Social mobility via elite placements: working class graduates in elite accounting and banking firms

Crawford, I and Wang, Z (2019) 'Social mobility via elite placements: working class graduates in elite accounting and banking firms.' Accounting Education. ISSN 0963-9284

[img]
Preview
Text
12609.pdf - Accepted Version
Repository Terms Apply.

Download (897kB) | Preview
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/09639284.2019.1661857

Abstract

Little research attention has been paid to the effect of yearlong placements in elite accounting firms and investment banks on the social mobility of working class graduates. Using the framework of Bourdieu, this paper examines the link between placements and employment destinations of eight cohorts of accounting and finance graduates from a non-elite British university. We find that elite professions are most likely to recruit graduates who have already gained the "right" professional habitus through the successful completion of yearlong placements in the same elite firms in that particular field and/or with better degree averages. Social mobility of working class graduates taking an elite placement is evident after controlling for gender, age, ethnicity and degree average. The findings indicate that working class graduates need to consciously and continuously modify their class specific dispositions so that they can fully engage with higher education and elite placement experiences to achieve social mobility.

Item Type: Article
Keywords: Bourdieu, habitus, educational capital, social class, placement, gender, ethnicity
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
L Education > L Education (General)
L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
L Education > LC Special aspects of education
L Education > LC Special aspects of education > LC5201 Education extension. Adult education. Continuing education
Divisions: Bath Business School
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1080/09639284.2019.1661857
Date Deposited: 13 Sep 2019 15:38
Last Modified: 15 Aug 2021 09:53
URI / Page ID: https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/12609
Request a change to this item or report an issue Request a change to this item or report an issue
Update item (repository staff only) Update item (repository staff only)