Hi, robot
February 9, 2023
Industrial companies are expected to invest heavily in robotics and automation, find partner Emily Shao and co-authors. According to the 2022 McKinsey Global Industrial Robotics Survey, automated systems will account for 25 percent of capital spending over the next five years. The robots won’t come for every task, though: while activities such as picking, packing, and sorting will continue to veer toward automation, assembly, stamping, and welding, all of which require high levels of human input, are less likely to be automated.
To read the article, see “Unlocking the industrial potential of robotics and automation,” January 6, 2023.
Vietnam’s potential for renewables
February 10, 2023
Vietnam is unique among its peers around Southeast Asia with respect to its physical potential to generate renewable energy, say senior partner Vishal Agarwal and co-authors. To reach net-zero emissions by 2050, Vietnam would have to pivot the bulk of its power generation capacity to wind and solar, installing about 150 GW of wind capacity and about 70 GW of solar capacity. While this is an ambitious target for renewables, it captures only a fraction of the nation’s overall renewable-power potential.
To read the article, see “Charting a path for Vietnam to achieve its net-zero goals,” October 14, 2022.
Flex, please
February 8, 2023
Tech workers in the United States—particularly older employees—overwhelmingly favor remote work, according to partner Oliver Bossert and co-author. The authors also found a notable divergence in working arrangement preferences. Women working in tech ranked flexible working arrangements as the second-most-important reason for seeking a new job, while men ranked flex work as fifth-most important. Click through the interactive to see more findings from the global survey.
The current economic uncertainty can be chalked up, in part, to recent events, including geopolitical instability, volatile commodity markets, and rising inflation. However, disruptions to global business have been years—even decades—in the making, find senior partners Ralf Dreischmeier and Ari Libarikian and co-authors. For example, the share of global companies maintaining a top 500 position has steadily fallen since 2000, with a 4.6 t average annual slide in recent years.
To read the article, see “What US tech talent expects from remote work,” December 21, 2022.
Infotainment superhighway
February 6, 2023
Mobility sector stakeholders see opportunities to capture value from the metaverse, even before the digital world fully materializes. Partner Kersten Heineke and co-authors found that in-car entertainment could generate more than USD 30 billion in value by 2030. Tech firms and OEMs are using spatial computing along with virtual and augmented reality to, for instance, display navigation and approaching road hazards on the windshield. Passengers could someday use metaverse tools to browse immersive applications and infotainment options inside vehicles.
To read the article, see “The metaverse: Driving value in the mobility sector,” January 4, 2023.