Date of Award

2016

Publisher

North Dakota State University

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Awarded

Master of Science (MS)

Program

Agribusiness and Applied Economics

Department

Agribusiness and Applied Economics

College

Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources

Faculty Advisor

Murguia, Juan M.

Description

This research presents evidence supporting the existence of differences in treatments received by Hispanics job-seekers on agricultural and non-agricultural labor markets found through an experimental labor market. Hispanics males’ productivity predicted by agricultural employers was higher than the predicted by non-agricultural employers, suggesting that Hispanics males are believed to fit better in agricultural activities. This may imply an invisible barrier preventing Hispanics to access non-agricultural jobs. Employers’ beliefs reactions to a more informative signal related to productivity sent to the labor market were tested. Hispanic job-seekers’ signals did not significantly reduce the gap between agricultural and non-agricultural employers’ beliefs; suggesting that this invisible barrier may also prevent Hispanic males mobility from agricultural to non-agricultural jobs over time, reducing the incentive to invest in costly signals’ improvement (i.e. education, reputation). Results also support the existence of a non-neutral gender barrier, given no differences in treatments where found for female Hispanics.

Rights

NDSU policy 190.6.2

Rights Link

https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf

Handle Identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/10365/28288

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