Quantitative Data Analysis in Economic Sociology

Abstract

Economic sociology examines the ways in which social structures, institutions, norms and networks shape economic action. A central element of the field is data analysis, particularly quantitative methods, which allow systematic investigation of empirical patterns and relationships. Key areas of research include labour markets and employment, social mobility and stratification, markets and institutions, organisations and firms, economic culture, finance and consumption, social networks, digital and platform economies, welfare regimes and economic discourse. Empirical studies rely on diverse data sources, such as surveys, administrative registers, longitudinal panel studies, institutional databases and digital trace data. Methodological approaches encompass descriptive and multivariate statistics, longitudinal and panel data analysis, clustering and classification, qualitative comparative analysis, text and discourse analysis and computational techniques. These methods provide tools for investigating inequality, institutional variation, cultural values and the role of networks in shaping economic behaviour. Economic sociology thus combines theoretical perspectives with empirical analysis to understand the embeddedness of economic life.