We measure the labor-demand effects of two simultaneous forms of technological change—automation of production processes and consolidation of parts. We collect detailed shop-floor data from four semiconductor firms with different levels of automation and consolidation. Using the O*NET survey instrument, we collect novel task data for operator laborers that contains process-step level skill requirements, including operations and control, near vision, and dexterity requirements. We then use an engineering process model to separate the effects of the distinct technological changes on these process tasks and operator skill requirements. Within an occupation, we show that aggregate measures of technological change can mask the opposing skill biases of multiple simultaneous technological changes. In our empirical context, automation polarizes skill demand as routine, codifiable tasks requiring low and medium skills are executed by machines instead of humans, whereas the remaining and newly created human tasks tend to require low and high skills. Consolidation converges skill demand as formerly divisible low and high skill tasks are transformed into a single indivisible task with medium skill requirements and higher cost of failure. We conclude by developing a new theory for how the separability of tasks mediates the effect of technology change on skill demand by changing the divisibility of labor.

中文翻译：

---

并非所有技术变革都是平等的：任务的可分离性如何调节技术变革对技能需求的影响

我们衡量了两种同时发生的技术变革形式的劳动力需求效应——生产过程的自动化和零件的整合。我们从自动化和整合程度不同的四家半导体公司收集详细的车间数据。使用 O*NET 调查工具，我们为操作员收集新的任务数据，其中包含流程步骤级别的技能要求，包括操作和控制、近视力和灵活性要求。然后，我们使用工程过程模型来区分不同技术变化对这些过程任务和操作员技能要求的影响。在一个职业中，我们表明技术变革的总体衡量标准可以掩盖多个同时发生的技术变革的相反技能偏见。在我们的经验背景下，自动化使技能需求两极分化，因为需要中低技能的常规、可编码任务由机器而不是人类执行，而剩余的和新创建的人工任务往往需要低技能和高技能。整合融合了技能需求，因为以前可分割的低技能和高技能任务转变为具有中等技能要求和更高失败成本的单一不可分割任务。最后，我们提出了一种新理论，即任务的可分性如何通过改变劳动力的可分性来调节技术变革对技能需求的影响。整合融合了技能需求，因为以前可分割的低技能和高技能任务转变为具有中等技能要求和更高失败成本的单一不可分割任务。最后，我们提出了一种新理论，即任务的可分性如何通过改变劳动力的可分性来调节技术变革对技能需求的影响。整合融合了技能需求，因为以前可分割的低技能和高技能任务转变为具有中等技能要求和更高失败成本的单一不可分割任务。最后，我们提出了一种新理论，即任务的可分性如何通过改变劳动力的可分性来调节技术变革对技能需求的影响。