David R. Howell

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

David R. Howell is a labor economist whose research has fundamentally shaped our understanding of technological change, employment, and wage inequality. His most-cited work, "The Future Employment Impacts of Industrial Robots" (1985), with 21 citations, was a pioneering analysis of how automation would reshape labor markets, long before the current wave of AI-driven disruption. Howell’s major contributions lie in dissecting the complex interplay between technological adoption, institutional forces, and labor market outcomes, particularly for low-wage and marginalized workers. He has been a leading voice in challenging simplistic narratives of skill-biased technological change, emphasizing instead the roles of policy, union decline, and globalization in driving rising inequality. His work has influenced debates on minimum wage policy, job quality, and the future of work, earning him recognition as a critical thinker in labor economics. Through rigorous empirical analysis and a commitment to social equity, Howell’s research continues to inform scholars and policymakers seeking to understand and address the structural challenges facing workers in the 21st century.