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Testing the employment and skill impact of new technologies: A survey and some methodological issues

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  • Barbieri, Laura
  • Mussida, Chiara
  • Piva, Mariacristina
  • Vivarelli, Marco

Abstract

The present technological revolution, characterized by the pervasive and growing presence of robots, automation, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, is going to transform societies and economic systems. However, this is not the first technological revolution humankind has been facing, but it is probably the very first one with such an accelerated diffusion pace involving all the industrial sectors. Studying its mechanisms and consequences (will the world turn into a jobless society or not?), mainly considering the labor market dynamics, is a crucial matter. This paper aims at providing an updated picture of main empirical evidence on the relationship between new technologies and employment both in terms of overall consequences on the number of employees, tasks required, and wage/inequality effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Barbieri, Laura & Mussida, Chiara & Piva, Mariacristina & Vivarelli, Marco, 2019. "Testing the employment and skill impact of new technologies: A survey and some methodological issues," GLO Discussion Paper Series 397, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:glodps:397
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    Cited by:

    1. Giacomo Damioli & Vincent Van Roy & Daniel Vertesy & Marco Vivarelli, 2023. "AI technologies and employment: micro evidence from the supply side," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(6), pages 816-821, March.
    2. Nii-Aponsah, Hubert, 2022. "Automation exposure and implications in advanced and developing countries across gender, age, and skills," MERIT Working Papers 2022-021, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    3. Antón, José-Ignacio & Fernández-Macías, Enrique & Winter-Ebmer, Rudolf, 2020. "Does Robotization Affect Job Quality? Evidence from European Regional Labour Markets," IZA Discussion Papers 13975, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Horbach, Jens & Rammer, Christian, 2020. "Labor shortage and innovation," ZEW Discussion Papers 20-009, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    5. René Böheim & Michael Christl, 2022. "Mismatch unemployment in Austria: the role of regional labour markets for skills," Regional Studies, Regional Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 208-222, December.
    6. Luigi Campiglio, 2020. "Lo Stato Sociale: da "lusso" a necessità," DISCE - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Politica Economica dipe0008, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    7. Fernández-Macías, Enrique & Klenert, David & Antón, José-Ignacio, 2021. "Not so disruptive yet? Characteristics, distribution and determinants of robots in Europe," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 76-89.
    8. Marco Vivarelli, 2022. "Innovation and employment: a short update," DISCE - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Politica Economica dipe0024, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    9. Barth, Erling & Roed, Marianne & Schone, Pal & Umblijs, Janis, 2020. "How Robots Change Within-Firm Wage Inequality," IZA Discussion Papers 13605, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Alexandri, Eva & Antón, José-Ignacio & Lewney, Richard, 2024. "The impact of climate change mitigation policies on European labour markets," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    technology; innovation; employment; skill; task; routine;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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