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Research Report 637 The future of employment and economic activity and its transport and land use implications

Published: | Category: Economic development , Research programme , Research & reports | Audience: General

This report reviewed literature relating to the potential effects that automation and new technologies will have on the type, nature and characteristics of employment in the industrial, service and commercial sectors. The findings of that review were then supplemented with interviews of key sector representatives from large New Zealand companies and organisations. This took place between October 2016 and February 2017.

Together the literature review and stakeholder interviews were used to confirm a methodology and define the parameters and assumptions of scenarios to test possible future employment and land use requirements. Those requirements were assessed for four scenarios and a business as usual baseline to explain the potential effects that automation and new technologies will have on the type, nature and characteristics of employment and land use in the industrial, service and commercial sectors. This work took place between February and July 2017.

Keywords: automation, autonomous vehicles (AVs), concentration, dispersal, drones, employment, innovations, land use, online retail, projections, technology, transportation, urban areas

Publication details

  • Author:
  • Published: January 2018
  • Reference: 637
  • ISBN/ISSN: 978-1-98-851289-1