The Wirtschaftswunder (economic miracle) of the 1950ies represents a spirit of optimism and pioneering. It started in the minds of the people and brought growth, prosperity, and the social market economy to Germany. The courage to emerge into a new era is also the condition for the digital Wirtschaftswunder: ”If we are now rigorously pushing ahead the digital transformation and understand the fourth industrial revolution as the opportunity of the century we will be able to create a digital Wirtschaftswunder which ensures the long-term sustainability of our economic and social system”, explains Dr. Christian P. Illek, Chairman of the Management Board, Microsoft Germany. Mobile and cloud are the future technologies enabling the digital Wirtschaftswunder. Mobile does not only encompass the booming smartphone and tablet market, but also the myriad of embedded devices and sensors which form the basis for the Internet of Things. The cloud offers direct access to applications that are scaleable to any size, available for mobile use, and always up-to-date with the latest developments to all businesses. As a result, the cloud enables new forms of connected collaboration anywhere and anytime, turning businesses into more innovative, more agile and more productive entities.
Microsoft paves the way for businesses to the fourth industrial revolution
Mobile and cloud, big data and social communications are the drivers for innovative products and services as well as for disruptive business models which redefine competitiveness. Smart infrastructures based on mobile and cloud technologies are evolving and fuelling the transformation of processes across the value chain – from specialized areas like marketing, sales, HR or Finance to the digital transformation throughout production. Illek: ”Microsoft is actively driving this transformation. We support businesses on their way to the cloud, we help them transform big data into smart data, and we are paving the way to the fourth industrial revolution.” Germany has the best position for taking a lead role in Industry 4.0. The federal government expects an additional added value potential of €78 billion from Industry 4.0 technologies by 2025 specifically benefiting the sectors of engineering, electrical engineering, automotive, the chemical industry, agriculture, and ICT. Illek: ”Together with our partners and customers we are set to activate this potential.”
Microsoft addresses users wherever they are, whenever they need
In order to meet the objective of providing significant parts of the technological infrastructure to the ”Mobile first, Cloud first” world, Microsoft has opened up in various ways in recent months. Based on new strategic partnerships, consistent interoperability with other platforms and systems, and the intensive interaction with developers and users, Microsoft is now in a position to harmonize the countless of devices, apps, documents, and data available across the world. ”We address users wherever they are right now”, Illek emphasizes. With its platforms and tools Microsoft supports the digital transformation on all levels and already offers the most important productivity and communication solutions in the cloud as well as easy-to-use big data tools which ensure that the flood of data can be used in a more intelligent way.
Microsoft and partners enable the digital Wirtschaftswunder
At CeBIT 2015, Microsoft will be presenting solutions for the digital Wirtschaftswunder together with partners and customers like Dornbracht, Jack Wolfskin, and Sensoria:
Smart water for smart buildings
One example from the broad range of the Internet of Things is the enterprise solution ”Smart Water” presented by valve manufacturer Alois F. Dornbracht: water installations in the bathroom and kitchen are connected and furnished with smart control systems to further optimize the consumption of the valuable resource water and save energy, thereby protecting the environment in the long term. The showcase takes exhibition visitors to a hotel scenario in which they are informed about their personal consumption as guests and get a lower room rate if they have managed to save water. Facility Managers learn how they analyze the consumption in buildings by using graphical evaluations in a ”water cockpit”, and, for instance, directly adjust the heating of water to actual requirements.
Smart clothes – find the perfect (running) shoe in real time
The combination of integrated textile sensors and electronic control components (wearables) transform clothes into smart companions which collect physical data in real time and transmit it to the people carrying such wearables. The showcase demonstrates how the fitness tracker ”Smart Sock” from Sensoria measures the load on the sole of the foot with sensors so that runners are able to analyze and improve their running style. In this scenario, the smart socks also help find the perfect shoe for each runner. The data from the running analysis are seamlessly transmitted to a connected multi-channel ERP system for comparison with the range of shoes of retailer Jack Wolfskin and converted into valuable information for the buyer: customers receive suggestions and information on its availability, obtainable color variations or current campaigns and decide which shoe is the perfect fit by just one touch.
Live scenarios ”Internet of Things” and ”Digital transformation for cities and managers”
Technical and business decision makers as well as government bodies experience the ”Internet of Your Things” in a live scenario: the fictitious automotive supplier Contoso Manufacturing is a producer of steering wheels. In manufacturing the company is increasingly challenged by growing individualization. How can all necessary machines, equipment, and components be managed safely? How does business intelligence support quality assurance? How can machine learning help detect potential product defects at an early stage and, if need be, automatically trigger product recalls?
The ”Smart City” scenario illustrates the advantages of digital transformation for cities: citizen involvement, fleet management of e-Cars, and a solution for more budget transparency are the highlights of the smart city.
By showcasing a typical workday of a manager, the modern workplace comes to life: collaboration with customers and staff members is the focus – in the office or on the go. The Microsoft Band and Cortana facilitate the presentation of even more opportunities for communication and in parallel provide an overview of our health values.
A 10 meter assembly line which is controlled ”really productively” by a Galileo Board in front of a video wall of the same size is used to visualize these scenarios.
The premium partners of Microsoft’s appearance at CeBIT this year are COSMO CONSULT Gruppe, ORBIS AG, KCS.net Deutschland GmbH, and Infoman AG, Polycom Inc., ADN Advanced Digital Network Distribution GmbH/UCBox Express, Plantronics B.V. Zweigniederlassung Deutschland, SCHIFFL GmbH & Co. KG as well as REALTECH AG.
We are looking forward to your visit at our CeBIT booth in hall 4. Exhibition visitors may visit Microsoft’s appearance at CeBIT online at msft.it/CeBIT2015 and arrange business appointments and a personal tour. Please follow us on Twitter #digitaleswirtschaftswunder or #cebit15.
Microsoft Deutschland GmbH
Microsoft Deutschland GmbH, founded in 1983, is a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation/Redmond, U.S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of standard software, services and solutions, generating $86.83 billion in revenue and $22.07 billion in operating income (in fiscal year 2014; as of June 30, 2014). Alongside its headquarters in Unterschleissheim near Munich, Microsoft Deutschland GmbH operates six regional offices in Germany and employs more than 2,700 members of staff. In association with around 36,500 partners, Microsoft Deutschland GmbH serves companies of all sizes across all industries. The Advanced Technology Labs Europe (ATLE) in Munich is focused on research in IT security, privacy, mobility, mobile applications, and web services.
Microsoft contact
Barbara Steiger
Communications Manager Cloud, Development Platform, MBS and Innovation
Contact PR agency FAKTOR 3 AG
Julia Heymann
Kattunbleiche 35
D-22041 Hamburg
Tel.: 0 40 – 67 94 46-503
Fax: 0 40 – 67 94 46-11
