The Impact of Robotisation on the Hungarian Manufacturing Industry
Economists are divided over the potential impact of robotisation,
especially when the effects on labour are considered. Several experts
fear that the labour substitution effects will outpace the number of new
jobs created, while others find that balancing forces will work this time
as well. In this article, I focus on the impact of these processes on the
Hungarian manufacturing industry, as Hungary is a good example of
an FDI-dependent, production-focused country. The analysis is based
on several interviews with experts and managers, mostly from the
automotive industry. The result of the discussions shows that there is a
growing robotisation trend in Hungary, along with the other Visegrad
Four countries. While this trend decreases the number of workers
needed for a certain production volume, it does not pose a serious
immediate threat as it is balanced by the tendency of a lack of workforce
with the necessary skills.