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Technology, Skills, and Globalization: Explaining International Differences in Routine and Nonroutine Work Using Survey Data

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  • Piotr Lewandowski
  • Albert Park
  • Wojciech Hardy
  • Yang Du
  • Saier Wu

Abstract

The shift from routine work to nonroutine cognitive work is a key feature of labor markets globally, but there is little evidence on the extent to which tasks differ among workers performing the same jobs in different countries. This paper constructs survey-based measures of routine task intensity (RTI) of jobs consistent with those based on the U.S. O*NET database for workers in 47 countries. It confirms substantial cross-country differences in the content of work within occupations. The extent to which workers’ RTI is predicted by technology, supply of skills, globalization, and economic structure is assessed; and their contribution to the variation in RTI across countries is quantified. Technology is by far the most important factor. Supply of skills is next in importance, especially for workers in high-skilled occupations, while globalization is more important than skills for workers in low-skilled occupations. Occupational structure explains only about one-fifth of cross-country variation in RTI.

Suggested Citation

  • Piotr Lewandowski & Albert Park & Wojciech Hardy & Yang Du & Saier Wu, 2022. "Technology, Skills, and Globalization: Explaining International Differences in Routine and Nonroutine Work Using Survey Data," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank Group, vol. 36(3), pages 687-708.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:wbecrv:v:36:y:2022:i:3:p:687-708.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Piotr Lewandowski & Albert Park & Simone Schotte, 2020. "The global distribution of routine and non-routine work," IBS Working Papers 06/2020, Instytut Badan Strukturalnych.
    4. Martins-Neto, Antonio & Cirera, Xavier & Coad, Alex, 2022. "Routine-biased technological change and employee outcomes after mass layoffs: Evidence from Brazil," MERIT Working Papers 2022-014, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    5. Joel HELLIER, 2021. "Globalization and Inequality in Advanced Economies: A Provisional Assessment," Working Papers 575, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    6. Chunbing Xing, 2021. "The changing nature of work and earnings inequality in China," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-105, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Gottlieb, Charles & Grobovšek, Jan & Poschke, Markus & Saltiel, Fernando, 2021. "Working from home in developing countries," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    8. Aleksandra Parteka & Joanna Wolszczak-Derlacz & Dagmara Nikulin, 2021. "How digital technology affects working conditions in globally fragmented production chains: evidence from Europe," GUT FME Working Paper Series A 66, Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdansk University of Technology.
    9. Guido Matias Cortes1 & Diego M. Morris, 2020. "Are routine jobs moving south? Evidence from changes in the occupational structure of employment in the USA and Mexico," WIDER Working Paper Series wp2020-11, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    10. Antonio Martins-Neto & Nanditha Mathew & Pierre Mohnen & Tania Treibich, 2021. "Is There Job Polarization in Developing Economies? A Review and Outlook," CESifo Working Paper Series 9444, CESifo.
    11. Guido Matias Cortes & Diego M. Morris, 2019. "Are Routine Jobs Moving South? Evidence from Changes in the Occupational Structure of Employment in the U.S. and Mexico," Working Paper series 19-15, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis.
    12. Morrow, Peter M. & Trefler, Daniel, 2022. "How do endowments determine trade? quantifying the output mix, factor price, and skill-biased technology channels," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    13. Rica, Sara De La & Gortazar, Lucas & Lewandowski, Piotr, 2020. "Job Tasks and Wages in Developed Countries: Evidence from PIAAC," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    14. Arief Anshory Yusuf & Putri Riswani Halim, 2021. "Inequality and structural transformation in the changing nature of work: The case of Indonesia," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-81, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    15. Carlos Gradín & Simone Schotte, 2020. "Implications of the changing nature of work for employment and inequality in Ghana," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-119, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    16. Haroon Bhorat & Kezia Lilenstein & Morné Oosthuizen & Amy Thornton, 2020. "Wage polarization in a high-inequality emerging economy: The case of South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-55, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    17. Cecilia Peluffo & Mariana Viollaz, 2021. "Intra-household exposure to labor market risk in the time of Covid-19: lessons from Mexico," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 327-351, June.
    18. Sabina Szymczak & Aleksandra Parteka & Joanna Wolszczak-Derlacz, 2022. "Position in global value chains and wages in Central and Eastern European countries," European Journal of Industrial Relations, , vol. 28(2), pages 211-230, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    tasks; jobs; labor; technology; globalization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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