The rapid pace of technological change, and the diffusion of information and communication technologies, is rapidly changing the structure of advanced economies. Consequently, innovation has a direct and fundamental impact on the dynamics of employment. Through close examination of this relationship, this volume offers an essential contribution to the current debate between those economists who fear mass technological unemployment and those who maintain their faith in market forces as a counterbalance to innovation.
The Employment Impact of Innovation delivers its findings in three key areas:
· Theoretical context, from classical compensation theory to state-of-the-art debates.
· Empirical investigation. Detailed and comparative international case studies explore how technological and structural change have affected employment patterns. Factors such as the role of demand patterns and the different sectoral impact of product, process and organizational innovation in industry are closely investigated.
· Policy analysis and recommendation, including a focus on the role of learning and training, and a proposal for a new set of employment friendly economic and innovation policies.