In Japan, the Recession Also Extends to Human Replacements
Marissa Brassfield — July 13, 2009 — Business
The world is well aware of our dismal economy, and the recent wave of robot layoffs in Japan has signaled that the effects of the recession have even reached the non-human.
The robot layoffs in Japan are a bit different from their human counterpart elsewhere. When a human worker is laid off, they’re merely unemployed, sometimes given a pension and offered financial assistance as they find a new job in the form of unemployment. When finances dictate that the production or development of a robot aren’t financially feasible, they’re shelved, filed away and forgotten.
The only thing that seems somewhat positive about Japan’s robot layoffs is that they’re preventing human worker layoffs. Tetsuaki Ueda of Fuji Keizai told the New York Times that investment in robots “...has been the first to go as companies protect their human workers.”
The robot layoffs in Japan are a bit different from their human counterpart elsewhere. When a human worker is laid off, they’re merely unemployed, sometimes given a pension and offered financial assistance as they find a new job in the form of unemployment. When finances dictate that the production or development of a robot aren’t financially feasible, they’re shelved, filed away and forgotten.
The only thing that seems somewhat positive about Japan’s robot layoffs is that they’re preventing human worker layoffs. Tetsuaki Ueda of Fuji Keizai told the New York Times that investment in robots “...has been the first to go as companies protect their human workers.”
Trend Themes
1. Robot Layoffs - The wave of robot layoffs in Japan signals the effects of the recession reaching non-human workers.
2. Financial Viability of Robots - The shelving of robots due to financial feasibility presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in robotics.
3. Protecting Human Workers - The investment in robots being the first to go protects human workers, highlighting the need for technology that complements human labor.
Industry Implications
1. Robotics - The robotics industry can capitalize on the wave of robot layoffs by developing more cost-effective and efficient robots.
2. Automation - The automation industry can explore disruptive innovations in robot production and development to address the issue of financial feasibility.
3. Human Resources - The human resources industry can explore how to strategically integrate robots into the workforce to complement human labor and prevent layoffs.
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