The Great Reversal in the Demand for Skill and Cognitive Tasks

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Labor Economics
Year: 2016
Volume: 34
Issue: S1
Pages: S199 - S247

Score contribution per author:

1.341 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper argues that several of the poor labor market outcomes observed in the Great Recession can be traced back to a change in the demand pattern for skilled workers that started with the tech bust of 2000. In particular, we show that around the year 2000, the demand for cognitive tasks underwent a reversal. In response, high-skilled workers moved down the occupational ladder and increasingly displaced lower-educated workers in less skill-intensive jobs. While these effects were present before the financial crisis of 2008, they became more obvious after jobs associated with the housing bubble disappeared.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jlabec:doi:10.1086/682347
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-24