Technology and Employment

Will the adoption of new technologies by U.S. industry lead to widespread unemployment? Or will the resulting use of new processes and techniques, as well as the introduction of new products, open new opportunities for American workers? This volume studies the relationship of technology to employment and the effects of technological change on the workplace. The authors discuss the role of new technologies in strengthening U.S. international competitiveness, recommend initiatives for assisting displaced workers, and make recommendations to aid industry in developing and adopting the new technology it needs to compete successfully in the world economy.

• Front Matter
• Summary
• 1: Introduction
• 2: The Sources and Rate of Technological Change in the U. S. Economy
• 3: Labor Supply and Demand Within the U.S. Economy
• 4: Studies of the Impact of Technological Change on Employment, Skills, and Earnings: A Critical Review
• 5: Differential Technology Impacts: Black Workers, Female Workers, and Labor Force Entrants
• 6: Technological Change and the Work Environment
• 7: Current Policies for Worker Adjustment
• 8: The Quality of Data on Technological Change, Its Employment Effects, and Adjustment Mechanisms
• 9: Findings
• 10: Policy Options and Recommendations
• References
• Appendix A: COSEPUP Charge to the Panel
• Appendix B: Consultants to and Briefers of the Panel
• Appendix C: Papers Commissioned by the Panel
• Appendix D: Statement of Anne O. Krueger
• Index