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Industrial Robots, and Information and Communication Technology: The Employment Effects in EU Labour Markets

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  • Stefan Jestl

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)

Abstract

This paper explores the effects of industrial robots and information and communication technology (ICT) on regional employment in EU countries. The empirical analysis relies on a harmonised comprehensive regional dataset, which combines business statistics and national and regional accounts data. This rich dataset enables us to provide detailed insights into the employment effects of automation and computerisation in EU regions for the period 2001-2016. The results suggest relatively weak effects on regional total employment dynamics. However, employment effects differ between manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries. Industrial robots show negative employment effects in local manufacturing industries, but positive employment effects in local non-manufacturing industries. While the negative effect is concentrated in particular local manufacturing industries, the positive effect operates in local service industries. IT investments show positive employment effects only in local manufacturing industries, while CT investments are shown to be irrelevant for employment dynamics. In contrast, software and database investments have had a predominantly negative impact on local employment in both local manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefan Jestl, 2022. "Industrial Robots, and Information and Communication Technology: The Employment Effects in EU Labour Markets," wiiw Working Papers 215, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    • Handle: RePEc:wii:wpaper:215
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    Cited by:

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    2. Nikolova, Milena & Lepinteur, Anthony & Cnossen, Femke, 2023. "Just another cog in the machine? A worker-level view of robotization and tasks," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1350, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    3. Dario Guarascio & Alessandro Piccirillo & Jelena Reljic, 2024. "Will robot replace workers? Assessing the impact of robots on employment and wages with meta-analysis," LEM Papers Series 2024/03, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    4. Ghodsi, Mahdi & Stehrer, Robert & Barišić, Antea, 2024. "Assessing the impact of new technologies on wages and labour income shares," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    5. Stehrer, Robert, 2024. "The impact of ICT and intangible capital accumulation on employment growth and labour income shares," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 211-220.
    6. Michael Landesmann & Sandra M. Leitner, 2023. "Employment Effects of Offshoring, Technological Change and Migration in a Group of Western European Economies: Impact on Different Occupations," wiiw Working Papers 226, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    7. Leibrecht, Markus & Scharler, Johann & Zhoufu, Yan, 2023. "Automation and unemployment: Does collective bargaining moderate their association?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 264-276.
    8. Robert Stehrer, 2022. "The Impact of ICT and Intangible Capital Accumulation on Labour Demand Growth and Functional Income Shares," wiiw Working Papers 218, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Industrial robots; ICT; EU labour markets; employment effects;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

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