QUO VADIS? THE DILEMMAS OF OUR TIME
This is the title of the next economics festival which will take place in Trento in May 2024. We are in an increasingly complex situation and at the same time we live in a world where no state is an island: everyone depends in some way on others. In this context it is not easy for our small and medium-sized companies to orient themselves and decide on which markets to invest in.
In this complex panorama, however, there are also new opportunities offered by the transformations that are taking place. Especially regarding the new frontiers opened by the development of digital technologies and the challenge posed by the ecological transition.
THE HOST FAIR HAS JUST ENDED
The Host fair in Milan has just ended (13-17 October), in which I participated with Ecor International S.p.A. We introduced an innovative professional “pizza shaper” that imitates the expert hands of the pizza chef: OperaPrima. In the HoReCa sector it is increasingly difficult to find specialized personnel and the machines that help automate the processes are attracting more and more interest.
Host recorded 180,000 visitors; international operators represented 42%. At the fair we forget about the tensions that are affecting the world; we work in a climate of normality. Trade does not stop despite the conflicts. This is my observation, however, and not an invitation to close your eyes to what is happening.
The fair is also a chance to meet. Not only for commercial reasons, but also for comparison. To see what the competitors are doing and how they present themselves. All this stimulates us to improve and innovate across all areas.
YOU DON’T LIVE ON DIGITAL ALONE
I am convinced that we absolutely need to have these physical meetings. We cannot think that everything can be solved with video calls or virtual fairs.
In Milan, work has recently begun on the construction of the new university in the Mind neighbourhood (Milan Innovation District). Some have wondered whether it still makes sense to invest in physical educational structures in the digital age. But if you have seen the movie Oppenheimer you will agree with me that great discoveries – for better or for worse – happen when a group of people who are passionate about their work are physically together in the same room.
Even to face the complexities of the world there is, therefore, a need to meet and talk in person. Here, then, is the invitation for 2024: to leave your companies, more than before. By participating in meetings – in trade associations first and foremost – to understand where the world is going, to discuss with colleagues and therefore rethink the usual way of doing business.