The Impact of Digitalisation on Employment: A Study on Occupations Classified by Skill Levels in Turkey

Abstract

Technological change has always been a significant determiner of economic growth and development. Nevertheless, it also means a serious challenge in terms of labour market. Indeed, serious transformations have been encountered in labour markets in parallel to technological change in historical period. Today, this change and transformation process is cited and discussed with the concept of digitalisation. In this study, the effects of digitalisation process on labour market have been analyzed especially in the context of sectoral employment, skills and occupations in the sample of Turkey. In the study, the effects of digitalisation on total employment and occupations classified by skills in industrial and service sectors in Turkey have been investigated with panel data analysis method, using the data of 2010-2019 period. Within the context of sectors dealt with in the cited period, it has been found that digitalisation has positive impact on employment growth in general. Nevertheless, it has been concluded that digitalisation’s effect on employment in occupations with low, medium and high level of skills differs. In parallel to the increase in the tendency for digitalisation in the firms functioning in the mentioned sectors, employment growth has been seen to be in question in occupations requiring higher levels of skills.

Keywords

• Digitalisation
• Turkey
• Employment
• Occupation
• Skills
• Panel Data Analysis

Dijitalleşmenin İstihdam Üzerine Etkisi: Türkiye’de Beceri Düzeyine Göre Sınıflandırılmış Meslek Grupları Üzerine Bir Araştırma

Abstract

Teknolojik değişim her zaman ekonomik büyüme ve gelişmenin önemli bir belirleyicisi olmuştur. Bununla birlikte, işgücü piyasaları açısından da ciddi bir meydan okuma anlamına gelmektedir. Gerçekten, tarihsel süreçte teknolojik değişime koşut olarak işgücü piyasalarında ciddi dönüşümler yaşanmıştır. Günümüzde de bu değişim ve dönüşüm süreci dijitalleşme kavramı ile birlikte anılmakta ve tartışılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, dijitalleşme sürecinin işgücü piyasasına etkisi Türkiye örneğinde özellikle sektörel istihdam ile vasıf ve meslekler bağlamında incelenmiştir. Çalışmada dijitalleşmenin Türkiye’de sanayi ve hizmet sektörleri bağlamında toplam istihdam ve vasıf düzeyine göre sınıflandırılmış meslek grupları üzerine etkileri, 2010-2019 dönemi verileri kullanılarak panel veri analizi yöntemiyle araştırılmıştır. Söz konusu dönemde ele alınan sektörler bağlamında dijitalleşmenin genel olarak istihdam artışına pozitif yönde etkisinin olduğu bulgusuna ulaşılmıştır. Bununla birlikte, dijitalleşmenin yüksek, orta ve düşük vasıf düzeyine sahip mesleklerde istihdam üzerindeki etkisinin farklılık gösterdiği sonucu elde edilmiştir. Ele alınan sektörlerde faaliyet gösteren firmalarda dijitalleşmeye yönelik eğilimin artmasına koşut olarak daha yüksek vasıf gerektiren mesleklerde istihdam artışının söz konusu olduğu görülmüştür.

Keywords

• Dijitalleşme
• Türkiye
• İstihdam
• Meslek
• Beceri
• Panel Veri Analizi.

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