A Cambridge Industrial Innovation Policy study to look at the implications of digital technologies has directly fed into Ireland’s national industry 4.0 strategy 2020-2025. It has also played a pivotal role in supporting the government’s pathway to ensure that Ireland is well-placed to prosper in a rapidly changing global economy.

In Ireland, manufacturing plays a vital role in the economy, particularly in sectors like Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Food and Drink, Medical Devices, Computers, Electronics and Engineering. The industry is undergoing significant transformation due to advanced digital technologies that radically change how firms manufacture products, the business models they adopt, and even how they innovate.
  
With these opportunities and challenges arising from digitalisation, the government of Ireland’s Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI) commissioned Cambridge Industrial Innovation Policy (CIIP) to examine the impact of digital technologies on Ireland’s manufacturing sector and identify policies that could support the country’s ongoing digitalisation journey.

After extensive consultations involving more than 50 stakeholders from the public and private sectors, along with a comprehensive review of international policy approaches, CIIP generated a report outlining key policy themes for the DBEI to prioritise in support of Ireland’s digitalisation efforts.

The report highlighted that digitalisation holds the potential to drive value creation through a number of avenues: the creation of new and enhanced products and services (including innovative business models), streamlined and adaptable production processes, integrated and optimised supply chains, and customer-centric product development and delivery.

The study proposed several priority policy themes for Ireland while also pinpointing overarching enablers for implementation to address emerging challenges and opportunities.

As the report identified several priority policy themes that the DBEI and its agencies could focus on to support Ireland’s digitalisation efforts, the study formed a valuable evidence base which is now being used to inform the development of an Industry 4.0 strategy for Ireland.

The insights gleaned from the report have played a pivotal role in shaping the blueprint for Ireland’s Industry 4.0 Strategy – a key output of Future Jobs Ireland, the Government’s economic pathway to ensure that Ireland is well placed to prosper in a rapidly changing global economy.

“The report’s findings provided guidance for Ireland’s proactive adaptation to the digital age; and is a testament to Ireland’s commitment to fostering innovation, embracing change, and cultivating an ecosystem that thrives on forward-thinking policies.”

– Dr David Leal-Ayala, Cambridge Industrial Innovation Policy