The Future of Labour in a Digital Economy : How Technology is Changing the Nature of Work
Heinimäki, Anna (2020)
Heinimäki, Anna
2020
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020052212936
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020052212936
Tiivistelmä
This thesis examines how artificial intelligence and new technologies affect the nature of work, and explores the aspects of power, society and technology. The first part of the thesis covers the current literature on how new technologies could change work life and the way work is performed and structured at the workplace. In addition, polarization and automation effects on different skill-levels will be discussed. The second part of the thesis explores the relationship between technology labour productivity, and manufacturing growth, as well as implications to the service sector and the importance of knowledge in modern corporations.
The thesis is an extended literature review based on secondary data and uses qualitative research. There exist many published works on the topic of technology and work as well as the power relations in technology. The thesis aims to combine these to understand and analyse the causalities in them.
The thesis finds that technology in itself does not cause serious unemployment, however, increasing labour productivity together with decreasing manufacturing growth, technology will be a cause for unemployment. A sufficient growth in the economy would be needed in order to maintain a demand in labour in manufacturing. Despite the growing demand for services, the service sector does not have a similar employment and productivity boosting effect as manufacturing. Knowledge and data have an increasing importance in the economy, and the digital economy would seem to be creating work at the high and low end of skill levels, which creates polarization in society.
The thesis is an extended literature review based on secondary data and uses qualitative research. There exist many published works on the topic of technology and work as well as the power relations in technology. The thesis aims to combine these to understand and analyse the causalities in them.
The thesis finds that technology in itself does not cause serious unemployment, however, increasing labour productivity together with decreasing manufacturing growth, technology will be a cause for unemployment. A sufficient growth in the economy would be needed in order to maintain a demand in labour in manufacturing. Despite the growing demand for services, the service sector does not have a similar employment and productivity boosting effect as manufacturing. Knowledge and data have an increasing importance in the economy, and the digital economy would seem to be creating work at the high and low end of skill levels, which creates polarization in society.