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The Division of Labour, Worker Organisation, and Technological Change

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Author Info
Borghans,Lex
Weel,Bas,ter (ROA rm)

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Abstract

The model developed in this paper explains differences in the division of labour across firmsas a result of computer technology adoption. We find that changes in the division of labourcan result both from reduced production time and from improved communicationpossibilities. The first shifts the division of labour towards a more generic structure, while thelatter enhances specialisation. Although there exists heterogeneity, our estimates for arepresentative sample of Dutch establishments in the period 1990-1996 suggest thatproductivity gains have been the main determinant for shifts in the division of labour withinmost firms. These productivity gains have induced skill upgrading, while in firms gainingmainly from improved communication possibilities specialisation increased and skillrequirements have fallen.

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Paper provided by Maastricht : ROA, Researchcentrum voor Onderwijs en Arbeidsmarkt in its series Research Memoranda with number 005.

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Date of creation: 2005
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Handle: RePEc:dgr:umaror:2005005

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Keywords: education training and the labour market

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  26. Borghans,Lex & Weel,Bas,ter, 2002. "Do Older Workers Have More Trouble Using a Computer Than Younger Workers?," Research Memoranda 003, Maastricht : ROA, Researchcentrum voor Onderwijs en Arbeidsmarkt. [Downloadable!]
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Aubert Patrick & Caroli Eve & Roger Muriel, 2005. "New Technologies, Workplace Organisation and the Age Structure of the Workforce: Firm-Level Evidence," Research Unit Working Papers 0505, Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquee, INRA. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. R. Antonietti, 2006. "The skill content of technological change. Some conjectures on the role of education and job-training in reducing the timing of new technology adoption," Working Papers 556, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Università di Bologna. [Downloadable!]
  3. Raouf Boucekkine & Patricia Crifo & Claudio Mattalia, 2008. "Technological Progress, Organizational Change and the Size of the Human Resources Department," Post-Print hal-00240715_v1, HAL. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Cindy Zoghi & Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia, 2006. "Which Workers Gain Upon Adopting a Computer?," Working Papers 395, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. [Downloadable!]
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