IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v11y2022i12p566-d990691.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Aside from Deterministic Prophecies, What Is Missing in the Contemporary Debate on Automation and the Future of Work? The Case of Automated Vehicles

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Silva

    (Center for Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal)

  • Liliana Cunha

    (Center for Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal)

Abstract

Debates around the future of work have (re-)emerged strongly as concerns about a new era of workplace automation grow from a plethora of narratives estimating the potential of machine substitution. This research aims to analyse how these perspectives dictate current discussions based on taken-for-granted assumptions about work. The analysis takes the lens of work psychology and delves into the case of automated vehicles (AVs), an oft-debated form of automation by its implications for the transport workforce. We explore how the debate is subdued to a deterministic “metrological universe”, overloading the present epoch with certainty about imaginaries of “driverless futures”. However, when we move our attention beyond the quantitative speculation of future employment and connect automation with the concrete socio-professional realities of transport workers, such imaginaries are deconstructed while key issues regarding the quality of work with AVs emerge. By arguing that such issues remain “forgotten” in dominant technological discussions, bipartite and tripartite actions towards decent work are gathered, considering the institutional constellation in road transport. As future research, we propose to challenge those governance models predicated on the language of AV acceptance, which ultimately places the responsibility of managing the uncertainties that AVs hold on the shoulders of transport workers.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Silva & Liliana Cunha, 2022. "Aside from Deterministic Prophecies, What Is Missing in the Contemporary Debate on Automation and the Future of Work? The Case of Automated Vehicles," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-29, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:11:y:2022:i:12:p:566-:d:990691
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/12/566/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/12/566/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Snyder, Hannah, 2019. "Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 333-339.
    2. Maury Gittleman & Kristen Monaco, 2020. "Truck-Driving Jobs: Are They Headed for Rapid Elimination?," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 73(1), pages 3-24, January.
    3. Balliester, Thereza. & Elsheikhi, Adam., 2018. "The future of work a literature review," ILO Working Papers 994987493402676, International Labour Organization.
    4. Nastjuk, Ilja & Herrenkind, Bernd & Marrone, Mauricio & Brendel, Alfred Benedikt & Kolbe, Lutz M., 2020. "What drives the acceptance of autonomous driving? An investigation of acceptance factors from an end-user's perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    5. David H. Autor, 2015. "Why Are There Still So Many Jobs? The History and Future of Workplace Automation," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 29(3), pages 3-30, Summer.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Aniruddh Mohan & Parth Vaishnav, 2022. "Impact of automation on long haul trucking operator-hours in the United States," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Christoph Keding, 2021. "Understanding the interplay of artificial intelligence and strategic management: four decades of research in review," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 71(1), pages 91-134, February.
    3. Jin Liu & Xingchen Xu & Xi Nan & Yongjun Li & Yong Tan, 2023. ""Generate" the Future of Work through AI: Empirical Evidence from Online Labor Markets," Papers 2308.05201, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2024.
    4. Susan Ainsworth & Angela Knox, 2022. "“A bridge too far?” Ideas, employment relations and policy‐making about the future of work," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(1), pages 68-89, January.
    5. Zoltan Csefalvay, 2019. "What are the policy options? A systematic review of policy responses to the impacts of robotisation and automation on the labour market," JRC Working Papers on Corporate R&D and Innovation 2019-02, Joint Research Centre.
    6. Maria-Chiara Morandini & Anna Thum-Thysen & Anneleen Vandeplas, 2020. "Facing the Digital Transformation: Are Digital Skills Enough?," European Economy - Economic Briefs 054, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    7. Sebastian Goldmann & Michael Knörzer, 2023. "Technology advancement propels work productivity: Empirical efficiency potential determination in marketing and sales," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(4), pages 1962-1977, June.
    8. Kerstin Hotte & Melline Somers & Angelos Theodorakopoulos, 2022. "Technology and jobs: A systematic literature review," Papers 2204.01296, arXiv.org.
    9. Violeta Sima & Ileana Georgiana Gheorghe & Jonel Subić & Dumitru Nancu, 2020. "Influences of the Industry 4.0 Revolution on the Human Capital Development and Consumer Behavior: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-28, May.
    10. Catherine Taylor & Robert Waschik, 2022. "Evaluating the impact of automation in long-haul trucking using USAGE-Hwy," Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre Working Papers g-326, Victoria University, Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre.
    11. Ashraf Elsafty & Ahmed Elzeftawy, 2023. "Towards Effective Mitigation of the Digital Transformation and COVID-19 Risk on Unemployment in Mobile Operators in Egypt," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 17(2), pages 123-123, February.
    12. Cette, Gilbert & Devillard, Aurélien & Spiezia, Vincenzo, 2021. "The contribution of robots to productivity growth in 30 OECD countries over 1975–2019," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    13. Ali Zackery & Joseph Amankwah-Amoah & Zahra Heidari Darani & Shiva Ghasemi, 2022. "COVID-19 Research in Business and Management: A Review and Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-32, August.
    14. Ayhan, Fatih & Elal, Onuray, 2023. "The IMPACTS of technological change on employment: Evidence from OECD countries with panel data analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    15. Eusebius Pantja Pramudya & Lukas Rumboko Wibowo & Fitri Nurfatriani & Iman Kasiman Nawireja & Dewi Ratna Kurniasari & Sakti Hutabarat & Yohanes Berenika Kadarusman & Ananda Oemi Iswardhani & Rukaiyah , 2022. "Incentives for Palm Oil Smallholders in Mandatory Certification in Indonesia," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-28, April.
    16. Peter Schnell & Phillip Haag & Hans Christian Jünger, 2022. "Implementation of Digital Technologies in Construction Companies: Establishing a Holistic Process which Addresses Current Barriers," Businesses, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-18, December.
    17. Ville-Veikko Pulkka, 2017. "A free lunch with robots – can a basic income stabilise the digital economy?," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 23(3), pages 295-311, August.
    18. Adrian Otoiu & Ramona Bere & Catalin Silvestru, 2017. "An Assessment of the First Round Impact of Innovation Industries on Europe’s Regional Economies," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 19(44), pages 289-289, February.
    19. Lütkenhorst, Wilfried, 2018. "Creating wealth without labour? Emerging contours of a new techno-economic landscape," IDOS Discussion Papers 11/2018, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    20. Barth, Erling & Davis, James C. & Freeman, Richard B. & McElheran, Kristina, 2023. "Twisting the demand curve: Digitalization and the older workforce," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 233(2), pages 443-467.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:11:y:2022:i:12:p:566-:d:990691. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.