Polarization in the South African labour market: Economy-wide scenarios

Rob Davies and Dirk van Seventer

No wp-2020-121, WIDER Working Paper Series from World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER)

Abstract: Technical change impacts both the employment intensity of production and the composition of occupations and skills of employment. Artificial intelligence, automation, and robots are already leading to machines undertaking routinizable tasks previously carried out by workers. This can lead to labour market polarization, with jobs in the middle of the wage/occupation distribution being lost relative to those at the top and bottom ends. South Africa may be a latecomer to this process, but there is already evidence it is under way and may accelerate.

Keywords: Labour market; Polarization; Computable general equilibrium; Tasks; South Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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