level of respondents' education. The effects of respondents' initial occupation on their current occupation are also significant. In terms of the extent of mobility, we can rank the occupational groups as follows: employer, upper layer of self-employed, white collar worker, lower layer of self-employed and blue collar. In order to encourage occupational mobility, we should level the opportunity of education among different occupational groups.