This work comprises the major papers of this extraordinary Nobel Laureate in economics. The common concern of the papers included in this volume is economic theory, its structure, uses, and abuses. As the late Harry G. Johnson said: "No one reading this volume can fail to be struck by the depth of scholarship Professor Leontief is capable of deploying and the profundity of his understanding of methodological problems of economic theory, and his critique of the work of other economists."

This work comprises the major papers of this extraordinary Nobel Laureate in economics. The common concern of the papers included in this volume is economic theory, its structure, uses, and abuses. As the late Harry G. Johnson said: " "No one reading this volume can fail to be struck by the depth of scholarship Professor Leontief is capable of deploying and the profundity of his understanding of methodological problems of economic theory, and his critique of the work of other economists.""

While the computer revolution has created hundreds of thousands of new jobs, it has threatened as many other jobs with obsolescence and has often caused the displacement of workers by computer-based machines. Here, Nobel Prize-winning economist Wassily Leontief and Faye Duchin use the input-output approach, a method that has been widely applied in examining structural economic change, to analyze the complex issues surrounding the impact of computer-driven automation on employment. Following a general discussion of the impact of automation on employment, they focus on four specific sectors within the economy--manufacturing, office work, education, and health care. The input-output approach makes it possible to draw conclusions regarding both overall employment and the prospects for individual occupations. Taking account of the increased need for workers in the production of computer-based equipment, the authors conclude that by the year 2000 automation will not cause dramatic unemployment if the economy is able to achieve a smooth transition from the old to new technologies.

This collection of writings provides the only comprehensive introduction to the input-output model for which Leontief was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1973. The structural approach to economics developed by Leontief, and known as input-output analysis, paved the way for the transformation of economics into a truly empirical discipline that could utilize modern data processing technology. This thoroughly revised second edition includes twenty essays--twelve of which are new to this edition--that reflect the past developments and the present state of the field. Beginning with an introductory chapter, the book leads the reader into an understanding of the input-output approach--not only as formal theory but also as a research strategy and powerful tool for dealing with a complex modern economy.