The Effects of Economic Growth and Technological Change on the Demand for Scientists and Engineers

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This proposal is designed to provide more information about the sources of employment growth for natural scientists and engineers during 1976-1982. It will provide estimates of employment growth in approximately 200 Standard Industrial Categories for the detailed categories of natural science and engineering occupations used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) during that period. For technical reasons, it is not possible to go back further than 1976 or forward beyond 1983. Employment changes in each occupational category in each industry will be attributed to industry growth or to technological change. This latter category is broadly defined to include two components: changes in production methods and changes in labor inputs induced by changes in salary rates across occupations, including other professional occupations. This project is highly relevant to PRA's program objective of providing useful information about the production and employment of scientists and engineers to the director and other senior NSF officials. The 1973-1982 period is of particular interest because data compiled by the Division of Science Resources Studies indicate that the employment of natural scientists and engineers (NS&E's) in NS&E occupations rose at the rate of 6% per annum, while total employment in the U.S. rose at the much lower rate of 2% per annum. The chief merit of this proposal is its contribution to knowledge about the supply-demand balance for natural scientists and engineers.***