New report sheds light on perceptions of manufacturing

A new report co-authored by CIIP’s Dr Jennifer Castañeda Navarrete together with Dr Guendalina Anzolin (IfM, University of Cambridge) and Dr Dalila Ribaudo (Aston University) sets out to understand how manufacturing is perceived, the factors shaping these perceptions, and how they have evolved over the last decade.

The findings of ‘How to make manufacturing charming again? It is everything, everywhere, all at once’,  funded by InterAct, draws upon a systematic review of academic, grey and policy literature across seven countries: the United Kingdom (the UK), Canada, Germany, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States (the US).

“In a world where perceptions shape industries and policies, understanding the narrative surrounding manufacturing is crucial,” says Jennifer. “The report examines the factors that influence these perceptions and tracks how the UK public’s perception has evolved over time.”

“As fewer young people than before want to pursue a career in manufacturing, it is crucial to challenge misguided perceptions of what the sector is and can be. Through analysis of narratives surrounding the sector, we identify some of the misconceptions that keep young people away, and set out recommendations for how to create more truthful and engaging narratives,” she says.

The aim of the report is to support InterAct research on the future of manufacturing on an international scale by providing insights into attitudes to manufacturing and industrial strategies, and how manufacturing is discussed in other countries, particularly where digital technologies have been adopted.

A blog post unveiling some of the report’s findings can be accessed here. 

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