Fourth Approach
TARGET COMPANIES
In total, within the five Local Pilots Actions, were reached and actively involved through the experimental knowledge transfer actions 133 companies – mostly SMEs, belonging to the Naval Industry, the Shipbuilding and the related supply chain (39 in Veneto Region, 30 in Apulia, 23 in Dytiki Ellada, 15 in Jadranska Hrvatska and 20 in Albania). Regarding the profiles of the companies’ human resources actively involved in the experimental actions, it has been noted the partially attendance of entrepreneur/CEO in almost all the interventions as evidence of their concrete interest.
Along with CEOs and the entrepreneurs, in the experimental actions – especially at ACQUISITION and TRANSFORMATION levels – were involved a wide and significative range of companies’ profiles with different and relevant task:
- IT Area Managers;
- Data Protection Managers;
- HR & Managers;
- R&D Managers;
- Innovation Managers;
- Financial & Administrative Managers;
- Software Sales Managers
- Business Development Managers;
- HSE Managers;
- Operations & Production Managers.
In total at least 250 companies’ human resources – operating in the Naval Industry, the Shipbuilding and the related supply chain – were involved and participated to the experimental knowledge transfer actions foreseen in all the five Local Pilot Actions.
FOCUS ON 4.0 TECHNOLOGIES
According to challenges of the manufacturing industry of the shipyard and nautical logistic supply chain brought by the Industry 4.0 revolution, it was decided to focus the knowledge transfer experimental actions foreseen in the Local Pilot Actions on six KETs enabling technologies: 1) Additive Manufacturing 2) Advanced Manufacturing Solutions, 3) Augmented reality, 4) Cloud computing, 5) Big Data & Analytics 6) Cyber security.
In the AWARENESS interventions realized within the Veneto region was provided an overview and know how on the Digital Technologies for the Naval Industry, the Shipyard and the related Supply Chain. Focuses were made on Cloud and Cyber Security; two webinars were focused respectively on Additive Manufacturing, Virtual Reality and New Materials for innovative design of products and on Robotics and Augmented Reality. In the ACUISITION in-company interventions was activated a roadshow on KETs technologies. Regarding the TRANSFORMATION in-company interventions, in 3 companies were implemented processes aimed at the improvement of logistic flow and IT logistic management. In 2 companies strongly connected with the Venice Port Authority the personalized TRANSFORMATION in-company interventions were focused respectively on Big Data and Cyber Security.
In Apulia Local Pilot Action, the AWARENESS interventions were provided a wide dissemination about I4.0 technologies. In 2 ACQUISITION in-company interventions, the focused was on Cloud and Big Data; in the other 2 on Cyber Security and Augmented Reality. Deeper knowledge on Cloud, Big Data and Augmented Reality technologies were also provided in the 3 personalized TRANSFORMATION in-company interventions. Regarding the Dytiki Ellada Local Pilot Action, in the AWARENESS webinar was provided a panoramic of new revolutionary Technologies emerging in the shipping sector as well as for Human Resources management. The ACQUISITION intercompany webinar focused instead on Cloud Computing and related automation software. In the TRANSFORMATION was deepen once more Cloud, but also Big Data and Cyber Security technologies and related potential applications.
In all the AWARENESS, ACQUISITION and TRANSFORMATION experimental intervention implemented in the Jadranska Hrvatska Local Pilot Action, the technologies deepen were Big Data, Cyber Security and Cloud with the provision of basic, intermediate and advance knowledge transfer and application on processes and products. Finally, differently from the other Local Pilot Actions, the Albanian LPA focused its experimental actions mainly on Advanced manufacturing, materials and Additive Manufacturing. An analysis on Green manufacturing and Logistics megatrends were also realized by the Mediterranean University of Albania at ACQUISITION level. In conclusion, it resulted that the transversal and most relevant and impacting technologies in terms of innovation and improvement of products and processes are:
- Cloud
- Cyber Security
- Big Data
- Augmented Reality
EXPERTS
For the implementation and realizations of the experimental interventions foreseen with the Local Pilot Actions, in terms of knowledge providers, were involved:
- partners staff members mainly with a role of presentation of FUTURE 4.0 project, goals and FUTURE 4.0 platform;
- academics with high expertise on 4.0 technologies applied to business realities, such as Professors at University of Padova (Department of Information, Department of Economics and Management), Professors of Industrial Design at different Universities and at University of Rijeka (Faculty of Economics) and of Vlora (Faculty of Technical Sciences);
- external experts, also belonging to some IT companies providing service and consultancy assistance to business realities, especially on Cybersecurity and IT innovative solution, Cloud Automation software and applications but also on in the areas of strategies, business operations, logistics and warehouse organization.
Furthermore, it should be pointed out that only in the AWARENESS interventions implemented within Veneto Region Local Pilot Action were also involved:
- representatives of the Galileo Technological and Scientific Park (located in Padova): R&D Division;
- representatives of 2 innovative start-ups in fields respectively of Augmented & Virtual Reality and Robotics;
- the testimony and experience of a CEO of relevant company – ASTRA YACHTS – operating in the yachting sector an innovative business reality in which technology 4.0 is serving marine by developing innovative solutions.
In conclusion, by the analysis and overview of the expertise of the knowledge providers who led the experimental interventions, it resulted an interesting and fruitful University – Industry collaboration.
REVISION OF FOUR PROFESSIONAL PROFILES FOR THE NAUTICAL AND SHIPBUILDING SECTOR
Industry 4.0 competences are not enough to implement innovation projects. High performing workers show a strong connection between digital knowledge and soft skills. Moreover, they should have strong communication, team working, motivation skills to change the usual way to do, to overcome resistances and fears of the future. Since digital technologies enable the production of new data and information, one has to consider that in traditional organisations data were owned only by a few people. Now data and information can be spread in real time within the entire company community and sometimes even outside. So, there is a need to be able to read data and make decisions, on the basis of them and not only on past habits and experience. Accordingly, the FUTURE 4.0 project led also to the revision of 4 professional profiles considered strategic for the nautical and shipbuilding sector:
IT professional profile is changing; from deep knowledge on traditional information technologies (such as Intranet, internal softwares,…), and specific softwares that enable the core process of the company, to tasks related to managing Cloud, to protect confidential information and data, to solve data breaks. The IT manager needs to “stay tuned” continuously with the fast evolution of technologies that connect more and more people, devices suppliers, customers. The perception of IT specialists indicates that they need to make an additional effort to reach a deeper level of expertise required by new technological contexts and to improve their communication and collaboration skills. Finally, IT managers must work in team with their colleagues in a more effective way.
For the Technical Area – R & D Manager it seems necessary to improve the level of knowledge on new technologies significantly and to improve the skills that are related to the acquisition and transformation of the new knowledge, such as managing change, managing people, communication and collaboration.
As well, the professional profile of Supply manager who operates in the sector of naval business and shipbuilding is rapidly evolving. First, changes within the ecosystem advice to consider a larger number of suppliers, sometimes different from the usual ones. Besides that, the new technologies linked to Industry 4.0 and digital transformation propose a whole set of new skills to develop and perform. Last, in managing suppliers, the manager has to care for aspects linked to sustainability and environment respect.
In SMEs the role of the Human resource manager is often associated with other responsibilities, such as the head of administration and finance, the CEO. Human resource management is a key role in innovative companies, especially when they are designing and implementing change processes such as Industry 4.0 and digital transformation. However, the competences of this profile are in general limited to basic aspects of people management. Therefore, the profile should extend to the following areas: competence assessment tools, the ability to manage reskilling and upskilling plans, change management, communication with employees.