2017-12-13
Marcos Álvarez-Díaz
According to him, digital transformation is a key issue in the partnership between the European Union and Brazil. "All sectors of the economy in the world face an ongoing trend of digital transformation, which does not only mean operating on a technology plan, but also in business and social dimensions."
Alvarez-Díaz reveals that while some jobs can be wiped out with digital transformation, especially those that require low qualifications, jobs that require highly skilled people will always exist; such as those involving digital technology experts, programmers, digital advisors and digital system operators.
Read here what the expert and representative of AIOTI had to say about the 2nd edition of ICT Week and digital transformations.
Sector Dialogues - After the 2nd edition of ICT Week, what is your opinion about this thematic event and the importance of future editions? Is innovation and digital transformation key issues to be addressed in the EU-Brazil strategic partnership?
Álvarez-Díaz - I believe that digital transformation is a key issue in the EU-Brazil partnership. All sectors of the economy in the world face a continuous trend of digital transformation, which means not only operating on a pure technology but also business and social dimensions. I also believe that the particularities, experience and potential gains from digital transformation that exist in both the EU and Brazil make this subject a mutual cooperation that can bring great benefits to both in the coming years.
Sector Dialogues - What can we expect from Innovation and Digital Transformation in the world? Is it a risk or a challenge to be replaced by robots in most functions in the future?
Álvarez-Díaz – For the audience, sometimes this debate about technological innovations that replace traditional jobs is apocalyptic (by the way, not just robots but a software could eliminate some jobs from an office). I prefer a more realistic and pragmatic approach. Throughout human history, innovations have been produced and adopted in any field we can imagine simply because they have provided a better way to achieve a goal. The word "best" can have many meanings: with more security, with less human effort, cheaper, faster, more accurate, more efficiently, with less impact on the environment, more responsibly ... and many others.
I really doubt that social concerns (in many cases, well-founded) may prevent innovation from being adopted. Or that it may be postponed in some regions or countries, but in a global economy, it is hard to believe that it can be barred.
I believe that when a trend of innovation has the potential to change the social status quo, as we can see in the case of the digital transformation we face worldwide, society must first come together to understand the changes that are coming and then only plan and take the necessary steps to adopt subtly the innovation and the impact of these changes. It is worth mentioning that a very important change that must happen is in the educational system (from primary to post-graduate) and also in vocational training.
Lastly, consider this. Although some jobs can be eliminated through digital transformation, especially the low-skilled in industrial environments, there is a group whose demand will increase dramatically: digital technology experts, programmers, digital advisors, digital system operators, etc. These jobs are highly skilled, providing space for local talent to develop promising careers.
Sector Dialogues - Compared to some countries, Brazil is not very developed in relation to digital transformation. What are the main challenges for Brazil?
Álvarez-Díaz - Although I do not have a deep knowledge of the digital state of all vertical markets in Brazil, the challenges are exactly the same as the other regions of the world are facing: anyone who is not involved in digital transformation risks being delayed in the world race for productivity, efficiency and reduction of environmental impact. And if I can give my advice, I would suggest starting with those sectors of the economy in which Brazil is more competitive, such as agriculture, for example (in the EU, this is called "smart specialization"), and within these, choose some goals that have the potential to generate rapid gains or improvements thanks to the digital age (commonly referred to as "clear opportunities").
Sector Dialogues - In your opinion, which countries are global leaders and an example of innovation and digital transformation? How can Brazil be part of the fourth industrial revolution to follow them?
Álvarez-Díaz - It is clear that the references in this regard are the EU, the USA and the Far East (South Korea, Japan and China). The strategic partnership with the EU makes the perfect framework for cooperation and exchange efforts for the acceleration of the Brazilian digital economy. Such cooperation should not only remain within the scope of public administration but also in the private sector, as it is in the productive economy in which most of the transformation will take place.
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