Connor Ottosen

Proposal Paper

In this paper, I will attempt to demonstrate that technology will lead to a drastically
different economy and workforce in the future. I will analyze current trends in technology and
in labor economics. I will show what the future might hold in the case that we prepare, or also
the case that we do nothing. As the underlying question, I will attempt to answer, “what should
be done to best prepare our economy for drastic technological changes of the future?”

Brynjolfsson, Erik. McAfee, Andrew. The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and
Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies. New York: W. W. Norton & Company,
2014.

Using trends and data the authors show how automation is already changing the workforce.
They give illustrations on how automation will continue to reduce available jobs in our current
economy. They give explanations of what needs to be done to have a prosperous future.

Doms, Mark and Dunne, Timothy, "Workers, Wages, and Technology," Quarterly Journal
of Economics Feb 1997 (112:1).

This paper goes over how automation affects the skill level of workforces in factories and plants. They
use data to discover how workforces change. After automation is implanted they find an increase in high
skilled jobs.

Graetz, G., & Michaels, G. (2015). Robots at Work. CEP Discussion Paper, (1335). Retrieved
October 26, 2017, from http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp1335.pdf

An analysis of the economic impact of industrial robots. This spans data from 1993 to 2007 and
in 17 countries. Shows that there was a reduction of hours worked due to robots.
 Mokyr, Joel, Chris Vickers, and Nicolas L. Ziebarth, "The History of Technological Anxiety and the
Future of Economic Growth: Is This Time Different?" Journal of Economic Perspectives 29:3
(Summer 2015), p. 31-5

The author uses historical examples to shows that the fear of automation has happened many times
before. He then compares it to the fear of automation today and uses data to see how this time may be
different. He analyzes the potential impacts.

Rotman, D. (2016, September 01). How Technology Is Destroying Jobs. Retrieved October 27,
2017, from https://www.technologyreview.com/s/515926/how-technology-is-destroying-jobs/

A summary of data that shows how technology is reducing the available work in the economy. David
analyzes what potential future impacts this may have. There are specific examples of how robots are
changing labor economics

Thompson, Derek, “A World Without Work,” The Atlantic July/August 2015, p. 50-61.

Derek Thompson does a sort of case study of what happens when there is no work for a
population. He shows what could happen if automation takes away work. He goes over
potential futures for our economy considering the effects of automation.

I. Intro and Central Question: How can we prepare our economy and society for major future changes
due to technology and automation.
II. Background:
A. Provide historical data and context for this question.
B. Why has worries about automation proven wrong in the past? What could be different this
time?

III. Argument
A. Demonstrate the effects that we are currently seeing in labor markets and the economy due to
automation and technology.
a. Use data
 b. Address both quantity and quality of work
B. What are some predictions for the future?
a. Review predictions by economists and analysts. Evaluate the validity of their
arguments.
C. Show that technology can potentially have significant and negative effects on many populations
in the future if nothing is done.
a. Use whatever data possible
D. Future
a. Go over best and worst case scenarios for future. How do they differ and why?
b. What specific societal implementations could help achieve a better future involving
technology
E. Conclusion
a. Outline that if nothing is done, there is a high likelihood of significant negative effects
do to technology and automation for many people
b. Outline what can be done to help and/or prevent these negative effects.