Digital momentum

Companies and governments should not shy away from digitisation and robotisation; instead, they should embrace it. That was the message in the report called ‘NL Next Level – Investeren in een Digitale Kwantumsprong’ (Dutch) (‘Investing in a Digital Quantum Leap’) by the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW), SME association MKB-Nederland and logistics and transport organisation LTO Nederland at the end of September. They claim that “data is the new raw material of our economy”.

Just like the Dutch tech-industry organisation FME, VNO-NCW also calls for a Ministerial Top Team for digitisation, headed up by the prime minister. Both organisations believe that the future cabinet must invest heavily in digitisation and robotisation in order to boost both prosperity and welfare in the Netherlands. But what does the average Dutch person, i.e. the regular man/woman on the work floor, think about all these developments?  

The Stichting Toekomst der Techniek (STT) foundation for the future of technology conducted research to find out. The majority of Dutch people expect to see the biggest technological changes occur before 2050 and are largely optimistic about the impact of robotisation on society over the next 25 years, according to the first-ever National Future Monitor that was presented in mid-September 2016. However, the responses were less positive about the specific impact of robotisation on the job market. Most people viewed this negatively, but middle-aged Dutch people (35-64 years old) particularly so. 

I find it all hugely fascinating – both what is technologically possible and the effect it will have on our culture and society. And I’m not the only one who’s curious. Many research institutes and (industry) associations are busying themselves with the topics of robotisation and digitisation. And, thanks to the digital era, all that knowledge is online for me to savour. Just some of the recent publications include the WRR report called ‘Mastering the Robot’ (Dutch), ‘The Robot Society: It’s Not About Technology, It’s About Us!’ by the Rathenau Instituut, the FME documents ‘High Tech to Feed the World’ (Dutch) and Industry Agenda 2016-2018 (Dutch), STT’s National Future Monitor 2016 (Dutch) and the report by VNO-NCW called ‘Investing in a Digital Quantum Leap – NL next level’ (Dutch).

“When it comes to production resources, the food industry has long been a traditional, maybe slightly cautious sector,” states Rabobank in its ‘Food Equipment’ theme update. I think that hits the nail on the head – but it’s set to change, because food manufacturers, retailers and consumers all want more, better and cheaper. The pace of change in the food industry is rapidly gaining momentum. Automation, digitisation and robotisation all offer solutions for reducing the cost price. Get ready for the future! 

Judith Witte
 
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