The Skill Bias: Comparative evidence and an econometric test

Many empirical studies have shown how technological change, organisational change and globalisation can be alternatively (or jointly) seen as causes for skill bias. In this paper, first the empirical literature on these issues is discussed and compared and then some evidence on the G-7 countries- showing a clear upskilling trend in manufacturing industries over the ‘80s – is presented. Then an illustrative example is put forward: the panel analysis of a sample of 488 Italian manufacturing firms shows how the upskilling trend of employment is a function of the reorganisational strategy adopted by the firms, while technological change and FDI seem to play negligible roles. In other words, organisational change at the workfloor level seems to drive the upskilling of the labour force. JEL classification: O33

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