Hostname: page-component-857557d7f7-nbs69 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-11-20T22:52:56.823Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

New technology and work: Exploring the challenges

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

John Burgess  and
Julia Connell
John Burgess
Affiliation:
RMIT University, Australia
Julia Connell*
Affiliation:
University of Newcastle, Australia
*
Julia Connell, Faculty of Business and Law, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia. Email: Julia.Connell@newcastle.edu.au
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Investigations into new technologies, employment and working conditions are timeless and consequently have occupied research, public policy, and popular fiction for centuries. However, in addition to the uncertainty created by the introduction of new technologies, the current coronavirus pandemic, with its associated impact on health and the economy, has led to increased volatility across the globe. The global medical crisis arising from the worldwide spread of COVID-19 is predicted to lead to a global economic crisis and subsequent deep depression. The resultant economic, social and political repercussions are likely to be felt for years or even decades to come, equalling the great depression of the last century. Consequently, it is difficult to make long-term accurate predictions about the impact of new technologies on industry, society, and labour. In this context, the aim of this introductory article to the themed volume is to consider the potential challenges and opportunities associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and potential impacts on work and workplaces. This introductory article comprises an international collection of research that examines the impact of technological change on employment and working conditions with consideration given to the additional impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

Keywords

O14O33COVID-19fourth industrial revolutionnew technologyworkworkplaces

Information

Type
Themed collection articles
Information
The Economic and Labour Relations Review , Volume 31 , Issue 3: The Future of Work , September 2020 , pp. 310 - 323
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Adeney, R (2018) Structural change in the Australian economy. Reserve Bank of Australia Bulletin, 15 March, pp. 1–18.Google Scholar
Arntz, M, Gregory, T and Zierahn, U (2016) The risk of automation for jobs in OECD countries: A comparative analysis. OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working papers no. 189. Paris: OECD Publishing. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/5jlz9h56dvq7-en (accessed 19 June 2020).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arruda, W (2020) 6 Ways COVID-19 will change the workplace forever. 7 May. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2020/05/07/6-ways-covid-19-will-change-the-workplace-forever/#24ad43cc323e9 (accessed 13 May 2020).Google Scholar
Autor, D, Levy, F and Murnane, RJ (2003) The skill content of recent technological change: An empirical exploration. Quarterly Journal of Economics 118(4): 1279–1333.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Autor, D and Salomons, A (2018) Is Automation Labor Share-Displacing? Productivity Growth, Employment, and the Labor Share. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1_autorsalomons.pdf (accessed 19 June 2020)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ayentimi, DT and Burgess, J (2019) Is the fourth industrial revolution relevant to sub-Sahara Africa? Technology Analysis and Strategic Management 31(6): 641–652.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Balliester, RT and Elsheikhi, A (2018) The future of work a literature review. International Labour Organization Working paper no 29. Available at: https://econpapers.repec.org/paper/iloilowps/ (accessed 28 May 2020).Google Scholar
Bandura, R and Hammond, M (2018) Developing Country Trends and Insights from Four Country Case Studies. Vol. 2. Washington, DC: Center for Strategic and International Studies.Google Scholar
Berman, E, Bound, J and Machin, S (1998) Implications of skill-biased technological change: International evidence. Quarterly Journal of Economics 113(4): 1245–1279.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (2018) Contingent and alternative employment arrangements summary. Available at: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/conemp.nr0.htm (accessed 4 October 2018).Google Scholar
Chandler, A (2005) Inventing the Electronic Century. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) (2017) Impact of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation Technologies on Work. London: CIPD.Google Scholar
Chau, D (2020) Deliveroo sued for unfairly dismissing worker it accused of being too slow. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-27/deliveroo-sacks-worker-slow-fair-work-commission/12288344 (accessed 2 February 2020).Google Scholar
De Ruyter, A, Brown, M and Burgess, J (2019) Gig work and the fourth industrial revolution: Conceptual and regulatory challenges. Journal of International Affairs 72(1): 37–50.Google Scholar
Dhakal, SP, Connell, J and Burgess, J (2018) Inclusion and work: Addressing the global challenges for youth employment. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion 37(2): 110–120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) (2018) The Automation Readiness Index: Who is ready for the coming wave of automation? Commissioned by the ABB (ASEA Brown Boveri). Available at: www.automationreadiness.eiu.com/ (accessed 1 July 2019).Google Scholar
Fernández-Macías, E (2018) Automation, digitalisation and platforms: Implications for work and employment. Eurofound. Available at: https://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1637&context=intl (accessed 2 February 2020).Google Scholar
Freeburg, E (2013) The Age of Edison. New York: Penguin Books.Google Scholar
Frey, C and Osborne, M (2017) The future of employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerisation? Technological Forecasting and Social Change 114(C): 254–280.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gopinath, G (2020) The great lockdown: Worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. IMFBlog, 14 April. Available at: https://blogs.imf.org/2020/04/14/the-great-lockdown-worst-economic-downturn-since-the-great-depression (accessed 13 May 2020).Google Scholar
Heath, A (2016) The changing nature of the Australian workforce. Speech at CEDA – Future skills: The education and training pipeline. Brisbane, 21 September. Available at: https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2016/sp-so-2016-09-21.html (accessed 19 June 2020).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Herweijer, C, Combes, B, Johnson, L, et al. (2017) Enabling a sustainable Fourth Industrial Revolution: How G20 countries can create the conditions for emerging technologies to benefit people and the planet. G20 Insights. Available at: https://www.g20-insights.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/G20-Insights-PwC-Enabling-a-Sustainable-4IR.pdf (accessed 13 May 2020).Google Scholar
Howcroft, D and Rubery, J (2019) Bias in bias out: Gender equality and the future of work debate. Labour & Industry 29(2): 213–227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
International Labour Organization (ILO) (2017) Global employment trends for youth. Available at: https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_597065/lang–en/index.htm (accessed 19 June 2020).Google Scholar
Layard, R and Nickell, S (1985) The causes of British unemployment. National Institute Economic Review 111(1): 62–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McDonald, P, Williams, P, Stewart, A, et al. (2019) Digital Platform Work in Australia Preliminary Findings from a National Survey. Melbourne, VIC: Government of Victoria, Department of Premier and Cabinet. Available at: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2019-06/apo-nid242706.pdf/2019-06/apo-nid242706.pdf (accessed 19 June 2020).Google Scholar
McKinsey Global Institute (2018) Skill shift: Automation and the future of the workforce. Discussion Paper, May. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/featured%20insights/future%20of%20organizations/skill%20shift%20automation%20and%20the%20future%20of%20the%20workforce/mgi-skill-shift-automation-and-future-of-the-workforce-may-2018.ashx (accessed 19 June 2020).Google Scholar
Nankervis, A, Connell, J and Burgess, J (2020) Comparisons and conclusions. In: Nankervis, A, Connell, J and Burgess, J (eds) The Future of Work in Asia and Beyond: Technological Revolution or Evolution? London: Routledge, pp. 201–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nankervis, A, Connell, J, Cameron, R, et al. (2019) ‘Are we there yet?’ Australian HR professionals and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources. Epub ahead of print 31 August. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1744-7941.12245.Google Scholar
Navarro, V (2020) The consequences of neoliberalism in the current pandemic. International Journal of Health Services 50(3): 271–275.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Office of National Statistics (2017) Graduates in the UK labour market 2017. November. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/graduatesintheuklabourmarket2017 (accessed 19 June 2020).Google Scholar
Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development (OECD) (2018) Bridging the digital gender divide include, upskill, innovate. Available at: http://www.oecd.org/internet/bridging-the-digital-gender-divide.pdf (accessed 13 May 2020).Google Scholar
Prikshat, V, Montague, A, Connell, J, et al. (2019) Australian graduates’ work readiness–deficiencies, causes and potential solutions. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning 10(2): 369–386.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quinlan, M (2020) Five challenges to humanity: Learning from pattern/repeat failures in past disasters? The Economic and Labour Relations Review 31(3): xxx.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rainnie, A and Dean, M (2020) Industry 4.0 and the future of quality work in the global digital economy. Labour & Industry 30(1): 16–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ross, P, Ressia, S and Sander, E (2017) Work in the 21st Century: How Do I Log oO? Bingley: Emerald Publishing.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Santana, M and Cobo-Martín, MJ (2020) What is the future of work? A science mapping analysis. European Management Journal. Epub ahead of print 7 May. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2020.04.010.Google Scholar
Schwab, K (2016) The Fourth Industrial Revolution: What It Means, How to Respond. Geneva: World Economic Forum.Google Scholar
Searle, RH (2019) Youth unemployment and underemployment: A global problem of our time. In: Carter, A (ed.) Young People, Employment and Work Psychology: Interventions and Solutions. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Stanford, J (2017) The resurgence of gig work: Historical and theoretical perspectives. The. Economic and Labour Relations Review 28(3): 382–401.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stewart, A and Stanford, J (2017) Regulating work in the gig economy: What are the options? The Economic and Labour Relations Review 28(3): 420–437.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Susskind, D (2020) A World without Work Technology, Automation, and How We Should Respond. London: Penguin Books.Google Scholar
Van Barneveld, K, Quinlan, M, Kriesler, P, et al. (2020) The COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons on building more equal and sustainable societies. Economic and Labour Relations Review 31(2): 133–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
World Bank (2016) World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends. Washington, DC: World Bank.Google Scholar
World Economic Forum (2016) The Future of Jobs: Employment, Skills and Workforce Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Global Challenge Insight Report. Available at: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs.pdf (accessed 1 July 2020).Google Scholar
World Government Summit (2019) The future of the economy in the age of 4IR. Plenary, 11 February. Available at: https://www.worldgovernmentsummit.org/events/annual-gathering/session-detail/the-future-of-the-economy-in-the-age-of-4ir (accessed 17 July 2020).Google Scholar