Conclusions

This final chapter concludes by synthesizing key takeaways and implications. Expanding beyond the US and European contexts, the study includes countries from North America, Asia and South America, incorporating updated analyses that include data from the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings indicate that while the share of primary sector employment has markedly declined globally—advanced economies having largely completed the process of deagrarianization—agriculture remains a significant sector in some developing countries. Manufacturing has also experienced a continuous decline due to technological advancements and globalization, leading to deindustrialization. Conversely, the tertiary sector has expanded, with services absorbing most new employment. The ‘service transition’ highlights growth in both private and public services, where private services contribute to employment polarization and public services to job upgrading, though South Korea stands as a notable exception. More generally, the chapter identifies various employment shift patterns across different countries and periods. Some countries exhibit clear trends of upgrading or polarization, while others display hybrid or unique patterns. It also examines the impact of business cycles on labour market reallocations and the role of gender in influencing employment shifts. Notably, there has been significant feminization of the workforce, with differing effects on employment patterns by gender. Theoretically, while technological advances play a central role in understanding employment trends, other factors such as trade, labour market institutions and socio-economic changes are also crucial. The diverse employment shift patterns observed across different contexts highlight the need for a nuanced perspective that goes beyond single narratives, emphasizing the influence of both local and national factors alongside global trends.