ASEAN in transformation: how technology is changing jobs and enterprises

New and advanced developments in technology are transpiring at an increasingly rapid rate. This study explores the technological impacts felt by employers and workers of the 10 countries that form the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). ASEAN is a politically and economically diverse region, boasting a population of over 632 million people, a swelling middle class, growing amounts of disposable income and an increasingly educated workforce. Technology presents tremendous potential and challenge for the ASEAN region.

The paper presents a detailed analysis of how technology is transforming five key labour-intensive and economically prominent sectors in ASEAN: the automotive and auto parts; electrical and electronics; textiles, clothing and footwear; business process outsourcing; and retail sectors. It also highlights findings from extensive enterprise and student surveys as well as stakeholder interviews conducted in ASEAN and beyond. It is clear that technologies - both current and forthcoming - will increase productivity, render some occupations obsolete and create new ones. The real question lies in whether ASEAN can take advantage of the benefits technology offers and if it can also adequately prepare its workforce.

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