Supposed that two nation start out in 2013 with identical levels of output per work hour – say, $100 per hour. In the first nation, labor productivity grows by 1 percent per year. In the second, it grows by 2 percent per year. Use a calculate or spreadsheet to determine how much output per hour each nation will be producing 20 years later, assuming that labor productivity growth rates do not change. The, determine how much each will be producing per hour 100 years later. What do your results tell you about the effect of small differences in productivity growth rates?
What are some examples, other than those given in the chapter of technological change that has caused unemployment? And what are some examples of new technologies that have created jobs? How do you think you might measure the net impact of technological change on overall employment and GDP in the United States?