DIGITALIZATION, AUTOMATION, WORK ORGANIZATION AND WORKERS' SKILLS: THE EUROPEAN PROJECT "CASE STUDIES OF AUTOMATION IN SERVICES", FUNDED BY JRC-SEVILLE HAS JUST STARTED. AMONG THE PARTNERS THE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMICS OF THE SANT'ANNA SCHOOL
“Case studies of Automation in Services” is an European project funded by the EU Joint Research Centre in Seville and with the participation of the Institute of Economics of the Sant'Anna School together with the University “Aldo Moro” of Bari - Department of Political Science and the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia - Department of Communication and Economics.
The project responds to an interest of the European Commission towards the themes of digitalization, automation and its consequences on employment, labor and skills. The researchers involved in the project will examine the social and economic impact of automation in services, with the realization of three case studies, one for each technology: AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), Professional cleaning robots and Remote monitoring devices in the health sector.
The objective is to assess their impact not only on the business model, production and economic processes, but also on the organization of work in terms of tasks, employment and skills requirements. Drivers and barriers for the diffusion of automation in service in the EU will be investigated as well.
Among the first field activities foreseen by the project, a group of researchers visited the fulfillment center of Poste Italiane, in Bologna, to meet employees and visit the plant, collecting useful information for the development of the research.
On the cover: researchers visiting the fulfillment center of Poste Italiane, in Bologna.
