Szenarien digitalisierter Einfacharbeit

In the debate on the digitisation of work, a widespread loss of jobs, especially among low-skilled workers, is expected. Although similar developments were feared in previous automation waves, they have only partially occurred. The current diffusion of digital technologies in production and logistics has raised this question again. Using empirical research, this study shows that low-skilled work does not disappear through digitisation, but significantly changes structurally. It groups these changes to low-skilled work into four scenarios: automation and substitution, digital optimisation and Taylorisation, upgrading and adaptivity, and structural conservatism and stabilisation. With contributions by Jörg Abel, Martin Eisenmann, Jonathan Falkenberg, Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen, Peter Ittermann, Ralf Kopp, Edelgard Kutzner, Ulf Ortmann, Victoria Schnier, Alfredo Virgillito and Tobias Wienzek.