News
B.Smith, President Microsoft: Facial recognition technology: The need for public regulation and corporate responsibility
All tools can be used for good or ill. Even a broom can be used to sweep the floor or hit someone over the head. The more powerful the tool, the greater the benefit or damage it can cause. The last few months have brought this into stark relief when it comes to computer-assisted facial recognition – the ability of a computer to recognize people’s faces from a photo or through a camera. This technology can catalog your photos, help reunite families or potentially be misused and abused by private companies and public authorities alike, Brad Smith, President, Microsoft writes.
BCG: The 2018 Sustainable Economic Development Assessment
Boston Consulting Group released their 2018 Sustainable Economic Development Assessement (SEDA) focused on wealth and well-being. The analysis included 152 countries and used data from 2007 through 2016, finding out, among other things, that countries that focus on enhancing well-being not only raise the standard of living of their citizens but also set their country up for stronger and more resilient economic growth.
Exporters rely on carrier insurance despite risk of losses
According to Czech Statistical Office data, Czech exports grew by 6% between 2016 and 2017. Despite the fact that the average value of the exported goods also attacks the 290 billion crowns in the first five months of 2018, exporters rely on the fact that the goods are sufficiently insured through carrier insurance. In many cases, however, this insurance does not provide a sufficient cover. This applies in particular to international haulage of high-value smaller goods, such as electronics.
The use of energy in government administration buildings is ineffective
More than three quarters of government buildings in the Czech Republic are not energy effective. This represents a loss of approximately half a billion Czech crowns per year. Those are conclusions of Deloitte's study Energy Savings in Public Administration prepared by the UN Global Compact Czech Republic, a network of companies and organisations. The study focuses on social responsibility and sustainable development.
JLL names Amsterdam, Stuttgart and Prague as hotspots for highest office rental growth in next two years driven by lack of supply
A lack of office supply will be the main driver of above-average rental growth in European hotspots including Amsterdam, Stuttgart and Prague in the next two years, according to a new report from JLL.
Strategic Directions for Czech Economic Policy
- Transition to High-Tech Manufacturing and Exports
- The City Campus as Idea Factory
- Government Programs and Processes That Drive Innovation
- Government as a Competitive Advantage, including Digitization
Advocacy Priorities for 2023
Technology, People, Infrastructure
Actions Recommended in Areas:
1. Establishing Policy Objectives for Research.
2. Research Investment and Cooperation. Big Bets (Key Technology Projects).
3. Establishing Databases for Tracking Public Policy Outcomes.
4. Public Procurement as an Innovation Tool.
5. Immigration of STEM Talents.
6. Digitization of Immigration.
7. Adult Reskilling and Upskilling.
8. Digitization of Land Use.
9. Infrastructure Development, including Technology Parks.
Read the documents in English and Czech.
Policy pipeline
In Policy Pipeline policy developments in the Czech Republic and abroad are monitored to bring better understanding of current topics and trends.