UNDERUTILIZATION IN THE U.S. MANUFACTURING SECTOR, 1960 TO 1970

The study reported here sought to provide a type of analysis more detailed than aggregate investigations but more generalisable than case studies. The extent to which upgrading and downgrading characterised US manufacturing industries in the 1960s, and the extent to which downgrading exacerbated underutilisation among production workers are examined. Special attention is then paid to determining whether mechanisation has an effect on the skills requirements of jobs.