IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i21p13750-d951383.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impact of the Transforming and Upgrading of China’s Labor-Intensive Manufacturing Industry on the Labor Market

Author

Listed:
  • Zhihui Dai

    (Wujinglian School of Economics, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213159, China)

  • Yue Niu

    (School of Business, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213159, China)

  • Hongru Zhang

    (School of Business, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224002, China)

  • Xiaodi Niu

    (School of Economics and Trade, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China)

Abstract

The transforming and upgrading of China’s labor-intensive manufacturing sector is profoundly affecting the low-end labor market. However, there are few empirical studies that focus on labor-intensive manufacturing industries and that explore the impact of their transforming and upgrading on the labor market. Based on the wage and quantity of employment in the labor market, this paper examines the impact and the mechanism of the transforming and upgrading of China’s labor-intensive manufacturing industry on the labor market, using industry panel data from 2011 to 2019. The results show that the transforming and upgrading of labor-intensive manufacturing: (1) significantly improves the average wage of labor, but reduces the quantity of employment, and that this effect varies for different industry segments; (2) improves the average wage of labor through human capital factors and reduces the quantity of employment through labor productivity. The results suggest that we should focus on the impact of the transforming and upgrading of labor-intensive manufacturing on employment to achieve the synergistic development of employment quantity and quality, and ultimately promote sustainable labor market development.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhihui Dai & Yue Niu & Hongru Zhang & Xiaodi Niu, 2022. "Impact of the Transforming and Upgrading of China’s Labor-Intensive Manufacturing Industry on the Labor Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-25, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:21:p:13750-:d:951383
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/21/13750/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/21/13750/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2018. "The Race between Man and Machine: Implications of Technology for Growth, Factor Shares, and Employment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 108(6), pages 1488-1542, June.
    2. Dengler, Katharina & Matthes, Britta, 2018. "The impacts of digital transformation on the labour market: Substitution potentials of occupations in Germany," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 304-316.
    3. Martin, Christopher, 1993. "Price adjustment and market structure," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 139-143.
    4. Georg Graetz & Guy Michaels, 2018. "Robots at Work," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 100(5), pages 753-768, December.
    5. Yanming Li & Kangyin Lu & Kaiyuan Wang, 2021. "Inequality in the Initial Wage of College Graduates at the College-Level Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-15, December.
    6. Dale T. Mortensen, 2011. "Markets with Search Friction and the DMP Model," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(4), pages 1073-1091, June.
    7. Wei, Max & Patadia, Shana & Kammen, Daniel M., 2010. "Putting renewables and energy efficiency to work: How many jobs can the clean energy industry generate in the US?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 919-931, February.
    8. Horst Feldmann, 2005. "Labour Market Institutions and Labour Market Performance in Transition Countries," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(1), pages 47-82.
    9. R. Kaplinsky, 2000. "Globalisation and Unequalisation: What Can Be Learned from Value Chain Analysis?," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(2), pages 117-146.
    10. Frank Barry & Holger Gorg & Eric Strobl, 2005. "Foreign direct investment and wages in domestic firms in Ireland: Productivity spillovers versus labour-market crowding out," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(1), pages 67-84.
    11. Frey, Carl Benedikt & Osborne, Michael A., 2017. "The future of employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerisation?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 254-280.
    12. 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.
    13. Rachel Griffith & Rupert Harisson, 2004. "The link between product market reform and macro-economic performance," European Economy - Economic Papers 2008 - 2015 209, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    14. Zagler, Martin, 2002. "Services, innovation and the new economy," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 13(3), pages 337-355, September.
    15. Zanxin Wang & Wei Wei, 2021. "Regional economic resilience in China: measurement and determinants," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(7), pages 1228-1239, July.
    16. Lehr, Ulrike & Lutz, Christian & Edler, Dietmar, 2012. "Green jobs? Economic impacts of renewable energy in Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 358-364.
    17. Benjamin David, 2017. "Computer technology and probable job destructions in Japan: An evaluation," Post-Print hal-01549790, HAL.
    18. Arntz, Melanie & Gregory, Terry & Zierahn, Ulrich, 2017. "Revisiting the risk of automation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 157-160.
    19. David, Benjamin, 2017. "Computer technology and probable job destructions in Japan: An evaluation," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 77-87.
    20. Gereffi, Gary, 1999. "International trade and industrial upgrading in the apparel commodity chain," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 37-70, June.
    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. Caselli, Mauro & Fracasso, Andrea & Scicchitano, Sergio & Traverso, Silvio & Tundis, Enrico, 2021. "Stop worrying and love the robot: An activity-based approach to assess the impact of robotization on employment dynamics," GLO Discussion Paper Series 802, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    2. Fossen, Frank M. & Sorgner, Alina, 2022. "New digital technologies and heterogeneous wage and employment dynamics in the United States: Evidence from individual-level data," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    3. Cao, Yuqiang & Hu, Yong & Liu, Qian & Lu, Meiting & Shan, Yaowen, 2023. "Job creation or disruption? Unraveling the effects of smart city construction on corporate employment in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    4. Morikawa, Masayuki, 2017. "Who Are Afraid of Losing Their Jobs to Artificial Intelligence and Robots? Evidence from a Survey," GLO Discussion Paper Series 71, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Consoli, Davide & Marin, Giovanni & Rentocchini, Francesco & Vona, Francesco, 2023. "Routinization, within-occupation task changes and long-run employment dynamics," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).
    6. Gregory, Terry & Salomons, Anna & Zierahn, Ulrich, 2016. "Racing With or Against the Machine? Evidence from Europe," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145843, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    7. Arntz, Melanie & Gregory, Terry & Zierahn, Ulrich, 2019. "Digitalization and the Future of Work: Macroeconomic Consequences," IZA Discussion Papers 12428, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Zhang, Xinchun & Sun, Murong & Liu, Jianxu & Xu, Aijia, 2024. "The nexus between industrial robot and employment in China: The effects of technology substitution and technology creation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    9. Morikawa, Masayuki, 2017. "Who Are Afraid of Losing Their Jobs to Artificial Intelligence and Robots? Evidence from a Survey," GLO Discussion Paper Series 71, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    10. Michael Coelli & Jeff Borland, 2019. "Behind the headline number: Why not to rely on Frey and Osborne’s predictions of potential job loss from automation," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2019n10, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    11. Stähler, Nikolai, 2021. "The Impact of Aging and Automation on the Macroeconomy and Inequality," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    12. MIYAKAWA Daisuke & MIYAUCHI Yuhei & Christian PEREZ, 2017. "Who Are Afraid of Losing Their Jobs to Artificial Intelligence and Robots? Evidence from a survey," Discussion papers 17069, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    13. Leibrecht, Markus & Scharler, Johann & Zhoufu, Yan, 2023. "Automation and unemployment: Does collective bargaining moderate their association?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 264-276.
    14. Wang, Huijuan & Ding, Lin & Guan, Rong & Xia, Yan, 2020. "Effects of advancing internet technology on Chinese employment: a spatial study of inter-industry spillovers," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    15. Camiña, Ester & Díaz-Chao, Ángel & Torrent-Sellens, Joan, 2020. "Automation technologies: Long-term effects for Spanish industrial firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    16. Czarnitzki, Dirk & Fernández, Gastón P. & Rammer, Christian, 2023. "Artificial intelligence and firm-level productivity," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 188-205.
    17. Montobbio, Fabio & Staccioli, Jacopo & Virgillito, Maria Enrica & Vivarelli, Marco, 2022. "Robots and the origin of their labour-saving impact," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    18. Gries, Thomas & Naudé, Wim, 2022. "Modelling artificial intelligence in economics," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 56, pages 1-12.
    19. Prettner, Klaus & Strulik, Holger, 2020. "Innovation, automation, and inequality: Policy challenges in the race against the machine," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 249-265.
    20. Seamus McGuinness & Konstantinos Pouliakas & Paul Redmond, 2023. "Skills-displacing technological change and its impact on jobs: challenging technological alarmism?," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(3), pages 370-392, April.

    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:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:21:p:13750-:d:951383. 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.