David Autor
The “task approach” to labor markets: an overview
IIT@MIT
emerging literature argues changes allocation workplace tasks capital labor domestic foreign workers altered structure labor demand industrialized countries fostered employment polarizationthat rising employment highest lowest paid occupations analyzing phenomenon within canonical production function framework challenging however assignment tasks labor capital canonical model essentially static essay sketches alternative model assignment skills tasks based upon comparative advantage reviews key conceptual practical challenges researchers face bringing task approach data cautions two common pitfalls pervade growing task literature conclude cautiously optimistic forecast potential task approach illuminate interactions among skill supplies technological capabilities trade offshoring opportunities shaping aggregate demand skills assignment skills tasks evolution wages