Digitalization: The Labour Market Changes

Enzo Weber
JournalIndustrie 4.0 Management
Issue Volume 35, 2019, Edition 6, Pages 62-66
Open Accesshttps://doi.org/10.30844/I40M_19-6_62-66
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Abstract

Public discussions on the future of labour in the era of digitalization are dominated by notions of self-driving cars, factories without workers or fully automatic logistics. This creates fears of mass destruction of jobs and shrinking employment rates in the future. At the same time, it has led to intense debates on an unconditional basic income: While productivity would rise, a substantial drop in the number of jobs would question the income distribution mechanism our working societies are currently built on. This article argues that while replacement of existing jobs - or at least tasks - by technology will happen and has always happened, this is only one side of the coin. The future of labour markets will be more complex. This is discussed in a macroeconomic, firm and international dimension.

Keywords

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Bibliography

[1] Weber, E.: Employment and the welfare state in the era of digitalisation. CESifo Forum 18 (2017) 4, S. 22-27.
[2] Wolter, M. I.; Mönnig, A.; Hummel, M.; Weber, E.; Zika, G.; Helmrich, R.; Maier, T.; Neuber-Pohl, C.: Wirtschaft 4.0 und die Folgen für Arbeitsmarkt und Ökonomie: Szenario-Rechnungen im Rahmen der BIBB-IAB-Qualifikations- und Berufsfeldprojektionen. IAB-Forschungsbericht 13/2016. Nürnberg 2016.
[3] Warning, A.; Weber, E.: Wirtschaft 4.0: Digitalisierung verändert die betriebliche Personalpolitik. IAB-Kurzbericht 12/2017. Nürnberg 2017.
[4] Carbonero, F.; Ernst, E.; Weber, E.: Robots worldwide: The impact of automation on employment and trade. ILO Research Department Working Paper 36 (2018).
[5] Weber, E.: Setting out for Digital Social Security. ILO Research Department Working Paper 34 (2018).
[6] Weber, E.: Ein Konzept für Digitale Soziale Sicherung in der Plattformarbeit. Deutsche Rentenversicherung 3/2019, S. 247-258.
[7] Weber, E.; Zapf, I.: Arbeitszeitflexibilität ist primär arbeitgeberorientiert. IAB-Forum, 16.02.2018.

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