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Away from Home and Back: Coordinating (Remote) Workers in 1800 and 2020

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  • Réka Juhász
  • Mara P. Squicciarini
  • Nico Voigtländer

Abstract

This paper examines the future of remote work by drawing parallels between two contexts: The move from home to factory-based production during the Industrial Revolution and the shift to work from home today. Both are characterized by a similar trade-off: the potential productivity advantage of the new working arrangement made possible by technology (mechanization or ICT), versus organizational barriers such as coordinating workers. Using contemporary data, we show that organizational barriers seem to be present today. Without further technological or organizational innovations, remote work may not be here to stay just yet.

Suggested Citation

  • Réka Juhász & Mara P. Squicciarini & Nico Voigtländer, 2020. "Away from Home and Back: Coordinating (Remote) Workers in 1800 and 2020," NBER Working Papers 28251, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:28251
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    1. Tomiura, Eiichi & Kumanomido, Hiroshi, 2023. "Impacts of inter-firm relations on the adoption of remote work: Evidence from a survey in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Long, Trinh Quang & Hoang, Trang Cam & Simkins, Betty, 2023. "Gender gap in digital literacy across generations: Evidence from Indonesia," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PD).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F63 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Economic Development
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology

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