The Demand of Heterogeneous Labour in Germany

Arbeitspapier

In this paper, four commonly provided explanations for the shift in labour demand for different skill groups are investigated: the substitutability of inputs; the own-price sensitivity for different types of labour; the effect of economic growth and the impact of technological change. In general, the shift of demand away from unskilled labour can be explained by the large own-price elasticity of unskilled labour and by biased technological change. During the period of 19771994, the rate of biased technological progress against unskilled workers seems to be as large in the traded as in the non-traded goods industries. Furthermore, in three out of five sectors considered, technological change is biased towards high-skilled labour.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: ZEW Discussion Papers ; No. 97-28

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity ; Labor Demand ; Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
• Subject: technological change ; heterogeneous labour

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Falk, Martin ; Koebel, Bertrand M.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung (ZEW) ; ZBW – Leibniz Information Centre for Economics
• (where): Mannheim
• (when): 1997

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/29451
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET