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Technological Change and Obsolete Skills: Evidence from Men's Professional Tennis

Author

Listed:
  • Ian Fillmore

    (Washington University in St. Louis)

  • Jonathan Hall

    (University of Toronto)

Abstract

Technological innovation can raise the returns to some skills while making others less valuable or even obsolete. We study the effects of such skill-altering technological change in the context of men's professional tennis, which was unexpectedly transformed by the invention of composite racquets during the late 1970s. We explore the consequences of this innovation on player productivity, entry, and exit. We find that young players benefited at the expense of older players and that the disruptive effects of the new racquets persisted over two to four generations.

Suggested Citation

  • Ian Fillmore & Jonathan Hall, 2021. "Technological Change and Obsolete Skills: Evidence from Men's Professional Tennis," Working Papers 2021-029, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2021-029
    Note: MIP
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    File URL: http://humcap.uchicago.edu/RePEc/hka/wpaper/Fillmore_Hall_2021_tech-change-obsolete-skills-mens-tennis.pdf
    File Function: First version, June 11, 2021
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    File URL: http://humcap.uchicago.edu/RePEc/hka/wpaper/Fillmore_Hall_2021_tech-change-obsolete-skills-mens-tennis_appendix.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Albinowski, Maciej & Lewandowski, Piotr, 2024. "The impact of ICT and robots on labour market outcomes of demographic groups in Europe," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Lipowski, Cäcilia & Salomons, Anna & Zierahn-Weilage, Ulrich, 2024. "Expertise at work: New technologies, new skills, and worker impacts," ZEW Discussion Papers 24-044, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    3. Jurkat, Anne & Klump, Rainer & Schneider, Florian, 2025. "Robots and wages: A meta-analysis," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 541-567.
    4. Bachmann, Ronald & Gonschor, Myrielle & Lewandowski, Piotr & Madoń, Karol, 2024. "The impact of Robots on Labour market transitions in Europe," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 422-441.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • Z22 - Other Special Topics - - Sports Economics - - - Labor Issues

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