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Belloc, Filippo, Gabriel Burdín, Luca Cattani, William Ellis & Fabio Landini (2021): Coevolution of Job Automation Risk and Workplace Governance. (IZA discussion paper 14788), Bonn, 58 S.

Abstract

"This paper analyzes the interplay between the allocation of authority within firms and workers' exposure to automation risk. We propose an evolutionary model to study the complementary fit of job design and workplace governance as resulting from the adoption of worker voice institutions, in particular employee representation (ER). Two organisational conventions are likely to emerge in our framework: in one, workplace governance is based on ER and job designs have low automation risk; in the other, ER is absent and workers are involved in automation-prone production tasks. Using data from a large sample of European workers, we document that automation risk is negatively associated with the presence of ER, consistently with our theoretical framework. Our analysis helps to rationalize the historical experience of Nordic countries, where simultaneous experimentation with codetermination rights and job enrichment programs has taken place. Policy debates about the consequences of automation on labour organization should avoid technological determinism and devote more attention to socio-institutional factors shaping the future of work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Bertinelli, Luisito, Olivier Cardi & Romain Restout (2021): Labor Market Effects Of Technology Shocks Biased Toward The Traded Sector. (Documents de travail / Bureau d'Économie Théorique et Appliquée 2021-09), Sraßburg, 154 S.

Abstract

"Motivated by recent evidence pointing at an increasing contribution of asymmetric shocks across sectors to economic fluctuations, we explore the labor market effects of technology shocks biased toward the traded sector. Our VAR evidence for seventeen OECD countries reveals that the non-traded sector alone drives the increase in total hours worked following a technology shock that increases permanently traded relative to non-traded TFP. The shock gives rise to a reallocation of labor which contributes to 35% on average of the rise in non-traded hours worked. Both labor reallocation and variations in labor income shares are found empirically connected with factor-biased technological change. Our quantitative analysis shows that a two-sector open economy model with flexible prices can reproduce the labor market effects we document empirically once we allow for technological change biased toward labor together with additional specific elements. When calibrating the model to country-specific data, its ability to account for the cross-country reallocation and redistributive effects we estimate increases once we let factor-biased technological change vary between sectors and across countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Borelli, Silvia & Sofia Gualandi (2021): Which social security regime for platform workers in Italy? In: International social security review, Jg. 74, H. 3/4, S. 133-154. DOI:10.1111/issr.12281

Abstract

"Dieser Artikel wirft ein Licht auf die Debatte über die Regeln der sozialen Sicherheit, die für Plattformbeschäftigte in Italien gelten. Da die Systeme der sozialen Sicherheit nach Beschäftigungsart und Selbstständigkeit unterscheiden, werden hier Präzedenzfälle im italienischen Recht beschrieben, in denen es um den Beschäftigungsstatus von Plattformarbeitnehmern geht. Sodann werden die italienische Gesetzgebung, das Fallrecht und die Tarifverträge im Zusammenhang mit dem Arbeitsschutz skizziert, und es wird erklärt, auf welche Deckung Beschäftigte von Plattformen bei Arbeitsunfällen oder Berufskrankheiten Anrecht haben. Im Vordergrund stehen dabei die Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie. Außerdem werden die beiden wichtigsten Mindesteinkommenssysteme Italiens und die entsprechenden wissenschaftlichen Debatten nachgezeichnet, und es wird darauf eingegangen, welche Auswirkungen diese Systeme darauf haben, dass die digitalen Arbeitsplattformen sich ihrer Verantwortung hinsichtlich der Arbeitnehmerrechte, einschließlich des Zugangs zu einem angemessenen Sozialschutz, entziehen können." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons)

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Busemeyer, Marius R. & Tobias Tober (2021): Sozialtransfers, Weiterbildung, kürzere Arbeitszeiten? Die sozialpolitischen Prioritäten von Arbeitnehmer*innen im Zeitalter der Automatisierung. (Policy paper / Universität Konstanz, Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" 08 (DE)), Konstanz, 9 S.

Abstract

"Robotisierung, Automatisierung und Digitalisierung verändern die Arbeitsmärkte weltweit - umso mehr, seit die Pandemie die Abhängigkeit unserer Wirtschaft von bestimmten Berufszweigen aufgezeigt hat. Welche Antworten auf diesen Wandel erwarten die Bürger*innen von ihren Regierungen? Unsere Studie in 24 OECD-Ländern zeigt: Es herrscht große Besorgnis über technologiebedingte Arbeitsplatzrisiken, der technologische Wandel weckt aber auch Hoffnungen. Aus- und Fortbildungsmaßnahmen stoßen auf breite Zustimmung. Diejenigen, deren Arbeitsplatz aber konkret in Gefahr ist, erwarten für die Zeit der Arbeitslosigkeit vor allem kurzfristige, materielle Unterstützung. Die Politik sollte darum eine Balance zwischen notwendigen Investitionen in die digitale Wissensökonomie und sozialen Transferleistungen finden." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Cette, Gilbert, Aurélien Devillard & Vincenzo Spiezia (2021): The contribution of robots to productivity growth in 30 OECD countries over 1975–2019. In: Economics Letters, Jg. 200. DOI:10.1016/j.econlet.2021.109762

Abstract

"Using a new and original database, our paper contributes to the growth accounting literature by singling out the contribution of robots through two channels: capital deepening and TFP. The contribution of robots to productivity growth through capital deepening and TFP appears to have been significant in Germany and Japan in the sub-period 1975–1995 and in several Eastern European countries in 2005–2019. However, robotization does not appear to be the source of a significant revival in productivity." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2021 Elsevier) ((en))

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Chernoff, Alex & Casey Warman (2021): COVID-19 and Implications for Automation. (Staff working paper / Bank of Canada 2021,25), Ottawa, 29 S.

Abstract

"COVID-19 may accelerate the automation of jobs as employers invest in technology to safeguard against pandemics. We identify occupations that have high automation potential and also exhibit a high risk of viral infection. We examine regional variation in terms of which U.S. local labor markets are most at risk. Next, we outline the differential impacts COVID-19 may have on different demographic groups. We find that the highest-risk occupations in the U.S. are those held by females with mid- to low wage and education levels. Using comparable data for 25 other countries, we also find that women in this demographic are at the highest risk internationally. We examine monthly employment data from the U.S. and find that women in high-risk occupations experienced a larger initial decline in employment and a weaker recovery during the pandemic." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Cnossen, Femke, Matloob Piracha & Guy Tchuente (2021): Learning the Right Skill: The Returns to Social, Technical and Basic Skills for Middle-Educated Graduates. (GLO discussion paper / Global Labor Organization 979), Essen, 42 S.

Abstract

"Technological change and globalization have sparked debates on the changing demand for skills in western labour markets, especially for middle skilled workers who have seen their tasks replaced. This paper provides a new data set, which is based on text data from curricula of the entire Dutch vocational education system. We extract verbs and nouns to measure social, technical and basic skills in a novel way. This method allows us to uncover the skills middle-skilled students learn in school. Using this data, we show that skill returns vary across students specialized in STEM, economics or health, as well as across sectors of employment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kilhoffer, Zachary, Leonie Westhoff, Doina Postica & Farzaneh Shamsfakhr (2021): Digital labour platforms in the EU. Mapping and business models : final report. Brüssel, 150 S. DOI:10.2767/224624

Abstract

"This is the final report of the study on ‘Digital labour platforms in the EU: Mapping and business models’ for the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL). In total, 516 active and another 74 inactive digital labour platforms (DLPs) in the EU27 have been identified. For each of these DLPs, information on the business model has been collected and analysed. Moreover, for a sample of 38 DLPs, details on the working conditions have been collected and analysed for one or more countries. This study illustrates that DLPs have grown rapidly in the last five years, though still small in size with EUR 14 billion in activity. DLPs act as intermediaries for a large range of activities, including freelance, contest-based, microtask, taxi, delivery, home and professional services. DLPs intermediating the same services often follow similar business models, nevertheless the working conditions can differ between these platforms and even for the same platform across countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Demirel, Pelin, Ekaterina Nemkova & Rebecca Taylor (2021): Reproducing Global Inequalities in the Online Labour Market: Valuing Capital in the Design Field. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 35, H. 5, S. 914-930. DOI:10.1177/0950017020942447

Abstract

"Millions of freelancers work on digital platforms in the online labour market (OLM). The OLM´s capacity to both undermine and reproduce labour inequalities is a theme in contemporary platform economy debates. What is less well understood is how processes of social (re)production take place in practice for diverse freelancers on global platforms. Drawing on a study of freelance designers, we use Bourdieus notions of capital and field to explore the specific rules of the game and the symbolic valuing of skills and identities that secure legitimacy and advantage in the OLM. We contribute to contemporary debates by illuminating the power of Global North actors to shape freelancer positions and hierarchies in the online design field. The cost advantages of Global South workers are counterbalanced by the symbolic legitimising of specific cultural and social practices (specifically in relation to language) and the devaluing of others." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Domini, Giacomo, Marco Grazzi, Daniele Moschella & Tania Treibich (2021): For Whom the Bell Tolls: The Firm-Level Effects of Automation on Wage and Gender Inequality. (JRC working papers series on labour, education and technology 2021,15), Sevilla, 43 S.

Abstract

"This paper investigates the impact of investment in automation- and AI- related goods on within-firm wage inequality in the French economy during the period 2002-2017. We document that most of wage inequality in France is accounted for by differences among workers belonging to the same firm, rather than by differences between sectors, firms, and occupations. Using an event-study approach on a sample of firms importing automation and AI-related goods, we find that spike events related to the adoption of automation- or AI-related capital goods are not followed by an increase in within-firm wage nor in gender inequality. Instead, wages increase by 1% three years after the events at different percentiles of the distribution. Our findings are not linked to a rent-sharing behavior of firms obtaining productivity gains from automation or AI adoption. Instead, if the wage gains do not differ across workers along the wage distribution, worker heterogeneity is still present. Indeed, aligned with the framework in Abowd et al.(1999b), most of the overall wage increase is due to the hiring of new employees. This adds to previous findings showing picture of a `labor friendly' effect of the latest wave of new technologies within adopting firms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Döhring, Björn, Atanas Hristov, Christoph Maier, Werner Röger & Anna Thum-Thysen (2021): COVID-19 acceleration in digitalisation, aggregate productivity growth and the functional income distribution. In: International economics and economic policy, Jg. 18, H. 3, S. 571-604. DOI:10.1007/s10368-021-00511-8

Abstract

"This paper characterises the conventional and the digital sector of the EU economy since the late 90s and introduces a two sector growth model which highlights structural differences between the two sectors. In contrast to conventional goods and services, digital goods and services are more easily scalable but require more upfront intangible investment. These features require consideration of fixed costs and a departure from perfect competition and raise issues about market entry. Another important dimension is the skill demand of both sectors, with the latter requiring a larger share of workers with digital skills. Since COVID-19 is expected to induce a persistent increase of demand for digital services, we use this model to estimate the likely economic impacts. We are in particular interested how the digital transition is affecting the labour market and the functional distribution of income. The paper shows how the distribution of economic rents between workers with digital skills and platforms is determined by labour supply conditions and entry barriers. This suggests that there is a role for competition policy and labour market policies to support the digital transition." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Erebak, Serkan & Tülay Turgut (2021): Anxiety about the speed of technological development: Effects on job insecurity, time estimation, and automation level preference. In: The Journal of High Technology Management Research, Jg. 32, H. 2. DOI:10.1016/j.hitech.2021.100419

Abstract

"Technology is developing rapidly. Every year, new products and services are produced that may affect the way employees work in organizations. Following and adapting to technological developments may be an individual challenge. People may experience anxiety in this process. Also, automation technologies may lead to a perception that individuals may lose their jobs soon. This may affect employees' choices in the possible human-robot collaboration process. In this study, we reached out to employees from various sectors via internet survey. The statistical analyses showed that concerns about the speed of technology affects employees' job insecurity caused by robots and the perception of job insecurity related to their work affects the level of automation they prefer in robots. New studies on this subject may contribute to the efficiency of human-robot cooperation which is expected to happen soon. Also, it may contribute to highlighting the anxiety experienced by employees during the development of technology." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Freier, Carolin, Joachim König, Arne Manzeschke & Barbara Städtler-Mach (Hrsg.) (2021): Gegenwart und Zukunft sozialer Dienstleistungsarbeit. Chancen und Risiken der Digitalisierung in der Sozialwirtschaft. (Perspektiven Sozialwirtschaft und Sozialmanagement), Wiesbaden: Springer VS, 477 S. DOI:10.1007/978-3-658-32556-5

Abstract

"Der Band skizziert und diskutiert den digitalen Wandel in der Sozialwirtschaft. Internationale Beiträge aus der Praxis und Wissenschaft Sozialer Arbeit sowie dem Gesundheits- und Pflegebereich beschreiben, wie digitale Technologien den Alltag von Beschäftigten und deren Klient*innen prägen (werden). Enorme Chancen und gleichzeitig erhebliche Risiken dieses Wandels werden dabei debattiert, etwa mit Blick auf die Arbeitswelten, Professionen, soziale Teilhabe und daraus abzuleitende ethische Implikationen. Den Leser*innen bieten sich Praxiseinblicke, wissenschaftliche Analysen, Handlungsempfehlungen und Reflexionspotentiale, um soziale Dienstleistungsarbeit im Heute und Morgen (mit) zu gestalten." (Autorenreferat, © 2021 Springer)

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Frey, Philipp (2021): Visions of Automation: A Comparative Discussion of Two Approaches. In: Societies, Jg. 11, H. 2, S. 1-21. DOI:10.3390/soc11020063

Abstract

"In recent years, fears of technological unemployment have (re-)emerged strongly in public discourse. In response, policymakers and researchers have tried to gain a more nuanced understanding of the future of work in an age of automation. In these debates, it has become common practice to signal expertise on automation by referencing a plethora of studies, rather than limiting oneself to the careful discussion of a small number of selected papers whose epistemic limitations one might actually be able to grasp comprehensively. This paper addresses this shortcoming. I will first give a very general introduction to the state of the art of research on potentials for automation, using the German case as an example. I will then provide an in-depth analysis of two studies of the field that exemplify two competing approaches to the question of automatability: studies that limit themselves to discussing technological potentials for automation on the one hand, and macroeconomic scenario methods that claim to provide more concrete assessments of the connection between job losses (or job creation) and technological innovation in the future on the other. Finally, I will provide insight into the epistemic limitations and the specific vices and virtues of these two approaches from the perspective of critical social theory, thereby contributing to a more enlightened and reflexive debate on the future of automation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Fudurich, James, Lena Suchanek & Lise Pichette (2021): Adoption of digital technologies. Insights from a global survey initiative. (Staff discussion paper / Bank of Canada 2021-7), Ottawa, 44 S.

Abstract

"The Bank of Canada, together with a global network of central banks, recently surveyed more than 6,000 firms from around the world. Using the survey data, this paper assesses the effects of digitalization on firms’ pricing and employment decisions. Specifically, we examine firms’ expectations about how their adoption of digital technologies—such as e-commerce, cloud computing, big data, 3-D printing, the Internet of Things, robotics and artificial intelligence— will affect their prices and hiring plans. Digital technologies influence firms’ operations in several ways that can often offset each other. This makes it difficult to pin down the overall impact on prices. Survey results for Canada suggest that some firms expect some downward pressure on prices from (1) efficiency gains, for example from automation, made possible by digital technology and (2) increased online competition and cost compression in the supply chain. Other firms expect that the value added to their products from adopting digital technologies will allow them to charge higher prices. In addition, some firms anticipate that they will have to pass on the costs of adoption to customers. Firms also expect a marginal negative effect on their employment over the next three years as a result of technology-induced automation or productivity gains. This negative effect will largely be offset by more hiring of digital talent or to accommodate stronger sales. Using matching techniques to control for differences in sample size and composition as well as survey frames, we find that, compared with small and medium-sized firms, large firms are more likely to adopt digital technologies and more likely to expect negative effects on both employment and prices" (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Georgieff, Alexandre & Anna Milanez (2021): What happened to jobs at high risk of automation? (OECD social, employment and migration working papers 255), Paris, 67 S. DOI:10.1787/10bc97f4-en

Abstract

"This study looks at what happened to jobs at risk of automation over the past decade and across 21 countries. There is no support for net job destruction at the broad country level. All countries experienced employment growth over the past decade and countries that faced higher automation risk back in 2012 experienced higher employment growth over the subsequent period. At the occupational level, however, employment growth has been much lower in jobs at high risk of automation (6%) than in jobs at low risk (18%). Low-educated workers were more concentrated in high-risk occupations in 2012 and have become even more concentrated in these occupations since then. In spite of this, the low growth in jobs in high-risk occupations has not led to a drop in the employment rate of low-educated workers relative to that of other education groups. This is largely because the number of low-educated workers has fallen in line with the demand for these workers. Going forward, however, the risk of automation is increasingly falling on low-educated workers and the COVID-19 crisis may have accelerated automation, as companies reduce reliance on human labour and contact between workers, or re-shore some production." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Georgieff, Alexandre & Raphaela Hyee (2021): Artificial intelligence and employment: New cross-country evidence. (OECD social, employment and migration working papers 265), Paris, 60 S. DOI:10.1787/c2c1d276-en

Abstract

"Recent years have seen impressive advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and this has stoked renewed concern about the impact of technological progress on the labour market, including on worker displacement. This paper looks at the possible links between AI and employment in a cross-country context. It adapts the AI occupational impact measure developed by Felten, Raj and Seamans (2018[1]; 2019[2]) – an indicator measuring the degree to which occupations rely on abilities in which AI has made the most progress – and extends it to 23 OECD countries. The indicator, which allows for variations in AI exposure across occupations, as well as within occupations and across countries, is then matched to Labour Force Surveys, to analyse the relationship with employment. Over the period 2012-2019, employment grew in nearly all occupations analysed. Overall, there appears to be no clear relationship between AI exposure and employment growth. However, in occupations where computer use is high, greater exposure to AI is linked to higher employment growth. The paper also finds suggestive evidence of a negative relationship between AI exposure and growth in average hours worked among occupations where computer use is low. While further research is needed to identify the exact mechanisms driving these results, one possible explanation is that partial automation by AI increases productivity directly as well as by shifting the task composition of occupations towards higher value-added tasks. This increase in labour productivity and output counteracts the direct displacement effect of automation through AI for workers with good digital skills, who may find it easier to use AI effectively and shift to non-automatable, higher-value added tasks within their occupations. The opposite could be true for workers with poor digital skills, who may not be able to interact efficiently with AI and thus reap all potential benefits of the technology." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Guerrero, María Luisa Pérez & Miguel Rodríguez-Piñero Royo (2021): Social security for Spain's platform workers: Self-employed or employee status? In: International social security review, Jg. 74, H. 3/4, S. 177-194. DOI:10.1111/issr.12283

Abstract

"Bisherige Studien zum Schutz von Plattformarbeitnehmern in Spanien haben sich auf Fahrradkuriere konzentriert, die Mahlzeiten zu Kunden nach Hause liefern und deren Dienstleistungen über einige der bekanntesten Plattformen der sozialen und wirtschaftlichen Szene des Landes angeboten werden. Die meisten dieser Arbeitnehmer sind durch das System der sozialen Sicherheit für Selbstständige gedeckt. In einem Urteil des Obersten Gerichtshofs vom 25. September 2020 wurde das Verhältnis zwischen Glovo und seinen Kurieren jedoch als Angestelltenverhältnis gewertet. Dieses Urteil hat die Perspektiven für digitale Plattformen verändert und dazu geführt, dass die spanische Regierung die Plattformarbeit in Spanien nun reguliert. Dennoch gelten die staatlichen Regeln nur für Kuriere, obwohl auch viele andere Beschäftigtengruppen in derselben Lage sind. Dieser Artikel befasst sich mit der derzeitigen Stellung der spanischen Plattformbeschäftigten innerhalb des Systems der sozialen Sicherheit und mit den jüngsten Gerichtsurteilen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons)

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Haidar, Julieta & Miska Keune (Hrsg.) (2021): Work and Labour Relations in Global Platform Capitalism. (ILERA Publication series), Cheltenham: Elgar, 288 S. DOI:10.4337/9781802205138

Abstract

"This engaging and timely book provides an in-depth analysis of work and labour relations within global platform capitalism with a specific focus on digital platforms that organise labour processes, known as labour platforms. Well-respected contributors thoroughly examine both online and offline platforms, their distinct differences and the important roles they play for both large transnational companies and those with a smaller global reach." (Author's abstract, © Edward Elgar Publishing) ((en))

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Haslberger, Matthias (2021): Routine-biased technological change does not always lead to polarisation: Evidence from 10 OECD countries, 1995–2013. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 74. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2021.100623

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Im, Zhen Jie & Kathrin Komp-Leukkunen (2021): Automation and public support for workfare. In: Journal of European Social Policy, Jg. 31, H. 4, S. 457-472. DOI:10.1177/09589287211002432

Abstract

"Automation has permeated workplaces and threatens labour in the production process. Concurrently, European governments have expanded workfare which imposes stringent conditions and sanctions on unemployed workers after the onset of austerity. We explore how automation risk affects workfare support. Recent research finds that most routine workers ‘survive’ in their routine jobs. Despite avoiding unemployment, routine workers may face the threat of status decline as automation erodes the value of routine work. They may respond by differentiating themselves from lower-ranked social groups such as unemployed workers. Such boundary drawing may manifest views that the unemployed are less deserving of welfare. We thus posit that routine workers may support workfare to assuage their fears of status decline. We further explore if worsening economic hardship, proxied as rising unemployment rates over time, increases their support for workfare. We conducted pooled and multilevel analyses using data from the European Social Survey. We find that routine workers significantly support workfare. We also find that routine workers support workfare when economic hardship worsens, but oppose it when conditions ameliorate. Findings suggest that status threat is an important channel by which automation risk may affect workfare support, but its impact depends on social context, hence yielding country-differences. Worsening economic hardship may exacerbate routine workers’ status decline fears, and intensify their harsh views against unemployed workers. Automation risk may thus have a greater impact on workfare support under such conditions. Policymakers can use these findings to assess how workfare may be publicly received and under various economic conditions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Jacqueson, Catherine (2021): Platform work, social protection and flexicurity in Denmark. In: International social security review, Jg. 74, H. 3/4, S. 39-59. DOI:10.1111/issr.12277

Abstract

"Sind die „Arbeitnehmer“ von Online-Plattformen wirksam und angemessen gegen soziale Risiken und gegen Arbeitsmarktrisiken geschützt? Der Artikel untersucht diese grundlegende Frage vor dem Hintergrund des dänischen Arbeitsmarkts, der dafür bekannt ist, dass die Arbeitsplatzunsicherheit hoch, das System der sozialen Sicherheit jedoch eher großzügig ist. Die Autorin kommt zum Schluss, dass das gesetzliche System der sozialen Sicherheit Dänemarks eine notwendige Abfederung gegen Risiken bietet, aber auch Schutzlücken aufweist, was die Deckungswirksamkeit und die Leistungsangemessenheit des Systems in Frage stellt." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons)

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Kariel, Joel (2021): Job Creators or Job Killers? Heterogeneous Effects of Industrial Robots on UK Employment. In: Labour, Jg. 35, H. 1, S. 52-78. DOI:10.1111/labr.12192

Abstract

"There is concern about robots taking our jobs. This analysis looks at the impact of industrial robot adoption in the UK. Using a novel instrument to deal with endogeneity of robot adoption, estimates suggest that higher robot use is associated with increased employment and some evidence of a positive effect on part-time pay, contrary to evidence from other countries. However, there is a large amount of heterogeneity across industries. The results show that industrial robots have directly replaced workers in automobile manufacturing. On the other hand, they have had positive effects on other areas of the labour market such as services." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Klump, Rainer, Anne Jurkat & Florian Schneider (2021): Tracking the rise of robots: A survey of the IFR database and its applications. (MPRA paper / University Library of Munich 110390), München, 73 S.

Abstract

"Robots are continuously transforming industrial production worldwide and thereby also inducing changes in a variety of production-related economic and social relations. While some observers call this transformation an unprecedented "revolution", others regard it as a common pattern of capitalist development. This paper contributes to the literature on the effects of the rise of industrial robots in three ways. Firstly, we describe the historic evolution and organizational structure of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), which collects data on the international distribution of industrial robots by country, industry, and application from industrial robot suppliers worldwide since 1993. Secondly, we extensively analyze this IFR dataset on industrial robots and point out its specificities and limitations. We develop a correspondence table between the IFR industry classification and the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) Revision 4 and shed some light on the price development of industrial robots by compiling data on robot price indices. We further compute implicit depreciation rates inherent to the operational stocks of robots in the IFR dataset and find an average depreciation rate of aggregate robot stocks between 4% and 7% per year between 1993 and 2019. Moreover, tracking the share of industrial robots that are not classified to any industry or application we find that their share in total robot stocks has sharply declined after 2005. We also compare IFR data with other data sources such as UN Comtrade data on net imports and unit prices of industrial robots or data on robot adoption from firm-level surveys in selected countries. Thirdly, we provide a comprehensive overview of the empirical research on industrial robots that is based on the IFR dataset. We identify four important strands of research on the rise of robots: (i) patterns of robot adoption and industrial organization, (ii) productivity and growth effect of robot adoption, (iii) its impact on employment and wages, and (iv) its influence on demographics, health, and politics." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kogan, Leonid, Dimitris Papanikolaou, Lawrence D. W. Schmidt & Bryan Seegmiller (2021): Technology-Skill Complementarity and Labor Displacement: Evidence from Linking Two Centuries of Patents with Occupations. (NBER working paper 29552), Cambridge, Mass, 66 S. DOI:10.3386/w29552

Abstract

"We construct new technology indicators using textual analysis of patent documents and occupation task descriptions that span almost two centuries (1850–2010). At the industry level, improvements in technology are associated with higher labor productivity but a decline in the labor share. Exploiting variation in the extent certain technologies are related to specific occupations, we show that technological innovation has been largely associated with worse labor market outcomes—wages and employment—for incumbent workers in related occupations using a combination of public-use and confidential administrative data. Panel data on individual worker earnings reveal that less educated, older, and more highly-paid workers experience significantly greater declines in average earnings and earnings risk following related technological advances. We reconcile these facts with the standard view of technology-skill complementarity using a model that allows for skill displacement." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Koster, Sierdjan & Claudia Brunori (2021): What to do when the robots come? Non-formal education in jobs affected by automation. In: International Journal of Manpower, Jg. 42, H. 8, S. 1397-1419. DOI:10.1108/IJM-06-2020-0314

Abstract

"Purpose: Ongoing automation processes may render a fair share of the existing jobs redundant or change their nature. This begs the question to what extent employees affected invest in training in order to strengthen their labour market position in times of uncertainty. Given the different national labour market regimes and institutions, there may be an important geographical dimension to the opportunities to cope with the challenges set by automation. The purpose of this study is to address both issues. Design/methodology/approach: Using data from the 2016 European labour Force Survey, the authors estimate with logit and multi-level regression analyses how the automation risk of a worker's job is associated with the propensity of following non-formal education/training. The authors allow this relationship to vary across European countries. Findings: The results show that employees in jobs vulnerable to automation invest relatively little in training. Also, there are significant differences across Europe in both the provision of training in general and the effect of automation on training provision. Originality/value: While there is quite a lot of research on the structural labour market effects of automation, relatively little is known about the actions that employees take to deal with the uncertainty they are faced with. This article aims to contribute to our understanding of such mechanisms underlying the structural macro-level labour-market dynamics." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Emerald Group) ((en))

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Kremer, Monique, Robert Went & Godfried Engbersen (2021): Better Work. The Impact of Automation, Flexibilization and Intensification of Work. (Research for Policy), Cham: Imprint: Springer, X, 204 S. DOI:10.1007/978-3-030-78682-3

Abstract

"This is an Open Access book. How can we make work better? It is an important question, one that the Dutch government, employers' organizations and trade unions have been grappling with. People work to make money. But work also inspires self-respect, shapes our identity and gives us a sense of belonging – especially when the work we do is good. Good work is essential to prosperity in the broadest sense: to the quality of life we experience as individuals, to the economy and to society as a whole. Work in the Netherlands could be better. In Better Work. The automation, flexibilization and intensification of work, the Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy offers nine recommendations to help all workers gain more control over their money, their work and their lives – the three basic conditions of good work. While the primary responsibility for good work lies with employers, the government can help through legislation and regulations, supervision and subsidies, and through its tenders." (Provided by publisher)

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Lechowski, Grzegorz (2021): Die Industriecloud als zweite Chance. Europas neuer Anlauf in der globalen Plattformökonomie. In: WZB-Mitteilungen H. 171, S. 35-37.

Abstract

"In der Plattformökonomie haben europäische Unternehmen den Anschluss an die globale Konkurrenz verloren. Die jetzt aufkommende Welle der industriegetriebenen Digitalisierung wird aber neue Chancen für Plattforminnovationen in Europa mit sich bringen. Da die Innovationspotenziale einheimischer Technologieunternehmen allerdings eher begrenzt sind, dürften die neuen digitalen Industriepolitiken der EU und einzelner Mitgliedsstaaten entscheidend für die Entwicklung des europäischen Industriecloud-Sektors sein. Sein Erfolg könnte dabei den Weg zu einer pluralistischeren globalen Plattformökonomie eröffnen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Magoga-Sabatier, Sabrine & Anne-Sylvie Dupont (2021): Social security coverage for platform workers in Switzerland: A middle way? In: International social security review, Jg. 74, H. 3/4, S. 195-216. DOI:10.1111/issr.12284

Abstract

"Dieser Artikel vergleicht die Deckung der sozialen Sicherheit von Selbstständigen und Angestellten, die in der Schweiz für digitale Plattformen arbeiten. Es wird auf die Besonderheiten eingegangen, die in der Schweiz zu einer Verlangsamung der Reaktion der Sozialversicherungsgesetzgebung auf neu entstehende Arbeitsformen geführt haben, und die im Fallrecht umgesetzten Lösungen werden zusammengefasst. Diese Lösungen werden nun zwar genauer angepasst, tendieren aber allgemein zu einer Neueinstufung dieser Arbeitsverhältnisse als lohnabhängige Beschäftigung. Schließlich werden die verfügbaren Optionen diskutiert, die sich trotz des Zögerns der Schweizer Behörden, politische Schritte einzuleiten, um diese neuen Arbeitsformen mit ihrem bedeutenden wirtschaftlichen Potenzial zu fördern, ergeben, während der Gesetzgeber gleichzeitig dem Risiko prekärer Arbeit vorzubeugen versucht." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons)

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Marta, Fana & Giangregorio Luca (2021): Routine-biased technical change can fail. Evidence from France. (JRC working papers series on labour, education and technology 2021,14), Sevilla, 42 S.

Abstract

"The paper studies the determinants of wage differentials over time within jobs in France, detailing the contribution of different set of explanatory factors by means of a Recentred Influence Function, to estimate the effect of a set of covariates at different point of the wage distribution. We simultaneously test the contribution of tasks performed by workers and organisational methods at the firm level, labour market institutions and individual characteristics. We do so by exploiting a unique database at the worker level, the French Enquête Complémentaire Emploi: Conditions de travail, between 2005 and 2016, which covers also monthly wages. Main findings support the hypothesis according to which wages differentials along the wage distribution are almost entirely explained by contractual and work arrangements rather than tasks and organisational practices. Overall evidence run against the main argument of the Routine Bias Technical Change hypothesis" (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Martindale, Nicholas & Vili Lehdonvirta (2021): Can labour market digitalization increase social mobility? Evidence from a European survey of online platform workers. (SocArXiv papers), 21 S. DOI:10.31235/osf.io/54aqh

Abstract

"Children tend to inherit their parents’ social class through the types of jobs they get. However, digital technologies are now transforming the way labour markets work. Candidates are increasingly screened using algorithmic decision making. Skills are validated with online tests and customer feedback ratings. Workplace communications take place over digital media. Could these transformations be undermining the advantages that have accrued to workers with posh accents, family connections, and expensively acquired educational qualifications? We examine this question with survey data from the online (remote) platform economy, a labour market segment in which these digital transformations have progressed furthest (N = 983). The results reveal that online platform workers come largely from privileged class backgrounds. Class also influences (via education) what types of online occupations workers do, from professional services to data entry. However, class background has surprisingly little influence on job quality, which is instead shaped by individual digital metrics such as feedback ratings. These findings cannot be fully reconciled with theories of a shift towards meritocracy nor with theories of a persisting influence of class origins. Instead, labour market digitalization may be decoupling inherited occupation from job quality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Martins-Neto, Antonio, Nanditha Mathew, Pierre Mohnen & Tania Treibich (2021): Is There Job Polarization in Developing Economies? A Review and Outlook. (CESifo working paper 9444), München, 45 S.

Abstract

"This paper analyses the evidence of job polarization in developing countries. We carry out an extensive review of the existing empirical literature and examine the primary data sources and measures of routine intensity. The synthesis of results suggests that job polarization in emerging economies is only incipient compared to other advanced economies. We then examine the possible moderating aspects preventing job polarization, discussing the main theoretical channels and the existing empirical literature. Overall, the literature relates the lack of polarization as a natural consequence of limited technology adoption and the offshoring of routine, middle-earning jobs to some host developing economies. In turn, the limited technology adoption results from suboptimal capabilities in those economies, including the insufficient supply of educated workers. Finally, we present the main gaps in the literature in developing economies and point to the need for more micro-level studies focusing on the impacts of technology adoption on workers' careers and studies exploring the adoption and use of technologies at the firm level." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Moll, Benjamin, Lukasz Rachel & Pascual Restrepo (2021): Uneven Growth: Automation's Impact on Income and Wealth Inequality. (NBER working paper 28440), Cambridge, MA, 45 S. DOI:10.3386/w28440

Abstract

"The benefits of new technologies accrue not only to high-skilled labor but also to owners of capital in the form of higher capital incomes. This increases inequality. To make this argument, we develop a tractable theory that links technology to the personal income and wealth distributions – and not just that of wages – and use it to study the distributional effects of automation. We isolate a new theoretical mechanism: automation increases inequality via returns to wealth. The flip side of such return movements is that automation is more likely to lead to stagnant wages and therefore stagnant incomes at the bottom of the distribution. We use a multi-asset model extension to confront differing empirical trends in returns to productive and safe assets and show that the relevant return measures have increased over time. Automation accounts for part of the observed trends in income and wealth inequality and macroeconomic aggregates." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Montebovi, Saskia (2021): Accommodating platform work as a new form of work in Dutch social security law: New work, same rules? In: International social security review, Jg. 74, H. 3/4, S. 61-83. DOI:10.1111/issr.12278

Abstract

"In den Niederlanden sind die Rechte der sozialen Sicherheit von Plattformbeschäftigten noch immer nicht formell verankert. Derzeit leitet sich das Sozialschutzniveau aller Arten von Beschäftigten direkt von ihrer arbeitsrechtlichen Einstufung ab. Da es in den Niederlanden weiterhin an besonderen gesetzlichen Vorgaben für Plattformbeschäftigte fehlt, insbesondere was das Arbeitsrecht und das Recht der sozialen Sicherheit anbelangt, gibt die aktuell bestehende Gesetzgebung den Weg vor. Dies bedeutet, dass Plattformbeschäftigte entweder als Angestellte mit dem entsprechenden weitreichenden Schutzpaket oder aber als Selbstständige mit einem eher beschränkten Sozialschutz betrachtet werden. Für die Mehrheit der Plattformbeschäftigten wird derzeit die zweite Option angewendet. Dennoch deuten die jüngsten Entwicklungen auf mögliche Verbesserungen in der Sozialversicherungssituation niederländischer Plattformbeschäftigter hin." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons)

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Montobbio, Fabio, Jacopo Staccioli & Marco Vivarelli (2021): Labour-saving automation and occupational exposure: A text-similarity measure. (UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2021,44), Maastricht, 37 S.

Abstract

"This paper represents one of the first attempts at building a direct measure of occupational exposure to robotic labour-saving technologies. After identifying robotic and LS robotic patents retrieved by Montobbio et al. (2022), the underlying 4-digit CPC definitions are employed in order to detect functions and operations performed by technological artefacts which are more directed to substitute the labour input. This measure allows to obtain fine-grained information on tasks and occupations according to their similarity ranking. Occupational exposure by wage and employment dynamics in the United States is then studied, complemented by investigating industry and geographical penetration rates." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Montobbio, Fabio, Jacopo Staccioli, Maria Enrica Virgillito & Marco Vivarelli (2021): Labour-saving automation and occupational exposure: a text-similarity measure. (GLO discussion paper / Global Labor Organization 987), Essen, 37 S.

Abstract

"This paper represents one of the first attempts at building a direct measure of occupational exposure to robotic labour-saving technologies. After identifying robotic and LS robotic patents retrieved by Montobbio et al. (2022), the underlying 4-digit CPC definitions are employed in order to detect functions and operations performed by technological artefacts which are more directed to substitute the labour input. This measure allows to obtain fine-grained information on tasks and occupations according to their similarity ranking. Occupational exposure by wage and employment dynamics in the United States is then studied, complemented by investigating industry and geographical penetration rates." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Muckenhuber, Johanna, Martin Griesbacher, Josef Hödl & Laura Zilian (Hrsg.) (2021): Disruption der Arbeit? Zu den Folgen der Digitalisierung im Dienstleistungssektor. Frankfurt: Campus, 260 S.

Abstract

"Wie wirken sich die zunehmende Verbreitung und die verstärkte Abhängigkeit von Produkten und Prozessen der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnik auf die Beschäftigten aus? Welche Rationalisierungs- und Automatisierungspotenziale bieten Digitalisierung und »disruptive Technologien«, etwa mobile Roboter, Big Data und künstliche Intelligenz? Welche ökonomischen und gesundheitlichen Folgen ziehen sie nach sich? Wie verändern sich dadurch die Arbeitsplätze und -bedingungen? Dieser Band verschafft einen interdisziplinären Überblick über die Folgen der Digitalisierung am Arbeitsmarkt im privaten wie öffentlichen Service- und Dienstleistungsbereich." (Autorenreferat, © 2021 - campus Verlag)

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O'Higgins, Niall & Luis Pinedo Caro (2021): Crowdwork for Young People: Risks and Opportunities. (IZA discussion paper 14933), Bonn, 41 S.

Abstract

"In recent years, crowdworking has emerged as a small but rapidly growing source of employment and income principally for young(er) people. Here, we build on previous work in identifying the determinants of crowdworkers' earnings. We focus on the reasons why young crowdworkers earn significantly higher hourly wages than their older counterparts. We show that this is due to the higher returns to experience accruing to younger crowd-workers. Educational attainment does not explain this age-based differential, as education is a negligible factor in determining crowdworkers' earnings. We also analyse why young women earn around 20% less than their male counterparts despite blind hiring. We confirm that this is partly explained by constraints on working time faced by women with children. The analysis also shows that 'freely chosen' crowdwork - as opposed to, young people crowd-working because of a lack of alternative employment opportunities - is conducive to higher levels of job satisfaction. Moreover, young crowdworkers in middle income countries earn less than their counterparts in high income countries but report higher levels of job satisfaction. This is entirely attributable to the lower quality of their options outside of crowdwork." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Parteka, Aleksandra, Joanna Wolszczak-Derlacz & Dagmara Nikulin (2021): How digital technology affects working conditions in globally fragmented production chains: evidence from Europe. (Working paper series A / GUT Faculty of Management and Economics 66), Gdańsk, 68 S.

Abstract

"This paper uses a sample of over 9.5 million workers from 22 European countries to study the intertwined effects of digital technology and cross-border production links on workers' wellbeing. We compare the social effects of technological change exhibited by three types of innovation: computerisation (software), automation (robots) and artificial intelligence (AI). To fully quantify work-related wellbeing, we propose a new methodology that corrects the information on remuneration by reference to such non-monetary factors as the work environment (physical and social), career development prospects, or work intensity. We show that workers' wellbeing depends on the type of technological exposure. Employees in occupations with high software or robots content face worse working conditions than those exposed to AI. The impact of digitalisation on working conditions depends on participation in global production. To demonstrate this, we estimate a set of augmented models for determination of working conditions, interacting technological factors with Global Value Chain participation. GVC intensification is accompanied by deteriorating working conditions - but only in occupations exposed to robots or software, not in AI-intensive jobs. In other words, we find that AI technologies differ from previous waves of technological progress - also in their impact on workers' wellbeing within global production structures." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Reif, Magnus, Mewael F. Tesfaselassie & Maik H. Wolters (2021): Technological Growth and Hours in the Long Run: Theory and Evidence. (CESifo working paper 9140), München, 45 S.

Abstract

"Over the last decades, hours worked per capita have declined substantially in many OECD economies. Using a neoclassical growth model with endogenous work-leisure choice, we assess the role of trend growth slowdown in accounting for the decline in hours worked. In the model, a permanent reduction in technological growth decreases steady state hours worked by increasing the consumption-output ratio. Our empirical analysis exploits cross-country variation in the timing and the size of the decline in technological growth to show that technological growth has a highly significant positive effect on hours. A decline in the long-run trend of technological growth by one percentage point is associated with a decline in trend hours worked in the range of one to three percent. This result is robust to controlling for taxes, which have been found in previous studies to be an important determinant of hours. Our empirical finding is quantitatively in line with the one implied by a calibrated version of the model, though evidence for the model's implication that the effect on hours works via changes in the consumption-output ratio is rather mixed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Riso, Sara (2021): Digitisation in the workplace. Anticipating and managing the impact of change. (Eurofound research report / European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions), Luxemburg, 64 S. DOI:10.2806/806842

Abstract

"Research into the transformative potential of the digital revolution tends to take a quantitative approach in an attempt to monitor changes in employment levels due to digitalisation. The fear of potential job losses and negative disruption brought about by digital technologies has permeated the policy debate on digitalisation. In contrast, this report, based on case study research, takes a more qualitative approach to exploring the impact of selected digital technologies (internet of things, 3D printing, and virtual and augmented reality) in the workplace. While digital technologies can bring many opportunities and have been shown to be beneficial for both workers and organisations, there is a need to put safeguards in place to ensure employee data protection and privacy. A well-functioning social dialogue is also key to reaping the benefits of digital technologies and preventing – or minimising – any negative outcomes." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ross, Matthew (2021): The Effect of Intensive Margin Changes to Task Content on Employment Dynamics over the Business Cycle. In: ILR review, Jg. 74, H. 4, S. 1036-1064. DOI:10.1177/0019793920910747

Abstract

"Previous empirical studies investigating the employment impact of technological change have relied on cross-sectional measures of occupational tasks. Here, the author links microdata on individual workers to panel data on occupational tasks while controlling for individual unobservables. In examining the association between routine and abstract tasks and employment transitions, he finds new and economically important evidence that changes to tasks within occupations are strongly related to variation in the transition rates to non-employment and to different occupations. Consistent with recent work focused on technological change during the Great Recession, within-occupation increases in routine tasks are found to increase outgoing transition rates but these effects are concentrated during periods of economic turmoil. The results also show that increases in abstract tasks are associated with decreases in the outgoing transition rates, but this relationship is relatively invariant to business cycle conditions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Roşioru, Felicia (2021): The social protection of platform workers in Romania: Meeting the growing demand for affordable and adequate coverage? In: International social security review, Jg. 74, H. 3/4, S. 155-175. DOI:10.1111/issr.12282

Abstract

"In einer sich wandelnden Arbeitswelt bekunden Plattformarbeitnehmer oft Mühe, einen angemessenen Schutz zu erlangen, und dazu gehört auch der wirksame Zugang zu den Leistungen des Systems der sozialen Sicherheit. Die Leistungen der sozialen Sicherheit Rumäniens zeichnen sich dadurch aus, dass der Zugang vom Arbeitseinkommen einer Person abhängt, aber vom rechtlichen Status des Arbeitnehmers (angestellt oder selbstständig) nicht beeinflusst wird. Generell sind alle Arbeitnehmer im Krankheitsfall, bei veränderten Familienverhältnissen und im Ruhestand gedeckt. Im Gegensatz dazu ist für Selbstständige die Deckung für Arbeitslosigkeits-, Arbeitsunfall- und Berufskrankheitsleistungen sowie für bezahlten Krankheitsurlaub, für Leistungen bei einer Schwangerschaft und für Leistungen bei der Pflege kranker Kinder freiwillig. Angesichts der Verbreitung von Plattformarbeit befasst sich dieser Artikel mit der besonderen Situation von Plattformbeschäftigten in Rumänien, die zwar formell durch das System der sozialen Sicherheit gedeckt sind, aber vor zahlreichen Hindernissen bezüglich Anspruchsvoraussetzungen, administrativer Formalitäten, Risiken einer automatischen Beendung des Arbeitsverhältnisses und Arbeitsmustern mit zeitweiliger Beschäftigung stehen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons)

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Schneider-Dörr, Andreja (2021): Crowd Work und Plattformökonomie. Eine arbeitsrechtliche Fallstudie. (Arbeitsrechtliche Schriften 4), Baden-Baden: Nomos, 479 S. DOI:10.5771/9783748924548

Abstract

"Die Arbeit wendet sich der Frage zu, ob Crowd Worker auf Microtask Plattformen als ArbeitnehmerInnen einzuordnen sind. Seit Jahren ist das aus der Sicht des Arbeitsrechts umstritten, jedoch mit einer gewissen Tendenz, es eher zu verneinen. Das BAG urteilte jedoch im Dezember 2020, dass ein Crowd Worker durchaus Arbeitnehmer sein kann. Wie sind also die Umstände zu werten, die einen Crowd Worker zum (Nicht-) Arbeitnehmer machen? Das untersucht diese Arbeit. Im ersten Teil der Arbeit erfolgt ein Review verschiedener Studien zu Crowd Work, sowie eine Analyse zur Funktionsweise von Plattformen. Dabei werden auch ökonomische und organisationssoziologische betrachtet. Im zweiten Teil werden konkrete Fallanalysen aus einem Selbstversuch dargestellt, um diese arbeitsrechtlich bewerten zu können. Im dritten Teil werden zwei Aspekte eröffnet, zum einen, wie sich die Divergenz zwischen nationalem und dem europarechtlichen Arbeitnehmerbegriff bei Crowd Work erneut offenbart. Zum anderen werden neue Formen der Regulierung angestoßen: Passt beispielsweise die P2B-VO 2019/1150 nicht auf viele Probleme der Plattformarbeit? Wie ist es um ihre Anwendbarkeit auf Plattformarbeit bestellt? Wie sieht es mit aus mit „regulation by design“? Schließlich ist insgesamt zu überlegen, wie das Arbeitsrecht mit neuen Arbeitsformen und vor allem Formen neuer Organisationsmethoden zurecht kommt." (Autorenreferat, © 2021 Nomos)

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Sedik, Tahsin Saadi & Jiae Yoo (2021): Pandemics and Automation: Will the Lost Jobs Come Back? (IMF working paper 2021,11), Washington, DC, 26 S.

Abstract

"COVID-19 has exacerbated concerns about the rise of the robots and other automation technologies. This paper analyzes empirically the impact of past major pandemics on robot adoption and inequality. First, we find that pandemic events accelerate robot adoption, especially when the health impact is severe and is associated with a significant economic downturn. Second, while robots may raise productivity, they could also increase inequality by displacing low-skilled workers. We find that following a pandemic, the increase in inequality over the medium term is larger for economies with higher robot density and where new robot adoption has increased more. Our results suggest that the concerns about the rise of the robots amid the COVID-19 pandemic seem justified." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Soliman, Kariem (2021): Are Industrial Robots a new GPT? A Panel Study of Nine European Countries with Capital and Quality-adjusted Industrial Robots as Drivers of Labour Productivity Growth. (EIIW Diskussionsbeitrag 307), Wuppertal, 52 S.

Abstract

"In recent years, the interest in the field of economic research in studying the effect of robots on economic outcomes, i.e., labour productivity, labour demand and wages, has increased from an individual country perspective as well as for country groups. By using a fixed effects panel modeling approach, this study of nine robot intensive European countries shows that the core characteristics of a general purpose technology (GPT) are already satisfied by industrial robots. In 2019, seven countries in the panel, i.e. Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the UK (top 5), Sweden (7th) and Austria (10th) - in terms of operational stocks - were among the top 10 of robot using European countries (excl. Turkey). Following the understanding of a GPT of Bresnahan/Trajtenberg (1995), six panel regression models were estimated and linked to the four main characteristics of a GPT. Accordingly, two new measures are proposed in this paper; the first one is named the Division of Labour (or DoL) and is constructed by building the ratio of labour productivity inside the manufacturing industry to labour productivity across all industries. The second one is the Robot Task Intensity Index (RTII), which accounts for the number of tasks that a robot was used for in different production processes across the nine European countries. A high level of fulfilled tasks implies a higher quality of robot as the number of potential tasks, which the robot can perform, is an important criterion for the quality of that robot. In accordance with the GPT literature, both measures showed the expected (in) significances. At the bottom line, all six models underlined the economic relevance of industrial robots for the nine European countries included in the analysis and give a strong indication that robots can indeed be seen as a new general purpose technology." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Traverso, Silvio, Massimiliano Vatiero & Enrico Zaninotto (2021): Robots and Labor Regulation. A Cross-Country/Cross-Industry Analysis. (DEM working papers / Università degli studi di Trento 2021,12), Trento, 25 S.

Abstract

"This work discusses and empirically investigates the relationship between labor regulation and robotization. In particular, the empirical analysis focuses on the relationship between the discipline of workers' dismissal and the adoption of industrial robots in nineteen Western countries over the 2006-2016 period. We find that high levels of statutory employment protection have been negatively associated with robot adoption, suggesting that labor-friendly national legislations, by increasing adjustment costs (such as firing costs), and thus making investment riskier, provide less favorable environments for firms to invest in industrial robots. We also find, however, that the correlation is positively mediated by the sectoral levels of capital intensity, a hint that firms do resort to industrial robots as potential substitutes for workers to reduce employees' bargaining power and to limit their hold-up opportunities, which tend to be larger in sectors characterized by high levels of operating leverage." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Tubaro, Paola (2021): Disembedded or Deeply Embedded? A Multi-Level Network Analysis of Online Labour Platforms. In: Sociology, Jg. 55, H. 5, S. 927-944. DOI:10.1177/0038038520986082

Abstract

"This article extends the economic-sociological concept of embeddedness to encompass not only social networks of, for example, friendship or kinship ties, but also economic networks of ownership and control relationships. Applying these ideas to the case of digital platform labour pinpoints two possible scenarios. When platforms take the role of market intermediaries, economic ties are thin and workers are left to their own devices, in a form of ‘disembeddedness’. When platforms partake in intricate inter-firm outsourcing structures, economic ties envelop workers in a ‘deep embeddedness’ which involves both stronger constraints and higher rewards. With this added dimension, the notion of embeddedness becomes a compelling tool to describe the social structures that frame economic action, including the power imbalances that characterize digital labour in the global economy." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Uddén Sonnegård, Eva (2021): A quickly transforming labour market. (Ratio working paper 350), Stockholm, 18 S.

Abstract

"The Covid-19 pandemic has made it clear that the labour market situation can change extremely rapidly when there is an unexpected exogenous shock to the economy. Even though the transformation of the labour market as a result of the development of ICT (Information Communication Technology) industries facilitates more-flexible conditions, it is now more important than ever for EU Member States to improve the functioning of their labour markets. Member States need to increase possibilities for training and retraining throughout peoples' working lives in order to smooth the transformation into a digital world of work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Wacks, Johannes (2021): Labor Market Polarization with Hand-to-Mouth Households. (Beiträge zur Jahrestagung des Vereins für Socialpolitik 2021: Climate Economics), Kiel, 73 S.

Abstract

"Over the recent decades, wide-spread automation has led to a shift of the US labor force from occupations intensive in routine tasks into occupations intensive in manual and abstract tasks. I integrate routine-biased technological change into an incomplete markets model with occupation-specific human capital. I use the model to study the transition between steady states pre and post labor market polarization in general equilibrium. When human capital is occupation-specific and wages in the routine occupations relative to the other occupations fall over time, occupational choices become dynamic investment decisions. When households are close to the borrowing constraint, their occupational choices are distorted and they optimally choose to work in the routine occupations for longer than households who have accumulated a buffer stock of savings. I show that in a counterfactual economy, in which all workers choose occupations as if they were hand-to-mouth, the fall in routine labor is protracted by about three years compared to what was actually observed. I use the model to discuss several labor market policies. Incentivizing experienced routine workers to switch to the manual or abstract occupations, by paying them a government transfer, increases social welfare and average output. Empirically, I show that the friction I study is highly relevant, as about 34% of the households working in routine occupations live hand-to-mouth." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))