Abstract

This research looks trends in employment by industry in the state of Oregon from 1990 to 2010. The goal is to empirically evaluate the hypothesis that relative declines in manufacturing and natural resource employment combined with a rise in service employment has contributed to increased income inequality, as well as look at the role of migration and differences in urban and rural counties. Empirical results show that manufacturing most notably has a significant negative effect, as do federal government employment, trade, transport and utilities employment, and financial activities employment. No evidence for a link to migration or a significant difference in these effects between urban and rural counties is found.

First Advisor

Matthew Warning

Date of Completion

Winter 12-20-2015

Degree Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Economics

Date of Award

Spring 5-15-2016

Included in

Economics Commons

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