In der gegenwärtigen Diskussion gilt es als sicher, dass wir in einer Zeit rasant fortschreitender Automatisierung leben, die insbesondere durch den Einsatz von Robotern vorangetrieben wird. Die Roboterdichte gilt dementsprechend in vielen Publikationen als der zentrale Indikator der...

The contribution discusses the impact of digitalization approaches in industrial companies and their implications for the global division of labour and work. It proceeds by investigating the scope and character of automation and its impact on the relationship between production locations in high...

The current understanding of automation is dominated by “routine-biased technological change” (RBTC). This theory predicts a strong automation dynamic in jobs with high routine-task share and a polarization of employment structures. While RBTC theory has many merits, this paper develops a...

This article reviews the major issues and discussions related to the impact of the digital revolution on labour. First, it emphasizes that the current digital revolution in manufacturing and services is not a revolution in the sense of a sudden technological breakthrough. It rather argues that...

In light of debates about advanced manufacturing and concepts like Industrie 4.0, this article compares labour‐use strategies in highly automated automotive supplier plants in a high‐wage country (Germany) and a low‐wage region (Central Eastern Europe). It shows considerable differences...

In the current public discussion, it is considered certain that we are living in a time of rapidly advancing automation, which is driven in particular by the use of robots. Accordingly, many academic publications use robot density as the central indicator of automation. The present study...