The Loss Of Identity Resources:A Study On The Occupational Mobility Of Postman

Rapid social transformation and accelerating modernization have changed the economic form and organization of traditional society,resulting in the continuous reconstruction of social classes.Some classes have gradually declined in the rapid development of society or no longer occupy an important position in the social structure,while others have flourished and become the mainstay of modern society.However,traditional professions still play their unique functions and strategic significance in the subtleties of society,and postmen are one of the typical representatives.In today’s perception,postmen seem to be a traditional profession from the last century,and are often seen in our lives,both far and near.With the advent of the two waves of marketization and the Internet,the postmen profession has been impacted again and again in the course of the times.In the new historical situation,postmen,through their mundane and trivial work,assume an important function in the daily operation of society that is difficult to replace.It is of great theoretical value and research significance to conduct a study on the group of postmen,to explore the changes in their occupational identity as well as their occupational functions,to explore the occupational mobility mechanism of postmen in order to arouse people’s concern about the traditional occupation,and to enhance the occupational awareness of postmen and improve their occupational treatment.Based on the broad background of social transformation,this paper takes the professional mobility of the postmen as the research object,adopting the theory of occupational jurisdiction as the basis,taking "resource loss-occupational mobility" as the analytical framework,and employing the qualitative research method to study the occupational mobility of postmen.On the basis of outlining the work scenarios and group characteristics of postmen in two dimensions,namely,a synchronic perspective and a diachronic perspective,we systematically explore the loss of resources and transformation of postmen’ occupational identity and occupational functions in terms of identity expulsion and identity pluralism,and gain a glimpse of the postmen’s occupational mobility mechanism through the dual variation of identity and function.The study finds that the process of postmen’ occupational mobility in the rapid social transformation is the characteristic of their gradual loss of identity resources.First,the loss of postmen’ identity resources has led to the disenchantment of their profession.During the planned economy,the professional image of postmen was "green messengers" wearing dark green uniforms,and their professional role was often called "human carrier pigeons"representing hope,and they belonged to the "iron rice bowl" in the system.They belong to the unit people who eat the "iron rice bowl" in the system.With the arrival of the wave of marketization and the advancement of institutional changes in state-owned enterprises,postmen gradually lose their identity resources and become the "Courier boys" who undertake special delivery tasks in modern logistics groups.Second,identity and function are the double variation of postmen professional mobility.With the rapid transformation of society and the continuous iteration of transportation and communication technologies,alternative resources for postmen emerge,and the postal industry begins to seek changes and transformations,resulting in the expansion of postmen’ professional services and identity diversification,leading to the blurring of their professional boundaries and the transformation of their professional functions.The double transformation of identity and function is the characteristic of postmen’s career mobility.Third,the state and the market are the dominant forces of postmen’s career mobility.Market forces are the mechanism of change for postmen’s occupational mobility,while state forces are the mechanism of stability for postmen’s occupational mobility.The market forces,including capital and technology,have led to the emergence of new actors in the field and the changing occupational jurisdiction of postmen,which all have contributed to the occupational mobility of postmen.At the same time,the state,as a force to maintain the professional boundary,has clarified the jurisdiction of the postal profession through institutional framing and boundary reshaping,becoming a stabilizing force for professional mobility.The professional field of postmen has become a professional mechanism to promote their professional mobility.In conclusion,the loss of identity resources and the transformation of job functions are the mechanisms that shape the career mobility of postmen.In today’s society,the postal service is an indispensable part of the normal functioning of the state and society,in which the postmen play an irreplaceable role.Even at a time when private courier companies are rapidly occupying a large market share,the postal profession still has the necessity of existence,so it needs to be protected by the state.It is undeniable that most of the workers currently engaged in the postmen profession are older and less educated.How to enhance the professionalism of the postmen,to improve the professional treatment and professional prestige of this group,and to absorb more young workers into the industry,so as to comprehensively improve the overall service level and competitiveness of the postmen profession,are important issues worthy of continuous and indepth discussion by all sectors of society.