Routine Bias and Polarization

Levy and Murnane Framework

• jobs flexibly assigned to workers

• workers varying ability

• job worker does depends on ability and piece rate

what does job worker depends on ability and piece rate do

• role for comparative advantage

Predictions of Levy and Murnane

• industries with higher routine workers pre computers will lose more

• Inputs are complements industries and use computers hire more non routine workers

• more computers less routine more non routine workers

Limitations

• not a complete theory of tasks

• weak links to polarization

• Tasks are a function of only job not the worker

• only labor-replacing echnological change

do routine heavy industries adopt computers more

• yes heavy routine industries adopted lots of computers

Routine Bias

tech changes lead to replacing routine jobs leads to to decline in middle income jobs

Autor and Dorn 2013

• Focuses on explaining wage decline in middle vs edge

how does Autor and Dorn do

• Task-based framework routine vs Manual service tasks