Today, the dynamic duo of globalisation and robotics, which international economist Richard Baldwin calls “globotics”, is disrupting the service sector and professional jobs faster than ever. Digital technology is empowering “white-collar robots” to take over many service sector and professional jobs, while “telemigration” opens doors for skilled workers in low-wage countries to join high-wage economies remotely. But what's next? What new jobs will “globotics” create, and how will they shape the future of work?

In this episode of Development Futures, Alexandre Dayant, the Deputy Director of the Indo-Pacific Development Centre, talks with Richard Baldwin, professor of international economics at the IMD Business School in Lausanne and author of The Globotics Upheaval.

They explore the disruptive impact of globotics on the international labour market, assess the public policies needed to facilitate the adaptation of displaced workers, and expand on the additional complications introduced by geopolitics. These are just a few of the topics covered in this wide-ranging conversation.

Today, the dynamic duo of globalisation and robotics, which international economist Richard Baldwin calls “globotics”, is disrupting the service sector and professional jobs faster than ever. Digital technology is empowering “white-collar robots” to take over many service sector and professional jobs, while “telemigration” opens doors for skilled workers in low-wage countries to join high-wage economies remotely. But what's next? What new jobs will “globotics” create, and how will they shape the future of work?
In this episode of Development Futures, Alexandre Dayant, the Deputy Director of the Indo-Pacific Development Centre, talks with Richard Baldwin, professor of international economics at the IMD Business School in Lausanne and author of The Globotics Upheaval.
They explore the disruptive impact of globotics on the international labour market, assess the public policies needed to facilitate the adaptation of displaced workers, and expand on the additional complications introduced by geopolitics. These are just a few of the topics covered in this wide-ranging conversation.

Welcome to Development Futures – a podcast brought to you by the Indo-Pacific Development Centre at the Lowy Institute. In this podcast, our researchers and some of the world’s leading experts discuss fresh policy insights and ideas on the most pressing development issues in the world today.

Welcome to Development Futures – a podcast brought to you by the Indo-Pacific Development Centre at the Lowy Institute. In this podcast, our researchers and some of the world’s leading experts discuss fresh policy insights and ideas on the most pressing development issues in the world today.

Development Futures

Development Futures: Richard Baldwin on how globalisation and robotics will impact developing economies

China is facing many economic problems, at home and abroad. The two are connected. Weak demand at home has contributed to a sharp rise in Chinese manufacturing exports, especially in green technologies such as electric vehicles. Surging Chinese exports have in turn prompted a backlash from the United States, Europe, and others who accuse China of exporting overcapacity and damaging their own green industrial ambitions.

In this episode, Roland Rajah, Director of the Indo-Pacific Development Centre (IPDC), talks with Dr Bert Hofman, one of the leading international experts on China’s economy and a widely respected development economist and practitioner. They discuss China’s development model, the idea of “Peak China”, whether China is exporting overcapacity, what this all means for developing countries, and Bert’s ideas for what the world should be doing in response.

Dr Hofman is currently an adjunct professor at the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore and before that was with the World Bank for almost three decades, most recently as director of the World Bank’s country office in China.

China is facing many economic problems, at home and abroad. The two are connected. Weak demand at home has contributed to a sharp rise in Chinese manufacturing exports, especially in green technologies such as electric vehicles. Surging Chinese exports have in turn prompted a backlash from the United States, Europe, and others who accuse China of exporting overcapacity and damaging their own green industrial ambitions.
In this episode, Roland Rajah, Director of the Indo-Pacific Development Centre (IPDC), talks with Dr Bert Hofman, one of the leading international experts on China’s economy and a widely respected development economist and practitioner. They discuss China’s development model, the idea of “Peak China”, whether China is exporting overcapacity, what this all means for developing countries, and Bert’s ideas for what the world should be doing in response.
Dr Hofman is currently an adjunct professor at the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore and before that was with the World Bank for almost three decades, most recently as director of the World Bank’s country office in China.

Development Futures: Bert Hofman on China’s economy

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges for sustainable development around the world. Large developing economies, particularly in Asia, are now major sources of global emissions but need external assistance to accelerate their transition to clean energy. Meanwhile, many poor and vulnerable countries have contributed little to the climate crisis but face the worst of its escalating impacts.

In this episode of Development Futures, Roland Rajah, Director of the Indo-Pacific Development Centre (IPDC), talks with Melanie Pill and Michelle Lyons — both IPDC climate policy research fellows and experts in climate finance – to examine the key issues and what needs to be done following the “historic” yet disappointing outcomes of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) summit held in the United Arab Emirates at the end of last year.

Among other issues, they discuss the outcomes of the COP28 summit, where to next on climate finance, the synergies and tensions between climate and development, how to accelerate progress in emerging Asian economies, the acute challenges facing vulnerable island states such as in the Pacific, the role and responsibilities of Australia, and their own practical ideas for how the world could do better in delivering on the climate and development progress needed.

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges for sustainable development around the world. Large developing economies, particularly in Asia, are now major sources of global emissions but need external assistance to accelerate their transition to clean energy. Meanwhile, many poor and vulnerable countries have contributed little to the climate crisis but face the worst of its escalating impacts.
In this episode of Development Futures, Roland Rajah, Director of the Indo-Pacific Development Centre (IPDC), talks with Melanie Pill and Michelle Lyons — both IPDC climate policy research fellows and experts in climate finance – to examine the key issues and what needs to be done following the “historic” yet disappointing outcomes of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) summit held in the United Arab Emirates at the end of last year.
Among other issues, they discuss the outcomes of the COP28 summit, where to next on climate finance, the synergies and tensions between climate and development, how to accelerate progress in emerging Asian economies, the acute challenges facing vulnerable island states such as in the Pacific, the role and responsibilities of Australia, and their own practical ideas for how the world could do better in delivering on the climate and development progress needed.

Development Futures: Where to next on climate and development?

As we usher in the new year, the global economy is at a turning point. From confronting an economic development crisis and addressing the good-jobs dilemma, to navigating the climate transition and charting a course towards a more sustainable and equitable form of globalisation, 2024 promises to be an interesting year.

In this episode of Development Futures, Alexandre Dayant, the Deputy Director of the Indo-Pacific Development Centre, talks with Harvard professor and economist Dani Rodrik about the challenges of globalisation and the intensification of geopolitics on the global economy.

They discuss the role of redistributive domestic policies, the impact of US–China competition on the delivery of global public goods, and the risk of breakdown of the multilateral trade system. These are just a few of the topics covered in this wide-ranging conversation.

As we usher in the new year, the global economy is at a turning point. From confronting an economic development crisis and addressing the good-jobs dilemma, to navigating the climate transition and charting a course towards a more sustainable and equitable form of globalisation, 2024 promises to be an interesting year.
In this episode of Development Futures, Alexandre Dayant, the Deputy Director of the Indo-Pacific Development Centre, talks with Harvard professor and economist Dani Rodrik about the challenges of globalisation and the intensification of geopolitics on the global economy.
They discuss the role of redistributive domestic policies, the impact of US–China competition on the delivery of global public goods, and the risk of breakdown of the multilateral trade system. These are just a few of the topics covered in this wide-ranging conversation.

Development Futures: Richard Baldwin on how globalisation and robotics will impact developing economies

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