Factors that influence the process of occupational inheritance across generations within families in traditional craft villages in Thanh Hoa province

Abstract

Abstract: This paper focuses on analyzing the factors that influence the process of occupational inheritance across generations within families in three representative traditional craft villages in Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam - namely Tra Dong bronze casting village, Nga Son sedge mat weaving village, and Nhoi stone carving village. Based on the theoretical framework of social mobility by Sabura Yasuda, Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital, and the rational choice approach, the study employs a mixed-methods design combining quantitative surveys (300 craft-making households) and qualitative techniques (observation and document analysis) to measure the Yasuda index and identify factors influencing intergenerational occupational continuity. The findings indicate a downward trend in occupational inheritance by the third generation, along with a sharp increase in the Yasuda index and circular mobility rates. Key determinants include socio-economic restructuring, the impact of craft village development policies, gender-based labor division, the role of master artisans, the level of production mechanization, and the potential for tourism integration. This research contributes to a clearer understanding of occupational mobility in the context of rural modernization and offers policy implications for the sustainable development and revitalization of traditional craft villages in Vietnam.