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Month: May 2023
Mikkel Barslund (KU Leuven) warmly welcomed all participants and provided a synthesis of the results from papers and reports that have been written thus far. The preliminary conclusion from our research demonstrates that digitalisation and robotisation do not seem to harm labour markets and globalisation does not pose a threat to jobs. However, it has become apparent that demographic changes present significant challenges within the three megatrends examined by UNTANGLED.
Next, we delved into the preliminary results of scenario projections, exploring how technological advancements and globalisation influence inequalities, skills, and labour market outcomes. Roberta Capello and Andrea Caragliu (Politecnico di Milano) shared the results of simulating national and regional growth trajectories and labour market outcomes using the MASST model. Michał Burzyński (LISER) presented results based on a different model to stimulate the matching of skills to tasks amid parallel changes in technology, globalisation, and skills.
To ensure that our research findings reach the appropriate audience, we divided into groups and discussed the approach to crafting policy briefs, which will be developed over the next few months. Each session focused on a specific brief, covering topics such as strengthening job creation and improving job quality, upgrading skills and fostering lifelong learning, tackling growing inequalities, supporting migration and labour mobility, as well as inclusive policies.
Lastly, we have set the date for our final conference, which will take place on November 23. This event will serve as a platform to disseminate our findings, engage in fruitful discussions, and collaborate with experts from various fields.
The event brought together 18 participants from 10 partner institutions.
Co-authored with Piotr Lewandowski (IBS), Karina Doorley (ESRI), Philippe Van Kerm (LISER), and Dora Tuda (ESRI), the paper sheds light on the impact of robot adoption on wages and employment in Europe between 2006 and 2018. The findings indicate a significant reduction in both wages and employment due to automation. While wage inequality was widened, household income inequality was minimally affected. Additionally, the UNTANGLED researchers discovered that risk sharing within households and redistribution measures helped mitigate the impact of automation.
During the conference, Lewandowski also presented an experimental study conducted in collaboration with Katarzyna Lipowska and Mateusz Smoter, which explored the mismatch between workers and employers regarding their preferences for remote work.
The Annual SOLE Conference showcased more than 300 papers covering various aspects of labour economics, presented across 85 sessions. For more information, you can refer to the SOLE Conference agenda.
The interdisciplinary event brought together researchers in economics, economic geography, sociology, organizational psychology, management science and technology, and innovation science. The speakers presented complementary perspectives on the consequences of automation technologies. Piotr Lewandowski presented the paper “Automation and Income Inequality in Europe”, co-authored with Karina Doorley (ESRI), Jan Gromadzki (IBS), Philippe van Kerm (LISER), and Dora Tuda (ESRI).
Their preliminary findings suggest that between 2006 and 2018, the adoption of robots significantly reduced wages and employment in Europe. Although automation widened wage inequality, it had a minimal impact on household income inequality. Finally, they found that risk sharing in households and redistribution cushion the effect of automation.
