It Capital, Job Content and Educational Attainment

45 Pages Posted: 23 Jul 2003

See all articles by Alexandra Spitz

Alexandra Spitz

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: January 15, 2003

Abstract

Based on a large data set containing information on occupations between 1979 and 1999, this study explores the "black box" surrounding the skill-biased technological change hypothesis by analyzing the mechanisms that induce information technologies to be complementary to employees with higher skill levels. Using direct, multidimensional measures of occupational skill requirements, the analysis shows that IT capital substitutes repetitive manual and repetitive cognitive skills, whereas it complements analytical and interactive skills. These changes in the within occupational task mix result in an increased deployment of employees with high levels of education who have comparative advantages in performing non-repetitive cognitive tasks.

Keywords: skill-biased technological change, job task content, vocational education

JEL Classification: O30, J23, J24, C30

Suggested Citation

Spitz, Alexandra, It Capital, Job Content and Educational Attainment (January 15, 2003). ZEW Discussion Paper No. 03-04, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=412461 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.412461

Alexandra Spitz (Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN

No Address Available

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