Endogenous Technical Change and Skill Biases in Employment Opportunities

van Zon, Adriaan and Sanders, Mark (2000). Endogenous Technical Change and Skill Biases in Employment Opportunities. UNU-MERIT Research Memoranda. UNU-MERIT.

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  • Sub-type Working paper
    Author van Zon, Adriaan
    Sanders, Mark
    Title Endogenous Technical Change and Skill Biases in Employment Opportunities
    Series Title UNU-MERIT Research Memoranda
    Volume/Issue No. 4
    Publication Date 2000
    Place of Publication Maastricht, NL
    Publisher UNU-MERIT
    Pages 36
    Language eng
    Abstract In this paper we present a model that addresses the issue of the uneven distribution ofemployment opportunities over low- and high-skilled workers in a context of skill-biasedendogenous technical change. In our model, technical change consists in part of productinnovation. There is also process innovation to the extent that new products can be producedin two different ways, either using high-skilled workers, or using low-skilled workers afteradapting the production process of a new product. The model combines elements fromKrugman's (1979) North-South framework, Vernon's (1966) life-cycle hypothesis andAghion and Howitt's (1992) work on creative destruction. We show that from a growth pointof view, lowering the relative wages for low-skilled workers does indeed reduceunemployment in the short run, as expected, but it also lowers growth. This is reminiscent ofKleinknecht's (1998) contention that moderate wage growth makes for slow technical change.
    Copyright Holder UNU-MERIT
    Copyright Year 2000
    Copyright type All rights reserved
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    Created: Fri, 13 Dec 2013, 13:01:37 JST