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Application of Blossfeld’s Occupational Classification to the Microcensuses from 1973 onwards

The existing three-digit occupational variables in the microcensus are among the key variables for social structure and labour market research aimed at conducting differentiated analyses of economic change or individual labour market groups. However, the three-digit occupational classifications used in official statistics are often too differentiated for the representation of socio-economic strata. Blossfeld’s Occupational Classification, which is also based on the official classification of occupations, is a possible alternative. This Occupational Classification was developed by Blossfeld on the basis of data from the 1970 Census of Population and Occupations. The following information shows how the Occupational Classification can be applied to the Microcensus from 1973 onwards.

  • Schimpl-Neimanns, B. (2003): Umsetzung der Berufsklassifikation von Blossfeld auf die Mikrozensen 1973-1998. ZUMA-Methodenbericht 2003/10. [.pdf]
  • Schema der Berufsklassifikation von Blossfeld - Auszug aus: ZUMA-Methodenbericht 2003/10. [.pdf]
  • Vergleich der Klassifizierung der Berufe Ausgabe 1975/70 mit der Ausgabe 1992 sowie mit der Berufsklassifikation von Blossfeld. Auszug aus: ZUMA-Methodenbericht 2003/10. [.pdf]
  • Vergleich der Klassifizierung der Berufe Ausgabe 1992 mit der Ausgabe 1975/70. [.pdf]
Schimpl-Neimanns, B. (2020): On updating Blossfeld's classification of occupations with the German 2010 Classification of Occupations [Zur Aktualisierung der Berufsklassifikation von Blossfeld mit Klassifikation der Berufe 2010]. (GESIS Papers, 2020/11). Köln: GESIS - Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften [.pdf]

This report examines the possibilities and limitations of updating the Blossfeld occupational clas-sification with the 2010 Classification of Occupations. The database is the Microcensus Scientific-Use File 2012, which contains double-coded occupational data using the old and new German Classification of Occupations. In addition, occupational titles based on ISCO-08 are used. Com-pared to the version based on the old 1992 Classification of Occupations, the marginal distribu-tions of the new version are largely the same, but the new version has misclassifications and leads to breaks in time series. Despite these limitations, overall analyses of the validity of the updated occupational classification indicate that the new version is well suited to practical use and is meaningful.

  • Recodes for updating the Blossfeld Occupational Classification (BK) with the classification of occupations 2010 for the Microcensus Scientific-Use-Files 2012 to 2015[bk12x-15x.do]

Contact: Tobias Roth

Download the programs for recoding Blossfeld’s Occupational Classification

Since the new systematisation of the German Classification of Occupations 2010 (kldB 2010), updates for the occupational classification of Blossfeld (KldB 1992) are no longer possible.

Starting with the SUF 2017, variables with information on Blossfeld's classification of occupations based on KldB 2010 are available for the first, second and last employment (EF94_BK10, EF114_BK10, EF203_BK10).

Microcensus 2012 [bk2012.sps] [bk2012.do]
Microcensus 2011 [bk2011.sps] [bk2011.do]
Microcensus 2010 [bk2010.sps] [bk2010.do]
Microcensus 2009 [bk2009.sps] [bk2009.do]
Microcensus 2008 [bk2008.sps] [bk2008.do]
Microcensus 2007 [bk2007.sps] [bk2007.do]
Microcensus 2006 [bk2006.sps] [bk2006.do]
Microcensus 2005 [bk2005.sps] [bk2005.do]
Microcensus 2004 [bk2004.sps] [bk2004.do]
Microcensus 2003 [bk2003.sps] [bk2003.do]
Microcensus 2002 [bk2002.sps] [bk2002.do]
Microcensus 2001 [bk2001.sps] [bk2001.do]
Microcensus 2000 [bk2000.sps] [bk2000.do]
Microcensus 1999 [bk1999.sps] [bk1999.do]
Microcensus 1998 [bk1998.sps] [bk1998.do]
Microcensus 1997 [bk1997.sps] [bk1997.do]
Microcensus 1996 [bk1996.sps] [bk1996.do]
Microcensus 1995 [bk1995.sps] [bk1995.do]
Microcensus 1993 [bk1993.sps] [bk1993.do]
Microcensus 1991 [bk1991.sps] [bk1991.do]
Microcensus 1989 [bk1989.sps] [bk1989.do]
Constrution of the occupational status of the head of the family using Blossfeld's classification of occupations, as well as the variables "Stellung im Beruf" and "Stellung im Betrieb" based on the Microcensus [BST_MZ89.sps]
Microcensus 1987 [bk1987.sps] [bk1987.do]
Microcensus 1985 [bk1985.sps] [bk1985.do]
Microcensus 1982 [bk1982.sps] [bk1982.do]
Microcensus 1980 [bk1980.sps] [bk1980.do]
Microcensus 1978 [bk1978.sps] [bk1978.do]
Microcensus 1976 [bk1976.sps] [bk1976.do]
Microcensus 1973 [bk1973.sps] [bk1973.do]