Abstract:
This paper provides new evidence on the reallocation of workers across firms and industries with different technologies in response to increased import competition from developing countries. Using employer-employee matched data for the Swedish manufacturing sector, we find increased assortative matching of workers in ICT (information and communication technologies) intensive industries, that is, high(low)-wage workers sort into high(low)-wage firms. Industries with low ICT intensity do not exhibit these sorting patterns. A labour market matching model explains the increased assortative matching in ICT intensive industries in response to stronger import competition through an increase in the relative demand for qualified workers.
