Technology and the future of European employment

Book abstract:

As advances in technologies continues apace, the relationship between technological change and employment becomes ever more important. For the European Union, which has set itself the goal of becoming the world's most competitive knowledge-based economy by 2010, understanding this relationship in the context of contemporary economies is even more vital.

Organised in four parts this work provides a useful analysis of that relationship. Following a comprehensive introduction by the editors, Part I looks at the long-term structural changes. It explores problems of unemployment and computerisation and technology growth in post-war Europe before going on to examine features of structural changes, economic growth and unemployment in Europe as a whole compared with USA and Japan. Part II explores sectoral changes and demand, analysing the pace of industrial change and its direction. Innovation, demand and employment are also discussed in the context of organisational changes, learning processes, emergence of new industries and markets, rule setting and expansions of demand. The increased dependency upon services for future employment are examined together with the need to study technological changes in service provision. Chapter 7 addresses the European unemployment problem and the role to be played by the welfare services sector. Part III deals with changes in organisation and distribution; it examines current organisational change and relates it to firms' characteristics and the importance of skill-biased culture both in organisational and technical aspects. The roles of worker skills and firms' organisation will be important in shaping the structure of workers' incentives and will impact significantly on macroeconomics. The creation of high level (highly skilled) jobs is discussed and seen as an essential prerequisite for future employment policies and the consequent lifetime learning and skills development are considered. Institutional Change is dealt with in part IV which explores such issues as working time patterns; Europe's systems of innovation and ageing in the West European welfare states. In the final chapter 'Policy conclusions; on the future of European employment' the editors provide some further insights into the factors which will determine employment policies in an expanding Europe.

The work will interest students, scholars, policy makers and practitioners in the fields of economics, sociology, politics and European Studies.