AfD Kompakt, February 25, 2021
The year’s estimate delivers a determination of status which
must raise serious concerns. The Corona crisis has in fact driven forward
radical new technologies, yet which in Sleeping Beauty Germany – land of mobile
phone dead zones, the copper cable and rattling fax machines – are a cold
surprise.
Especially is Germany’s digital competitiveness in play.
That out of a generally well installed research landscape, with a close network
of establishments, proceed too few products “Made in Germany”, in the last
consequence threatens thousands of on-site workplaces.
It is understandable that the businesses in times of Corona
shun risks and refrain from investments – nevertheless, a change of mentality
must in the mid-term result in more digital awareness and more readiness for
risk. I thereby recall that many world-standard, successful products were
prepared by means of German research or had been introduced for the first time
in the German market. The subsequent commercialization nevertheless occurred in
foreign countries. Social networks, for example: The successful German
platforms “Wer kennt wen” and “StudiVZ” do not take the victory lap,
but Facebook – a tech giant – today sets the pace; because firms are still too
much analog-oriented and risk adverse and then do not catch sight of the market
opportunities.
In regards the research budgets of China with 450 billion
and the U.S.A. with 500 billion, and the fact that the Federal Republic expends
only 3 percent of the BIP [gross domestic
product] for research, Israel and Korea 5 and 4 percent respectively, a much
stronger financial engagement must in the future follow – especially in regards
well compatible, recruited personnel. The money must also flow to positions
which offer long-term perspectives; thereby will be guaranteed that the state
of science and research will be attended to long-term and passed on.
Despite the primacy of market economy principles, the role
of the state in regards the activities of innovation must in fact be newly
defined – the founding of the “Agency for Springboard Innovations” in 2019 in
Leipzig is therein to be welcomed as a first step. Considering the economic
faults resulting from the Corona crisis, a debate on a stronger and more
focused state engagement must follow.
[trans: tem]
