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Technical Change and the Demand for Skills by U.S. Industries

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  • Howell, David R
  • Wolff, Edward N

Abstract

Previous studies have explained the demand for skills, usually measured by schooling attainment, by either factor price substitution, capital-skill complementarity, or technology-skill complementarity. The authors explore this demand with direct job-based measures of cognitive (CS), interactive (IS), and motor (MS) skills in a single model that includes all three sets of possible determinants. The results raise doubts about the adequacy of schooling as a measure of skill and TFP growth as an index of technical change. The authors find little support for capital-skill complementarity; capital-intensity and its growth are significantly inversely related to CS and MS levels and growth. Technical change is unambiguously linked to increasing CS, rising professional/technical shares, and declining operative/laborer shares. The effects on MS and IS are mixed, but young capital increases craft shares, and computer-intensity decreases supervisory and clerical/service shares. Copyright 1992 by Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Howell, David R & Wolff, Edward N, 1992. "Technical Change and the Demand for Skills by U.S. Industries," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 16(2), pages 127-146, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:cambje:v:16:y:1992:i:2:p:127-46
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    Cited by:

    1. Andy Dickerson & Damon Morris, 2019. "The Changing Demand for Skills in the UK," CVER Research Papers 020, Centre for Vocational Education Research.
    2. Pascal Petit, 2010. "Innovation and Services: On Biases and Beyond," Chapters, in: Faïz Gallouj & Faridah Djellal (ed.), The Handbook of Innovation and Services, chapter 17, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Wolff, Edward N., 2000. "Human capital investment and economic growth: exploring the cross-country evidence," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 433-472, December.
    4. Stuart Glosser & Lonnie Golden, 2005. "Is labour becoming more or less flexible? Changing dynamic behaviour and asymmetries of labour input in US manufacturing," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 29(4), pages 535-557, July.
    5. Pascal Petit & Luc Soete, 2002. "Is a Biased Technological Change Fuelling Dualism?," Chapters, in: Mark Setterfield (ed.), The Economics of Demand-Led Growth, chapter 15, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/eu4vqp9ompqllr09iak49cp9p is not listed on IDEAS
    7. David H. Autor, 2007. "Structural demand shifts and potential labor supply responses in the new century," Conference Series ; [Proceedings], Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, vol. 52.
    8. Consoli, Davide & Rentocchini, Francesco, 2015. "A taxonomy of multi-industry labour force skills," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(5), pages 1116-1132.
    9. Zuniga, Pluvia & Crespi, Gustavo, 2013. "Innovation strategies and employment in Latin American firms," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 1-17.
    10. Hollanders, Hugo & Weel, Bas ter, 1998. "Skill-Biased Technological Change in an Endogenous Growth Model," Research Memorandum 016, Maastricht University, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    11. Wolfgang Polt & Manfred Paier & Andreas Schibany & Helmut Gassler & Gernot Hutschenreiter & Norbert Knoll & Hannes Leo & Michael Peneder, 1999. "Österreichischer Technologiebericht 1999," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 8332, February.
    12. Francesco Vona & Davide Consoli, 2015. "Innovation and skill dynamics: a life-cycle approach," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 24(6), pages 1393-1415.
    13. Hannes Leo, 2001. "European Skills Shortage in ICT and Policy Responses," WIFO Working Papers 163, WIFO.
    14. Davide Consoli & Dioni Elche, 2013. "The evolving knowledge base of professional service sectors," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 477-501, April.
    15. Consoli, Davide & Elche-Hortelano, Dioni, 2010. "Variety in the knowledge base of Knowledge Intensive Business Services," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 1303-1310, December.
    16. Mario Pianta, 2018. "Technology and Employment: Twelve Stylised Facts for the Digital Age," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 61(2), pages 189-225, June.
    17. Nathalie Greenan, 1996. "Innovation technologique, changements organisationnels et évolution des compétences," Économie et Statistique, Programme National Persée, vol. 298(1), pages 15-33.
    18. Wang, Q. & von Tunzelmann, N., 2000. "Complexity and the functions of the firm: breadth and depth," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(7-8), pages 805-818, August.

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