The Role of Computers & Scientific & Technical Information in Comparative Economic Development

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This research continues the investigators inquiries into the role of computers and information in productivity growth. The studies include work on the sources of postwar growth of information activity, on computer-based technology,occupational mix and productivity growth, and information flows, trade and productivity convergence among nations.The work relies on extensive data bases collected, in part, by the investigators' past work, and in part from collections at the U.S. Government Bureau of Economic Analysis and other extant data sets. The research on sources of growth asks to what extent the relative rise in employment in information services represents a redeployment of the labor force away from manufacturing where productivity increases have reduced the demand for labor. The study on occupational mix explores whether computer technology has resulted in an increased level of education and technical expertise in the labor force or has been de-skilling. The study on trade explores the role of information transmission and technology diffusion on economic development of nations.