Major study on the skilled trades conducted jointly with university institute

The Institute for SMEs and Crafts at Allensbach University was involved in a research project funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism as part of the "Future Initiative Crafts 2025". The study "New Work: The influence of megatrends and business model innovations on work in the skilled crafts sector of the future - exemplified by the carpentry trade and with recommendations for action for companies, skilled crafts organizations and politics" has now been published.

Globalization, digitalization, climate protection and an ageing society: these megatrends have a lasting impact on technologies, the economy and entire value systems in a society and change or displace established business models and even entire industries. This dynamic also affects the skilled trades, a backbone of the German economy.

In order to determine the effects of these megatrends on the skilled crafts sector, the Baden-Württemberg skilled crafts sector has initiated a study project entitled "New Work: The influence of megatrends and business model innovations on the work in the skilled crafts sector of the future - specifically on the carpentry trade and with recommendations for action for companies, skilled crafts organizations and politics" under the project management of the Constance Chamber of Skilled Crafts. According to the Constance Chamber of Crafts, the project was funded with 84,500 euros as part of the Future Initiative Crafts 2025 of the state of Baden-Württemberg.

Megatrends such as digitalization, connectivity and the energy transition Opportunities for companies

The background: the pressure on craft businesses to adapt is increasing. The aim of the project was to find out how the current megatrends are affecting the skilled crafts sector. It was also intended to provide the skilled crafts sector with concrete recommendations for action, sample solutions and food for thought. Craft businesses should see megatrends such as digitalization and connectivity or the energy transition as a real opportunity for their company and be able to use them. It is therefore an important concern of the Chambers of Skilled Crafts to provide them with the best possible support for the future through new consulting and training offers, but also through training and further education. The results of this 'New Work' pilot project study are an important building block in this regard, according to the Platform "Handwerk 2025" of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism and the Baden-Württembergischer Handwerkstag e.V.

The study was conceptually and scientifically managed by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Wagenmann, head of the Institute for SMEs and Crafts at the Allensbach University of Applied Sciences Konstanz. "Some trade businesses don't even have the topics of megatrends, future strategy and business model innovation on their radar yet, as they still think they are in their comfort zone. However, as soon as the pressure to adapt starts to hurt noticeably, it will be too late to adapt in many cases," says the expert. "So it's also about raising awareness. However, there will also be different strategies for the future depending on the trade. Using the carpentry trade as an example, we are demonstrating the approach as part of the project, which can then serve as a blueprint for all other trades."

Study formulates food for thought and recommendations for action for the skilled trades sector

The Institute for SMEs and Crafts is a legally independent institution at Allensbach University of Applied Sciences Konstanz (affiliated institute). With this institute, the university promotes research in the SME and craft sector, strengthens the exchange between science and business practice and promotes the internationalization of the university. The institute's areas of responsibility include knowledge transfer, consulting, research and teaching. The focus is on educational consulting in the areas of Education 4.0, e-learning, dual vocational education and training and dual higher education, as well as knowledge transfer with consulting for companies, chambers and associations from the SME and skilled trades sector. Most of the projects are publicly funded.

As part of the study, various workshops were held to determine the current and future challenges for skilled crafts businesses arising from the megatrends, the extent to which they can master them and whether the entire skilled crafts organization is well equipped to meet these challenges. From the analyses, the authors led by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Wagenmann have formulated food for thought and recommendations for action for the skilled crafts companies, the chambers of skilled crafts, the skilled crafts organization in general and politics. An overview of some of the results:

• The megatrends will fundamentally change work in the skilled trades and skilled trades job profiles in the medium and long term. These changes harbor both potential threats and opportunities for skilled crafts businesses.
• The workshops showed impressively that it was not easy for the master carpenters to break out of the prevailing industry logic of the here and now, to look beyond the requirements of day-to-day business and to formulate and critically rethink their own business model. Thinking in terms of business models and regularly adapting them in the context of general developments must be significantly strengthened in the skilled trades.
• Self-marketing, public relations and media competence can still be improved in some of the heterogeneous organizations in the skilled crafts sector.
• Rapid technological progress and increasing digitalization are increasingly blurring the boundaries between trade, industry and services.

The study comprises 120 pages and is available free of charge at www.hwk-konstanz.de/new-work available.