Tasks, Skills, and Institutions: The Changing Nature of Work and Inequality

The book investigates the trends in earnings inequalities in developing countries to determine the main drivers. It extends conventional explanations with recent theories that focus on the nature of tasks performed by workers in their jobs. Developed countries have experienced a polarization in earnings and employment, but evidence for developing countries is still scarce.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 26 June 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The book delves into the intricate trends in earnings inequalities across developing countries, seeking to identify the primary drivers behind these disparities. With a particular focus on expanding the conventional explanations of changes in earnings inequality, which traditionally hinge on the relative abundance of skilled and unskilled labor, the book introduces recent theories that center around the nature of tasks performed by workers within their jobs rather than solely their skills. This novel approach has proven instrumental in elucidating pertinent patterns observed in the recent trends in earnings inequality in the United States and other industrialized countries.

In developed countries, a notable polarization has emerged in earnings and employment, characterized by stronger growth in the earnings and jobs for the most and least skilled workers, while those in the middle have faced reduced opportunities and incomes. This pattern is attributed to differences in the tasks associated with particular jobs, whether they involve routine, automated, or offshored activities. This shift has led to a decline in employment and incomes in traditional middle-class jobs in manufacturing and services.

However, it is important to note that this narrative has primarily been developed within the context of mature industrialized economies that are at the forefront of technological change. In contrast, evidence for developing countries remains scarce and faces significant challenges, both conceptually and in terms of gathering the necessary data on earnings and the content of tasks in jobs. Recognizing this knowledge gap, this book presents the key findings of the UNU-WIDER project, "The Changing Nature of Work and Inequality," which aims to bridge this gap and provide a comprehensive understanding of the evolving nature of work and its impact on inequality in developing countries.

Through extensive research and analysis, the book explores various dimensions of the changing nature of work, including the increasing prevalence of non-standard employment, the rise.

Weight: 656g
Dimension: 240 x 165 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192872241