Robots ensure higher productivity, do not hinder job opportunities
Published on : Monday 30-11--0001
Are robots a boon or a threat to human beings, especially when it comes to jobs?
Recollect the period from 1985 to early 1990s when computers were introduced in our banking and telecom sectors and offices. Widespread strikes and protests filled the environment. Today, is computer a boon or a threat? If the networks are down, the entire life stalls. The same is the case of robots, in steel industry, mining, hazardous areas, robots/robotic arms have become indispensable part of operations. Mechanisation started with the invention of crow bar or wheel. Now with robots, the degree of mechanisation is at a higher degree. The jobs with repetitive nature can be handled by robots, resulting productivity increase. At any point of time, robots will never be a replacement to human resources. Human resources can be utilised for a jobs of even higher degree with the support of robots. Countries like Japan, which have higher level of robotic penetration in industry, are they facing any scarcity of jobs for its people?
Is the robots-taking-jobs argument exaggerated, as there are still jobs waiting to be filled?
Robots are deployed in areas with hazardous environment and areas where human safety is in danger. This feeling is natural in a transition period – take the case of a typist getting replaced by a system operator, the latter is 100 per cent efficient and productive. This opened the doors of banks in rural areas with less staff and an ATM. Once the custom robot finishes the routine job, along with its operator, the productivity will be a minimum of 10-fold higher. This brings the product with affordable costs, hence a higher market penetration. Robots are deployed to ensure higher productivity not to hinder the job opportunities.
While robots are adapting fast to new roles, are their human counterparts slow in doing so?
This analogy is quite unnecessary. Can we compare a farmer and plough with the tractor? The farmer decides what needs to be cultivated and how to cultivate it. The machine supplements him to finish his job efficiently.
Compared to the advanced economies, robot penetration in India is still low. Will there be a dramatic change in the near future?
In advanced economies the cost of human labour is quite high compared to developing economies. This makes the return on capital deployed much faster. Secondly, availability of skilled work force is also a challenge. The solution is highly affordable robots with their mass manufacturing capabilities.
Finally, will man and robot co-exist in harmony?
In the recent past, the introduction of cell phones is the most acceptable gadget. The affordability of this item, penetrated it in all sections of the society. Dream of a world where our engineers develop highly affordable robots, which can assist us in domestic tasks. We will be gifted with clean environment, roads, pavements, etc. The surroundings filled with trees, watered routinely using domestic waste water. Domestic products processed at the source areas itself. The mechanisation of its highest degree assisting us to make our earth a paradise.
Rajan David is an experienced Industrial Leader with demonstrated history in handling Machinery & Engineering Business, skilled in establishing new industrial segments and stabilising the products and market. An engineering professional with talented business acumen, Rajan excels in Sales & Engineering of heavy equipment, hydraulic presses, steel mill machinery, rubber machinery, mining equipment, servo drives, and custom engineered equipment.