Explanation should include

employment/labor costs
automation and outsourcing (and the pros and cons of each)
robotics (e.g., production increase, cost of labor)
political and social ramifications that accompany automation
benefits (e.g., time to market, efficiencies in supply chain, environmental conditions for employees)
drawbacks.

Teacher Resources:

Process/Skill Questions:

What are examples of automated systems?
What careers are associated with automated systems?
What jobs have been eliminated over the past 50 years by automation?
How can automation benefit the workforce when it eliminates some jobs while creating others?
Why is automation sometimes considered a negative thing for employment?