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For several decades, the concept of the niche has enriched sociological theory. The niche represents the position or function of an entity, such as an organization or population of organizations, within a larger community environment. Using the concept of the niche allows researchers to go beyond classifying entities to understanding (a) their life chances under different and changing environmental conditions and (b) how they interact under the competitive conditions induced by a finite environment. We briefly review the intellectual history of the niche concept as it came from bioecology to sociology. The bulk of the article reviews the two major streams of sociological research that use the niche concept: the population ecology of organizations and McPherson's ecology of affiliation. Finally, we survey commonalities between these approaches and highlight new directions, including applications that take the niche concept well beyond its origins in organizational studies.

Using a unique data set, the author investigates gender segregation in voluntary organizations. Results indicate that (1) women are more likely than men to belong to gender-segregated groups and (2) women's groups primarily restrict members to contact with persons of the same age, education, and marital and work status. The article ends with a discussion of how segregated voluntary associations help perpetuate a social world that is substantially ordered by gender.

This study examined the effects of industry employment, firm size, gender, age, education, and hospitality major on the careers of hospitality employees. The career histories of 205 hospitality management employees were analyzed using event history analysis. Industry employment, firm size, age, and educational attainment were found to affect the rate of promotions; gender and a hospitality management major did not. The major did increase the rate of lateral moves. The results of this research suggest that educators and industry professionals who advise hospitality management students or employees should stress the career benefits of obtaining a bachelor's degree and seeking position within large firms. Key words: promotions, careers, event history analysis.Empirical research on the factors that affect career progression has a bearing on the work of hospitality educators and industry professionals alike. Educators regularly advise their students about the kinds of firms that offer the greatest opportunities for advancement, and encourage them to select the right major and pursue appropriate degrees. Industry professionals, especially human resource directors and recruiters, often field questions from prospective employees about selection criteria, career ladders, and the value of certain kinds of educational preparation over others for advancement.This study examined career progression by testing hypotheses concerning the effects of a number of factors on the rate of promotions within and across hospitality firms. Hypotheses were developed to answer the following questions: How does the demand for employees in the industry affect promotion rates? Does working for a large, nationally-recognized firm affect the probability of being promoted? Do gender r or age affect promotions? Do people with &dquo;higher&dquo; degrees rise more rapidly? Do