From: gerald_a_levy (gerald_a_levy@msn.com)
Date: Wed Mar 26 2003 - 08:49:21 EST
"Skills, Computerization and Earnings
in the Postwar U.S. Economy"
by Edward N. Wolff.
This is a 'Working Paper' published by the
Levy Economics Institute. Here's the abstract:
"Using both time-series and pooled cross-section, time-series
data for 44 industries over the period 1947-1997 in the United
States, NO EVIDENCE IS FOUND TO SUPPORT THE IDEA
THAT THE GROWTH OF SKILLS OR EDUCATIONAL
ATTAINMENT HAD ANY STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT
ON GROWTH OF EARNINGS. On the other hand, EARNINGS
GROWTH IS FOUND TO BE POSITIVELY RELATED TO OVERALL
PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH AND EQUIPMENT INVESTMENT,
WHILE COMPUTERIZATION AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE HAD
A RETARDANT EFFECT ON EARNINGS" (emphasis added, JL)
http://ideas.repec.org/p/lev/wrkpap/331.html
Do others agree with Wolff's findings for the post-War US
economy? Are these results unique to the US economy
or can they be generalized for other advanced capitalist
nations? Who can offer a theoretical and conjunctural
explanation for these trends -- especially the apparent
non-relation between skill acquisition and education and
wages and earnings? Paul A? Tony T? Paul C? Others?
In solidarity, Jerry
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