Michael J. Handel
Social scientist
Ph.D. Sociology, Harvard University
M.A. Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania
M.A. Sociology, University of Pennsylvania
B.A. Sociology, University of Pennsylvania
contact: m.handel@neu.edu
Current position: Research Analyst, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor
Coverage of latest paper in New York Times :
"In the Battle with Robots, Human Workers are Winning," by Farhad Manjoo (October 7, 2022)
Publications
Books
2016. Accounting for Mismatch in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Measurement, Magnitudes, and Explanations (with Alexandria Valerio, and Maria Laura Sánchez Puerta). World Bank: Washington, DC
2006. Worker Skills and Job Requirements: Is There a Mismatch? Washington, DC: Economic Policy Institute
2002. Editor and author. The Sociology of Organizations: Classic, Contemporary, and Critical Readings. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications http://www.amazon.com/Sociology-Organizations-Contemporary-Critical-Readings/dp/0761987665
Journal articles
2022. “Growth Trends in Selected Occupations Considered at Risk from Automation.” Monthly Labor Review. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. July 2022.
2020. “Within-Occupation Changes Dominate Changes in What Workers Do: A Shift-Share Decomposition, 2005–2015” (with Richard B. Freeman and Ina Ganguli). AEA Papers and Proceedings. American Economics Association
2016. “The O*NET Content Model: Strengths and Limitations.” Journal of Labour Market Research
2016. “What Do People Do at Work? A Profile of U.S. Jobs from the Survey of Workplace Skills, Technology, and Management Practices (STAMP)” Journal of Labour Market Research
2014. "Theories of Lean Management: An Empirical Evaluation,” Social Science Research 44:86–102
2013. “Putting Tasks to the Test: Human Capital, Job Tasks, and Wages” (with David H. Autor), Journal of Labor Economics
2007. “Computers and the Wage Structure.” Research in Labor Economics. 26:157-198
2006. “The Effect of Participative Work Systems on Employee Earnings.” Research in the Sociology of Work Vol. 16
2005. “Trends in Perceived Job Quality, 1989-1998.” Work and Occupations 32:66-94
2004. “Is There a Wage Payoff to Innovative Work Practices?” (with Maury Gittleman) Industrial Relations 43:67-97
2004. “The Effects of New Work Practices on Workers.” (with David I. Levine) Industrial Relations 43:1-43
2003. “Skills Mismatch in the Labor Market” Annual Review of Sociology
Book chapters
2023. “The Meaning of Job Required Education,” Chapter 14 in A Research Agenda for Skills and Inequality, Michael Tåhlin, editor. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.
2019. “Predictors and Consequences of Mismatch in Developing Countries: Results from the World Bank STEP Survey,” Chapter 4 in Skills and Jobs Mismatches in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Geneva: International Labour Organization
2017. “Measuring Job Content: Skills, Technology, and Management Practices,” Chapter 5 in Oxford Handbook of Skills and Training, John Buchanan, David Finegold, Kenneth Mayhew and Chris Warhurst, eds. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Working papers
2020. “Job Skill Requirements: Levels and Trends.” MIT Work of the Future Working Paper 02-2020. MIT Industrial Performance Center (Cambridge, MA) https://workofthefuture.mit.edu/report/job-skill-requirements-levels-and-trends
2017. "Changing Educational Profiles of Detailed Occupations, 1990-2001," BLS Working Paper No. 495. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor
2013. “Trends in Job Skill Demands in OECD Countries.” OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Paper No. 143. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
2009. “Putting Tasks to the Test: Human Capital, Job Tasks and Wages.” (with David H. Autor) Working Paper #15116, National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA.
2008. “Measuring Job Content: Skills, Technology, and Management Practices.” Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Paper No. 1357-08. University of Wisconsin, Madison WI.
2000. "Is There a Skills Crisis? Trends in Job Skill Requirements, Technology, and Wage Inequality in the United States." Public Policy Brief No. 62. Levy Economics Institute. Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY.
Commissioned reports
2019. “Background Report for 2nd European Skills and Jobs Survey” (with Terence Hogarth). CEDEFOP: European Centre for Development of Vocational Training, European Union (Thessaloniki, Greece)
2016. “Dynamics of Occupational Change: Implications for the Occupational Requirements Survey,” prepared for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor
2015. “Methodological Issues Related to the Occupational Requirements Survey,” prepared for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor
2004. "Implications of Information Technology for Employment, Skills, and Wages: Findings from Sectoral and Case Study Research." NSF-funded report to SRI International
2003. "Implications of Information Technology for Employment, Skills, and Wages: A Review of Recent Research." NSF-funded report to SRI International
POSITIONS
Research Analyst, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor (2020-present)
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA (2005-2019)
Visiting Research Fellow, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC (2016-2017)
Labor Market Analyst, Division for Employment Analysis and Policy, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Paris, France (2010)
Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Wisconsin—Madison (2000-2005)
Resident Scholar, Levy Economics Institute, Bard College, NY (1999-2000)
Research Associate, Harvard Business School, Future of Work Project (Shoshana Zuboff, PI) (1992-1994)
OTHER
Member, editorial board, American Sociological Review (2016-2019)
Affiliate, Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin—Madison (2000-present)
Contact: m.handel@neu.edu