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Cited by 1,374

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 53 of the 53 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The Skill Content of Recent Technological Change: An Empirical Exploration

Open access
Autor, David H., Levy, Frank S., Murnane, Richard J.·2001·SSRN Electronic Journal
DOI 10.2139/ssrn.272691
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Abstract

We apply an understanding of what computers do-the execution of procedural or rules-based logic-to study how computer technology alters job skill demands. We contend that computer capital (1) substitutes for workers in carrying out a limited and well-defined set of cognitive and manual activities, those that can be accomplished by following explicit rules (what we term "routine tasks"); and (2) complements workers in accomplishing non-routine problem solving and communications tasks. Provided these tasks are imperfect substitutes, our model implies measurable changes in the content of work, which we explore using representative data on job task input over the period 1960 to 1998. We show that computerization is associated with reduced relative demand for labor input of routine manual and routine cognitive tasks and increased relative demand for non-routine cognitive tasks. Demand shifts are evident within detailed industries, within detailed occupations, and within education groups within industries. Translating changes in job task content into education demand, the sum of within-industry and within-occupation shifts can account for forty percent of the estimated relative demand shift favoring college versus non-college labor during 1970 to 1998. Changes in task content within nominally identical occupations account for the largest component of this impact.

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Citations

Cites

Research works printed but not linked: 16

  1. Anne P Bartel, 2000, New Technology, Human Resource Practices and Skill Requirements: Evidence from Plant Visits in Three Industries
  2. Eli Berman, 2000, Skill-Biased Technology Transfer: Evidence of Factor Biased Technological Change in Developing countries
  3. Peter F Drucker, 1954, The Practice of Management
  4. Claudia ; Goldin, 1995, The Decline of Non-Competing Groups: Changes in the Premium to Education, 1890 to 1940, NBER Working Paper #5202, 10.3386/w5202 · DOI
  5. Frank Levy, 1999, Computerization and Skills: Examples from a Car Dealership
  6. Kevin M Murphy, 1993, Occupational Change and the Demand for Skill, American Economic Review, 83, 122
  7. 1981, Fourth Edition Dictionary of DOT Scores for 1970 Census Categories, Committee on Occupational Classification and Analysis
  8. Jin Park, 1994, Estimation of Sheepskin Effects and Returns to Schooling Using the Old and the New CPS Measures of Educational Attainment
  9. Steven Pinker, 1997, How the Mind Works
  10. Michael Polanyi, 1966, The Tacit Dimension
  11. J A Priebe, 1970, Occupation and Industry Classifications in Terms of their 1960 Occupation and Industry Elements
  12. Ruggles Steven, 1997, Integrated Public Use Microdata Series: Version 2.0, Minneapolis: Historical Census Projects
  13. Theodore W Schultz, 1975, The Value of the Ability to Deal with Disequilibria, Journal of Economic Literature, 13, 827
  14. Herbert A Simon, 1960, The Corporation: Will it be Managed by Machines, Management and the Corporations, 17
  15. Estimated Change in Log College vs. Non-College Relative Demand Implied by Observed Task Shifts, 1970
  16. 1977, Sources: CPS MORG 1980, all employed workers ages 18 -64 and Dictionary of Occupational Titles

Cited by

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Metadata

Authors
Autor, D. H., Levy, F. S., & Murnane, R. J.
Venue
SSRN Electronic Journal
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2001
ISSN
1556-5068 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2139/ssrn.272691
OpenAlex
W2130655864
Cited by
1,374
References
53
Type
posted content
Language
en
Open access
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