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Abstract
In the past few decades, socio-economic transformations have occurred in most of the major cities of developed countries: the service economy has expanded while the workforce become increasingly feminized. Particularly important in large urban centers, these changes are ongoing and of great interest to researchers.
Socio-economic polarization is often associated with these transformations. It is of interest whether the emergence of a service dominated economy is linked to the socio-economic polarization phenomenon, and whether or not the feminization of the workforce influences this relation.
This project examines several socio-economic trends from 1951 to 1991. Census data published by Statistics Canada, are analyzed in three stages: statistical analysis of key variables (income, property, education and occupation); plus spatial analysis and graphical interpretation (scatter diagrams and regressions) of derived indices. Results are discussed in three parts: a general overview of the changes in each variable; consideration of the relations among the variables and between each variable and type of occupation (tertiary versus quaternary); and consideration of the links between selected variables and gender.
The results of our study suggest that socio-economic bipolarization is closely associated with growth in service employment. Examination of the central districts of Quebec City, for the period 1951 to 1991, shows that the duality of service occupations (tertiary versus quaternary) is expressed structurally (socio-economic groups) as well as spatially (socio-economic zones). Bipolarization occurs between upper city districts (Haute-Ville) and lower city districts (Basse-Ville and Limoilou). In contrast, the increasing presence of women in service occupations appears to lessen the bipolarization of a developing service economy.