Technological change and employment in Latin America: opportunities and challenges

The debate about what kind of impact current technological changes will have on employment is marked by a high degree of uncertainty, as is clear from the existence of widely differing estimates of the possible extent of job destruction. This article looks at various contributions to the analysis of how labour markets may be restructured and different projections of job destruction, job creation and changes in the nature of employment. A comparative consideration of the available evidence for developed countries and for the Latin American and Caribbean region based on a conditioned contextual approach leads to the conclusion that the impact of new technologies in the region will be shaped in part by the structure of production and of the labour market, the development of infrastructure and the relevant capacities of different sorts. Challenges in two areas of key importance in realizing the potential of new technologies to contribute to a sustainable development process and greater equality are then examined: workforce skills and competencies, and the regulation of labour relations.