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Zusatztext 67815010 Informationen zum Autor By Larry Boyer Klappentext This optimistic and useful look at the coming convergence of automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence, shows how we can take advantage of this revolution in the workplace, crafting "robot-proof jobs" and not fearing "the robocalypse." It's called the Fourth Industrial Revolution--a revolution fueled by analytics and technology--that consists of data-driven smart products, services, entertainment, and new jobs. Economist and data scientist Larry Boyer lays out the wealth of exciting possibilities this revolution brings as well as the serious concerns about its disruptive impact on the lives of average Americans. Most important, he shows readers how to navigate this sea of change, pointing to strategies that will give businesses and individuals the best chance to succeed and providing a roadmap to thriving in this new economy. Boyer describes how future workers may have to think of themselves as entrepreneurs, marketing their special talents as valuable skills that machines cannot do. This will be especially important in the coming employment climate, when full-time jobs are likely to decrease and industries move toward contract-based employment. He provides guidelines for identifying your individual talents and pursuing the training that will make you stand out. He also shows you how to promote your personal brand to give more exposure to your unique skills. Whether we like it or not, automation will soon transform the work place and employment prospects. This book will show you how to look for and take advantage of the opportunities that this revolution presents.Introduction My father graduated from high school, joined the US Army, learned a trade, and saw the world. When he left the army, he was hired by AT&T®, where he worked until he retired thirty-five or so years later. While we commonly understand that career model no longer works today, what I find helpful now is how my father managed to survive the waves of disruption during what we now know as the third industrial revolution, which consisted of the wave of transformations that led to computerization, electronics, and tele-communications technology. I didn’t see it growing up, and unless you’ve given thought to it, you may not have noticed it either if you were raised between the 1960s and 1990s. My father was a lineman, laying and repairing the copper wires that connected homes and businesses so we could talk on the phone. Back then, it was simply the phone, no need to call it a landline, and AT&T was the phone company. For much of the 1960s and 1970s, it hovered around number ten on Fortune’s list of largest American companies. There is no doubt that AT&T was a huge driver of the third industrial revolution, with its vaunted Bell Labs® driving disruptive innovations in everything from microwave communications to video calling. In that respect, it was great to be part of such a company creating the future. However, it wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns. The new technologies being developed changed the nature of the work during that time, resulting in thousands of employees losing their jobs to the tech. It wasn’t all about technological change either. Employees lost their jobs and faced pressures for other reasons too—economic cycles, competitive pressures, and the eventual regulatory breakup of AT&T. The economy, political and social disruption, and life events continued as well. This was the time of economically “impossible” stagflation—simultaneous high unemployment and high inflation. The oil embargos. Cold War and détente. Iran hostage crisis. Savings and loan collapse. Relatives getting sick and passing away. It’s a stark reminder that while technology marches forward, creating new jobs and destroying old ones, at the same time jobs are also created and destroyed by economics, politics,...
