Is technological change really skill biased? Evidence from the introduction of ICTs on the textile sector (1980-2000)

Alberto Baccini (baccini@unisi.it) and Martina Cioni

Department of Economics University of Siena from Department of Economics, University of Siena

Abstract: This paper investigates the effects of the introduction of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the skills of a workforce. Using micro-data collected from workers in the textile sector, we analyse whether the introduction of ICTs has modified workers’ tasks, so that higher skills and longer training periods than before are necessary. Our survey has shown that ICTs i) have replaced unskilled labour in some cases and skilled labour in others; ii) have changed workers’ tasks in some cases but not in others; and finally, iii) have brought about an increase in skills for only a small number of occupations. This empirical evidence does not confirm the hypothesis that technological change, and in particular change introduced by ICTs, is necessarily skill biased

Keywords: Technological change; skill bias; textile industry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L67 O33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ict and nep-ino
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:usi:wpaper:465

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