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Comment on “Computerizing industries and routinizing jobs: Explaining trends in aggregate productivity” by Sangmin Aum, Sang Yoon (Tim) Lee and Yongseok Shin

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  • Kehrig, Matthias

Abstract

Aum et al. (2018) quantify the impact of production complementarities and differential productivity growth across occupations and sectors on the slowdown of aggregate productivity growth. This note expands their work to study substitutability between new computer equipment and labor in individual occupations as opposed to all occupations combined. Preliminary empirical evidence suggests (1) significantly different elasticities of substitution between computers and labor across occupations and (2) a strong correlation between productivity growth of computers and labor in occupations where these two inputs are complementary. When they are substitutes, however, their productivity growth rates appear uncorrelated. These findings have the potential to amplify or weaken the magnitude of the aggregate productivity slowdown explained by Aum et al. (2018) making their approach a promising avenue for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Kehrig, Matthias, 2018. "Comment on “Computerizing industries and routinizing jobs: Explaining trends in aggregate productivity” by Sangmin Aum, Sang Yoon (Tim) Lee and Yongseok Shin," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 22-28.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:moneco:v:97:y:2018:i:c:p:22-28
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoneco.2018.05.004
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    Cited by:

    1. Pena, Werner & Siegel, Christian, 2023. "Routine-biased technical change, structure of employment, and cross-country income differences," CEPR Discussion Papers 18366, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Julieta Caunedo & David Jaume & Elisa Keller, 2023. "Occupational Exposure to Capital-Embodied Technical Change," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 113(6), pages 1642-1685, June.

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    JEL classification:

    • E2 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity

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