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Robots worldwide: the impact of automation on employment and trade

Author

Listed:
  • Carbonero, Francesco

    (University of Turin ; Univ. Regensburg)

  • Ernst, Ekkehard

    (ILO)

  • Weber, Enzo

    (Institute for Employment Research (IAB), Nuremberg, Germany ; Univ. Regensburg)

Abstract

"The impact of robots on employment and trade is a highly discussed topic in the academic And public debates. Particularly, there are concerns that automation may threat jobs in emerging countries given the erosion of the labour cost advantage. We provide evidence on the effects of robots on worldwide employment, including emerging economies. To instrument the use of robots, we introduce an index of technical progress, defined as the ability of robots to carry out different tasks. Robots turn out to have a significantly negative impact on worldwide employment. While it is small in developed countries, for emerging economies it amounts to -11 per cent between 2005 and 2014. However, here, there appear positive spillovers especially from robotisation in manufacturing on employment outside manufacturing. Furthermore, we assess cross-country effects, finding that robots in developed countries decrease offshoring just as employment in emerging economies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Suggested Citation

  • Carbonero, Francesco & Ernst, Ekkehard & Weber, Enzo, 2020. "Robots worldwide: the impact of automation on employment and trade," IAB-Discussion Paper 202007, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    • Handle: RePEc:iab:iabdpa:202007
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Welt ; Ausland ; Außenhandel ; Auswirkungen ; Automatisierung ; Beschäftigungseffekte ; Industrieländer ; internationaler Vergleich ; Niedriglohnland ; outsourcing ; produzierendes Gewerbe ; Roboter ; Schwellenländer ; 2005-2014;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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