Technology
Disruptive technological developments
Rapid technological developments such as in cloud services, advertising, artificial intelligence, ‘Internet of Things’ and augmented reality, touch every aspect of our lives and have led to many new companies, services and business models. These developments affect almost every sector – from finance to energy, healthcare to transport, education and agriculture – and often have a disruptive impact.
Policy frameworks to regulate new developments
These new developments put the public affairs and lobbying capacity of organisations to the test, as they require new policy frameworks for instance to regulate matters such as privacy, audiovisual services and taxation. In addition, changing market relationships within (digital) sectors often lead to greater conflicting interests, which is reflected in more intensive lobbying towards policymakers.
In policy development for the digital economy, we see several examples of the administrative and political search for a new balance: between large and smaller players, between traditional and new business models, and between consumer interests and growth potential.
Good examples are the online advertising market, app stores, online marketplaces, the taxi, retail and hospitality sectors, which are being turned upside down by new players and for which the new market relationships are partly determined by (new) policy.
We advise various companies that are active in the tech sector or are directly affected by technological developments on the following activities, among others:
- Developing a public affairs strategy aimed at influencing (new) policy;
- Positioning vis-Γ -vis policymakers and other players in Brussels, The Hague and at local level;
- Formulating key messages focusing on the policy-making or legislative processes;
- Building coalitions between stakeholders with shared interests;
- Organising stakeholder dialogues with relevant players.
The rapid pace of technological change makes high demands of an organisationβs public affairs and lobby capacity.
Public matters