Research
Job market paper
Njekwa Ryberg, P. (2026). Density-induced specialization and the routinization of work. Working Paper.
Abstract:
Routine-intensive jobs are susceptible to displacement by automation, but how do jobs become routine-intensive to begin with? In this paper, I argue that density of economic activity affects the routinization of work. Building on the idea that the division of labor is limited by the extent of the market, and using a mediation analysis framework, I study the relationship between density and the routine intensity of work through two channels: a direct effect, and an indirect effect operating through task specialization. Task specialization and routine intensity are measured at the level of individual workers using detailed Swedish survey and register data, while density is measured by linking workers to geocoded establishments. To address endogeneity concerns and allow for heterogeneous effects, I employ an instrumental‑variable correlated random‑coefficients model, using historical railway passenger traffic as an instrument for both density and task specialization. Density has a positive indirect effect on routine intensity through task specialization, but no direct effect. Density also positively moderates the degree of task specialization. The effect of task specialization on routine intensity is heterogeneous with respect to task codifiability, changes in task content, age, education, occupation, tenure, and firm size. The findings support the argument that dense economic environments foster the routinization of work through division of labor and highlight how the spatial economic context shapes the transformation of work.
Peer-reviewed publications
Njekwa Ryberg, P. (2026). How local labour market skill relatedness and size moderate the impacts of automation. Regional Studies, 60(1).
Njekwa Ryberg, P. (2025). Manufacturing automation and its implications for local employment outcomes: Evidence from Sweden. Papers in Regional Science, 104(5).
Work in progress
Njekwa Ryberg, P., Bjerke, L., & Klaesson, J. Robots need people too: Regional skill disparities and automation diffusion.
Njekwa Ryberg, P., & Bjerke, L. Imputing Missing Occupation Codes in Administrative Data.
Njekwa Ryberg, P., D'Costa, S., & Larsson, J.P. Robots or Regions? Automation and the Geography of Wage Premia.
Njekwa Ryberg, P., Mellander, C., & Florida, R. AI and the city.