My research explores how technological change affects labor markets and inequality, using Sweden's 20th-century electrification as a historical case study. I use quantitative methods, including econometric analysis and processing large biographical and firm-level datasets, often with AI tools.

My findings show that electrification in early 20th-century Sweden raised incomes most for lower-skilled workers and reduced inequality, differing from the effects of some later technologies.

The high-skilled engineers driving this change were distinct: highly mobile, often educated at KTH, and frequently possessing crucial experience from the USA. Early electrification hubs actively attracted this specialized talent, indicating an interplay between local opportunity ("place") and specific expertise ("people").

Further analysis of historical corporate boards suggests that appointing directors with business backgrounds had limited impact on labor's share of revenue in Sweden's historical context, which contrasts with findings from contemporary economies.

Overall, my research demonstrates that the societal consequences of major technological shifts depend heavily on the specific technology, the historical and institutional context, and the workforce characteristics involved.