Justin Hayward and Nick Coutts from Cambridge Investment Research discuss the productivity challenge and celebrate reaching 50 conferences. This article will appear in Pan European Networks: Science & Technology issue 25, which was published in December 2017.

1. THE PRODUCTIVITY
CHALLENGE
Justin Hayward and Nick Coutts from Cambridge Investment Research
discuss the productivity challenge and celebrate reaching 50
conferences.
SciTech Europa
This article will appear in Pan European Networks: Science & Technology issue 25, which was published
in December, 2017.

2. The successful 15th anniversary of High Value Manufacturing (HVM) and the 4th Graphene
New Materials Conference Summit took place on 2-3 November 2017 in Cambridge, UK,
with a dinner for speakers on the evening of the first briefing day at King’s College. We
were delighted with the conference. The main reason for this was the happiness and
delight of the many delegates who told the CIR team of this both at the reception and
registration desk and in more than 45 post-event surveys we went on to receive.
Another special aspect for both us and for CIR was that over two days this conference
brought us up to 50 full conference days or equivalents that we have researched, created
and delivered in the period between 2002 and 2017 – and even if we do no more events
except for those commissioned by others, this was a high-point, finishing at the peak. It
was a super event.

3. The venue was excellent, designed for medium-sized conferences in multiple streams at
executive level in a purpose-built, single building. There were 35 speakers and six expert
moderators. The talks covered many industry 4.0-related scientific advances, new
technologies and applications on day one, and six main industry sector-focused sessions on
day two. These were: aerospace, space, digital printing and additive manufacture,
electronics and displays, lighting, sensors and devices, and energy storage and
biotechnology.
More than ten talks were delivered by CEOs, and a further handful from CTOs – most were
by directors of companies. As well as companies, there were talks from leading academics,
venture capitalists and angel investors. The former vice-chancellor of Cambridge University,
Lord Broers, gave a talk on the second day, and a short speech at dinner. Professor Sir Mike
Gregory CBE returned as chair.

4. PRODUCTIVITY

5. There is a ‘productivity challenge’ in the UK, as discussed in recent parliamentary
exchanges – companies are not as productive as they should be, according to economic
theory, since the recession in 2008. Of course, something must explain this, but this is
beyond the scope of this article. Yet, it is concerning. Supranational organisations have
been downgrading expected growth, for example, in the UK, but behind every concern
there is an opportunity. Technology can act as a driver for increased productivity, if it is
developed correctly.
Professor Tim Minshall, the newly installed Head of the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM)
and first John C Taylor Professor of Innovation at Cambridge University, a brand-new seat,
said at the HVM conference: “You can’t just throw money at the problem and expect
solutions. It needs understanding of problems, ecosystem, drivers.”

6. The UK government is developing a strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In the
previous three generations of these ‘revolutions’, governments were not typically the best
institutions to look to for innovation. At best, they did their utmost to regulate enormous
leaps forward where it was necessary, but at times when governments were much smaller
in scope and size than they are today. There may be a role for a small, national-level,
government-led document highlighting a nation’s strengths and outlining those things that
governments can try to assist with. But the plans should not be overbearing or too costly,
just guidelines.
CIR has set up, as part of recent conferences, an organisation that would manifest as
events or consulting workshops in support of developing solutions to and for the above
problems and challenges. The company seeks those who can support any events that wish
to have specific topics discussed and developed.

7. TOPICS

8. We split our 15th anniversary HVM and 4th Graphene New Materials Conference series
topics on this into the following four areas:
1. Big Data and analytics;
2. Connectivity;
3. Automation and robotics; and
4. New materials
It is important to note just how much value Moore’s Law will enable in delivering the
analysis of very large and dynamic datasets. This is part of the journey.

9. Then we must link the digital and the physical worlds – sensors are fed from real-world
connectivity to the digital world.This is another enabling technology.Three-dimensional
printing/additive manufacturing enables us to automate processes in the lab, factory or
plant, and perhaps the shop or house as machines shrink in size and are distributed.
New materials such as graphene are a part of this; they help make products stronger, last
longer, reach further, and so on.

10. VALUE NETWORKS

11. CIR has expertise in value networks and their analysis. This involves understanding how to
solve problems around a lack of clarity concerning the paths and processes that
stakeholders can follow in order to move to, in this case, more productive processes and
methods of production and the services and changes to incentives, regulations and
markets that are needed to increase the rate of change and which have a significant
positive impact on social, environmental and economic outcomes. In short, using rigorous
analysis to help achieve goals.
There are stakeholders such as the ‘ideators’, technical solutions service providers,
regulators, materials formulators, manufacturers of materials and products, government
agencies, universities, brand end user firms, taxpayers and the end consumers. Together,
some or all of these players are those that are likely to achieve or help achieve a solution to
the productivity challenge.

12. Increasingly – and this is a key topic that is being discussed extensively – skills gaps and
challenges are appearing within this apparent complexity. The question of whether many
jobs will be lost and not enough found therefore needs to be asked.
Typically, due to technology-led productivity leaps, services have emerged that enable
complexity to be reduced and for businesses and industry to find the right people and
develop new tools to enable production and ultimately gain the greater productivity that is
sought.

13. CIR does not believe the fears around job losses are well-grounded given that in the past
iterations of industrial revolutions countries became wealthier and jobs that were
abundant, less boring and unpleasant, more valuable and better paid emerged. That is the
direction of travel when you open up markets and new technologies in a positive way. The
wrong way, however, is to assume that a small number of mandarins in government
agencies can take a lead role and solve problems with grand plans. The catallaxy, billions of
small choices by individuals and companies, lead us toward improvements – sometimes
fruitlessly for a while and sometimes invisibly or in a hidden way, but inexorably, over time,
they lead to better approaches: tempus omnia revelat.
We look forward to showcasing some of our speakers in forthcoming editions of Pan
European Networks publications in early 2018.

14. Our focus in the short term is on business strategy consultancy projects related to
technology deployment and growth. We hope that anyone interested in a value network
analysis of their situation, finding the right routes to value, or indeed anyone who may
wish to commission us to develop a bespoke, ambitious and exciting conference or other
event in any location on a technology that we can help with will contact us. We’ve now
reached 50 and CIR would love to help.
Dr Justin Hayward
CIR Strategy
jhayward@cir-strategy.com
Nick Coutts
Strategy Consultant
CIR Strategy
http://www.cir-strategy.com/