Anstieg oder Ausgleich? Die multiplikative Wirkung sozialer Ungleichheiten auf dem Arbeitsmarkt für Filmschauspieler / More or Less? Multiplicative Effects of Inequality on the Labor Market for Film Actors

Abstract

Summary: Since multiplicative effects between gender inequality and cumulative advantages, known as the Matthew effect, have not received much attention in sociology, little is known about the impact of cumulative advantages on gender inequality over the course of a career. Does the Matthew effect intensify gender disadvantages, or does it cancel them out? Using a panel dataset covering the period from 1900 to 2010 which contains full career profiles of over 8,000 German film actors, the study shows that the accumulation of success has a positive effect on women's career opportunities. Although female actors generally have less opportunity for career success than men, they compensate for this disparity in essentially complete fashion if they make a name for themselves, especially by winning awards. The reason for this may lie in the increased attention accorded to successful actresses, which reduces the risk of discrimination.

Network Structure and Performance

“…Another sector where gender inequalities persist is the film industry (Lutter (2012) and Lutter (2013)), where women create lower box revenues from movies. This industry is highly projectbased where tasks have uncertain outcomes.…”

Structures of unequal success. The social contexts of emerging winner-take-all-concentrations on flexible labor markets

“…Bielby und Bielby (1996) zeigen, dass weibliche Drehbuchautoren über ihre gesamte Karriere hinweg kontinuierlichen Benachteiligungen ausgesetzt sind und im Vergleich zu männlichen Kollegen deutlich geringere Erfolgschancen aufweisen. Analog bestätigt sich für Filmschauspieler, dass Frauen, bei Gleichhaltung verschiedener Humankapitalfaktoren wie Berufserfahrung und Erfolg, eine signifikant geringere Überlebenschance haben als männliche Darsteller (Lutter 2012a). Entsprechend verdienen sie deutlich weniger (vgl.…”