The region at the heart of Germany’s economic stagnation
The region at the heart of Germany’s economic stagnation
Facing higher energy costs and the transition to electric vehicles, once prosperous industrial districts are struggling to adapt
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“We’re talking to the government about artificial intelligence and in their offices they still all have fax machines,” says Dulger. “It just doesn’t fit.”
I have said this before, but I still feel like the degree of political attention digitalization gets in Germany is bonkers. It's like the NHS in the UK or something -- it gets dragged into all kinds of irrelevant issues. Just about every time I see any discussion about tech policy in Germany, whether it relates to investment capital for tech, unrelated technical issues, whatever, someone drags up digitalization.
If every fax in Germany were, tomorrow, an email, I doubt that it would alter German policy on AI much. It might be a good idea to digitalize some things that haven't been, but there isn't a greater impact on AI in Germany than any other efficiency improvement that affects industry might have.
but I still feel like the degree of political attention digitalization gets in Germany is bonkers.
That is probably because of two reasons.
First, Germany has a reputation for overboarding bureaucracy and a bloated administrative machinery in all parts of life. "Passierschein A38" isn't a running gag for nothing. Digitalization well done could trim this by a lot and make a lot of administrative errands more accessible to everyone.
Second, the term "digitalization" itself is a buzzword that can mean everything and nothing and everyone has their own conception of it, so you can easily demand more digitalization and have everyone on your side.If every fax in Germany were, tomorrow, an email,
Here again, digitalization can mean everything and nothing. I am an IT person, this would not really be digitalization for me. There is a familiar quotation, „Wenn du einen Scheißprozess digitalisierst, hast du am Ende einen digitalen Scheißprozess“, meaning when you digitalize a bullshit process, you have a digital bullshit process. That's why to me and many of my colleagues it is important to always review any given process and see if you can't improve on the process itself.
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Yeah, I know. That's why I didn't specify the government but kept it general.
Yes, this!
Cutting down bureaucracy must first and foremost start by streamlining processes.Unfortunately most efforts only consist of throwing in a computer into an already unnecessarily convoluted process or just abolishing sensible regulations.
First, Germany has a reputation for overboarding bureaucracy and a bloated administrative machinery in all parts of life. “Passierschein A38” isn’t a running gag for nothing.
Incidently the A38 is from a French movie playing in ancient Rome. Digitalization will not resolve the issues of bureaucracy as the mindset is not changed. I have working experience in public entities. Even the ones that haven't seen a fax in the past decade the processes are slow ineffiecient and everyone hides from taking responsibility and making decisions like cockroaches, when the light is turned on.
I believe the mediocre digitalization to be a symptom of our cultural problems in Germany, not the other way around. And adressing those cultural problems becomes ever more difficult, as the older generations become more and more dominant in politics and businesses.
Also, strange if it comes from the industry based on outdated technology. The fax is more digital than an internal combustion engine.
And much like the ICE without the government favouring it so heavily fax technology would never have become as successful as it has.
Fax is being kept alive by the pharma sector. Fax is already deemed not secure.
Fax is being kept alive by the fact that they made it legally equivalent to sending in original documents when you sign some contract.
Hasnt been since 2019 or so. Not legally binding anymore.
We even made it a law. From 2022/01 legally binding conversation has to be digital.