Title: Robots, Occupations, and Worker Age: A Production-unit Analysis of Employment

Speaker: Liuchun Deng, Assistant Professor of Economics, Yale-NUS College

Host: Ming Gu, Assistant Professor of Applied Economics, Duke Kunshan University

Date: May 12 (Friday), 2023

Time: 11AM – 12PM

Zoom ID: 988 7210 9013 Passcode: DKUECON

Venue: IB 1056

Abstract: We analyse the impact of robot adoption on employment composition using novel micro data on robot use in German manufacturing plants linked with social security records and data on job tasks. Our task-based model predicts more favourable employment effects for the least routine-task intensive occupations and for young workers, with the latter being better at adapting to change. An event-study analysis of robot adoption confirms both predictions. We do not find adverse employment effects for any occupational or age group, but churning among low-skilled workers rises sharply. We conclude that the displacement effect of robots is occupation biased but age neutral, whereas the reinstatement effect is age biased and benefits young workers most.

Bio: Liuchun Deng is an assistant professor of economics at Yale-NUS College. His research focuses on the labor market and productivity consequences of automation and international trade. He also works on the theory of economic dynamics with applications to development, political economy, and trade. He is currently an associate editor of Economics of Transition and Institutional Change. Liuchun Deng holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Johns Hopkins University.