Technology, trade sensitivity, and labor displacement

This study examines the relationship between international trade, technolog y, and exposure to job displacement, using data on displaced workers as wel l as those at risk of job dislocation, for the two-year sample periods 1986 -1987 and 1990-1991. Workers employed in manufac- turing industries with el evated import penetration or high shares of R&D personnel appear to have in creased rates of job loss. However, the risk of job loss is materially redu ced when a relatively high proportion of employees report working with comp uters. The opposing effects on displacement probabilities of R&D employment intensity and computer-use carry over to the nonmanufacturing sector.