Robot Application and Labor Employment: Empirical Evidence fromChinese Manufacturing Enterprises

QIU Yu; ZHANG Wei-guo

Volume 38 Issue 4

Jul. 2023

Turn off MathJax

Article Contents

Article Navigation > Journal of Guangdong University of Finance & Economics > 2023 > 38(4): 18-36

QIU Yu, ZHANG Wei-guo. Robot Application and Labor Employment: Empirical Evidence fromChinese Manufacturing Enterprises[J]. Journal of Guangdong University of Finance & Economics, 2023, 38(4): 18-36.

Citation:

QIU Yu, ZHANG Wei-guo. Robot Application and Labor Employment: Empirical Evidence fromChinese Manufacturing Enterprises[J]. Journal of Guangdong University of Finance & Economics, 2023, 38(4): 18-36.

QIU Yu, ZHANG Wei-guo. Robot Application and Labor Employment: Empirical Evidence fromChinese Manufacturing Enterprises[J]. Journal of Guangdong University of Finance & Economics, 2023, 38(4): 18-36.

Citation:

PDF( 1052 KB)

Robot Application and Labor Employment: Empirical Evidence fromChinese Manufacturing Enterprises

School of Economics and Management, Southwest University, Chongqing 400700, China

Received Date: 2023-02-07
Available Online: 2023-08-17
Publish Date: 2023-07-28

Abstract

Abstract

With the development and application of industrial robot and artificial intelligence technology, the influence of robot application on labor employment is increasingly concerned. Based on the analytical framework of production task, this paper constructs a static equilibrium model of robot technology and labor demand. Using the micro-data from A-share manufacturing listed companies in China from 2010 to 2019, this paper explores the impact of robot application on the scale and structure of labor employment in the manufacturing listed companies. The results indicate that robot application has significantly reduced the labors employment scale, increased the proportion of high-skilled labors, and reduced the proportion of low-skilled labors. This conclusion is still valid after a series of robustness tests. The mechanism analysis shows that the robot application has significant ripple effect of negative displacement, positive productivity and new task reinstatement on the employment of high-skilled and low-skilled labors. The results also indicate that in capital-intensive industries, companies in the eastern regions of China, and privately-run enterprises, the effect of robot application on reducing the scale of labor employment and increasing the proportion of high-skilled labor is more significant. It is also found that the robot application reduces the scale and proportion of labor employment, but increases the scale and proportion of employment of R&D workers, and the employment scale of management workers, financial workers and technical workers decreases but the proportion increases. This research helps to further understand the micro impact of robot application on labor employment, and can provide a more accurate and reliable basis for the formulation of relevant policies.
- robot application,
- labor employment,
- low-skilled labor,
- high-skilled labor,
- manufacturing

FullText(HTML)

References(32)

References

[1]	HAISS P, MAHLBERG B, MICHLITS D. Industry 4.0-the future of Austrian jobs[J]. Empirica, 2021, 48(1): 5-36. doi: 10.1007/s10663-020-09497-z
[2]	ACEMOGLU D, RESTREPO P. Robots and jobs: evidence from US labor markets[J]. Journal of Political Economy, 2020, 128(6): 2188-2244. doi: 10.1086/705716
[3]	ACEMOGLU D, LELARGE C, RESTREPO P. Competing with robots: firm-level evidence from France[J]. AEA Papers and Proceedings, 2020, 110: 383-388. doi: 10.1257/pandp.20201003
[4]	周广肃, 李力行, 孟岭生. 智能化对中国劳动力市场的影响——基于就业广度和强度的分析[J]. 金融研究, 2021(6): 39-58. https://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-JRYJ202106003.htm
[5]	芦婷婷, 祝志勇, 刘畅畅. 人工智能、人口结构转型与劳动收入份额变化[J]. 广东财经大学学报, 2022(4): 4-17. http://xb.gdufe.edu.cn/article/id/eea95a8c-7d68-4a53-9788-443882123334
[6]	孔高文, 刘莎莎, 孔东民. 机器人与就业——基于行业与地区异质性的探索性分析[J]. 中国工业经济, 2020(8): 80-98. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-480X.2020.08.006
[7]	王永钦, 董雯. 机器人的兴起如何影响中国劳动力市场?——来自制造业上市公司的证据[J]. 经济研究, 2020(10): 159-175. https://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-JJYJ202010011.htm
[8]	王晓娟, 朱喜安, 王颖. 工业机器人应用对制造业就业的影响效应研究[J]. 数量经济技术经济研究, 2022(4): 88-106. https://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-SLJY202204005.htm
[9]	GRAETZ G, MICHAELS G. Robots at work[J]. Review of Economics and Statistics, 2018, 100(5): 753-768. doi: 10.1162/rest_a_00754
[10]	DOMINI G, GRAZZI M, MOSCHELLA D, et al. Threats and opportunities in the digital era: automation spikes and employment dynamics[J]. Research Policy, 2021, 50(7): 104-137.
[11]	李磊, 王小霞, 包群. 机器人的就业效应: 机制与中国经验[J]. 管理世界, 2021(9): 104-119. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1002-5502.2021.09.023
[12]	BESSEN J E. Automation and jobs: when technology boosts employment[R]. Bost Univer School of Law, Law and Economics Research Paper, 2019, No. 17-09.
[13]	DAUTH W, FINDEISEN S, SUEDEKUM J, et al. German robots-the impact of industrial robots on workers[R]. CEPR Discussion Paper, 2017, No. DP12306.
[14]	路玮孝, 孟夏. 工业机器人应用、就业市场结构调整与服务贸易发展[J]. 国际经贸探索, 2021(9): 4-20. https://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-GJTS202109001.htm
[15]	AUTOR D H, LEVY F, MURNANE R J. The skill content of recent technological change: an empirical exploration[J]. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2003, 118(4): 1279-1333.
[16]	GOOS M, MANNING A. Lousy and lovely jobs: the rising polarization of work in Britain[J]. Review of Economics and Statistics, 2007, 89(1): 118-133.
[17]	AUTOR D H, KATZ L F, KEARNEY M S. Trends in US wage inequality: revising the revisionists[J]. Review of Economics and Statistics, 2008, 90(2): 300-323.
[18]	ACEMOGLU D, KOSTER H R A, OZGEN C. Robots and workers: evidence from the Netherlands[R]. NBER Working Paper, 2023, No. 31009.
[19]	何小钢, 刘叩明. 机器人、工作任务与就业极化效应——来自中国工业企业的证据[J]. 数量经济技术经济研究, 2023(4): 52-71. https://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-SLJY202304003.htm
[20]	韩民春, 韩青江, 夏蕾. 工业机器人应用对制造业就业的影响——基于中国地级市数据的实证研究[J]. 改革, 2020(3): 22-39. https://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-REFO202003003.htm
[21]	明娟, 胡嘉琪. 工业机器人应用、劳动保护与异质性技能劳动力就业[J]. 人口与经济, 2022(4): 106-121. https://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-RKJJ202204008.htm
[22]	孙早, 侯玉琳. 工业智能化如何重塑劳动力就业结构[J]. 中国工业经济, 2019(5): 61-79. https://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-GGYY201905005.htm
[23]	贾根良. 第三次工业革命与工业智能化[J]. 中国社会科学, 2016(6): 87-106. https://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-ZSHK201606009.htm
[24]	FREY C B, OSBORNE M A. The future of employment: how susceptible are jobs to computerisation?[J]. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 2017, 114: 254-280.
[25]	AGRAWAL A, GANS J S, GOLDFARB A. Artificial intelligence: the ambiguous labor market impact of automating prediction[J]. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2019, 33(2): 31-49.
[26]	韩民春, 韩青江, 冯钟. 工业机器人技术进步对就业的影响分析: 一个理论模型框架[J]. 广东财经大学学报, 2019(6): 4-10. http://xb.gdufe.edu.cn/article/id/4d9ab2df-9d26-4e32-ac6a-1e0587f9f5b6
[27]	ACEMOGLU D, RESTREPO P. Low-skill and high-skill automation[J]. Journal of Human Capital, 2018, 12(2): 204-232.
[28]	AUTOR D H. Why are there still so many jobs? the history and future of workplace automation[J]. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2015, 29(3): 3-30.
[29]	ACEMOGLU D, RESTREPO P. Artificial intelligence, automation and work[R]. NBER Working Paper, 2018, No. 24196.
[30]	BORLAND J, COELLI M. Are robots taking our jobs?[J]. Australian Economic Review, 2017, 50(4): 377-397.
[31]	ACEMOGLU D, RESTREPO P. The race between man and machine: implications of technology for growth, factor shares, and employment[J]. American Economic Review, 2018, 108(6): 1488-1542.
[32]	闫雪凌, 朱博楷, 马超. 工业机器人使用与制造业就业: 来自中国的证据[J]. 统计研究, 2020(1): 74-87. https://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-TJYJ202001008.htm