Martina Cioni

Is Technological Change Really Skill Biased? Evidence from the Introduction of ICTs on the Textile Sector (1980-2000)

This paper investigates the effects of the introduction of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the skills of a workforce. Using micro-data collected from workers in the textile sector, we analyse whether the introduction of ICTs has modified workers’ tasks, so that higher skills and longer training periods than before are necessary. Our survey has shown that ICTs i) have replaced unskilled labour in some cases and skilled labour in others; ii) have changed workers’ tasks in some cases but not in others; and finally, iii) have brought about an increase in skills for only a small number of occupations. This empirical evidence does not confirm the hypothesis that technological change, and in particular change introduced by ICTs, is necessarily skill biased

Safety at the workplace: accidents and illnesses

The topic of work safety is a very relevant and multifaceted problem for workers, firms and policy makers. Differing from other narrow-scope studies, this article aims to enrich the understanding of workplace safety as a whole by applying econometric techniques on data from the Italian Labour Force Survey. Findings show poor working conditions are the most significant determinants of accidents and illnesses occurring at work, while having a fixed-term (temporary) contract is not significant. Other significant determinants of work safety are: not being new to the workforce; dissatisfaction with the current job; gender; and a latent proneness observed with occurrence of accident on the way to work. This article also highlights that work related accidents and illnesses are two deeply correlated phenomena and that there is a structural break after three years on the job.

The Secret to Job Satisfaction is Low Expectations: How Perceived Working Conditions Differ from Actual Ones

Working conditions exert a major influence on accidents and illnesses at work as well as on job satisfaction and health, yet very little research has examined the determinants of working conditions. By exploiting the Italian Labour Force Survey, this paper provides evidence on the underlying factors affecting working conditions. It provides a behavioural interpretation of the results, which stems from the discrepancy between actual and expected working conditions. In light of this interpretation, workers would declare their perceived working conditions influenced by the difference between the actual and the expected working conditions. Variables concerning personal characteristics, such as gender, education and being employed in the first job, shift expectations about working conditions and accordingly perceived working conditions. On the contrary, variables related to work characteristics, such as working full time, with shifts and in a large place, affect actual and thus perceived working conditions (negatively).

Sicurezza sul lavoro e rapporti di lavoro in Italia

La sicurezza sul lavoro dipende da molteplici fattori. Con l’obiettivo di indagare sulle cause degli infortuni sul lavoro e delle malattie professionali, si sono analizzati i dati provenienti dall’Indagine sulle forze di lavoro del 2007. Il tipo di rapporto di lavoro, in particolare il tipo di contratto (a tempo determinato o indeterminato),non sembra avere un effetto preciso sulla sicurezza sul lavoro.Maggiori probabilita di infortuni e malattie si hanno a causa di: cattive condizioni nelle quali di fatto si presta l’attivita lavorativa, non essere al primo lavoro, insoddisfazione verso l’attuale lavoro, essere maschi (per gli infortuni) o femmine (per le malattie) e una propensione latente osservata attraverso il verificarsi di incidenti nel tragitto casa-lavoro. L’analisi evidenzia, inoltre, che gli infortuni e le malattie professionali sono due fenomeni fortemente correlati.