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Computerization, Composition of Employment, and Structure of Wages

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Plant

    (University of Miami)

  • Manuel S. Santos

    (University of Miami)

  • Tarek Sayed

    (University of Miami)

Abstract

Technology investment has been consistently growing since the 1950s when the mainframe started to impact the organization followed by the introduction of the PC in the early 1980s. Mainframes and minicomputers evolved into a distributed environment, which later gave way to the mobile platform, and to the machine to machine interactions. We study the impact of these technology episodes on US labor market trends. We focus on the composition of employment, varying compensation premiums across occupations, as well as a declining labor income share. We isolate some job attributes which have resisted computerization.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Plant & Manuel S. Santos & Tarek Sayed, 2017. "Computerization, Composition of Employment, and Structure of Wages," Working Papers 2017-09, University of Miami, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:mia:wpaper:2017-09
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    File URL: https://www.herbert.miami.edu/_assets/files/repec/WP2017-09.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2017
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. David H. Bernstein & Andrew B. Martinez, 2021. "Jointly Modeling Male and Female Labor Participation and Unemployment," Econometrics, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-14, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Technology eras; computerization; job attributes; education attainment; structured vs. unstructured work; social perceptiveness. Publication Status: Submitted;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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