Qualitative Research Project for ADEPP – Associazione degli Enti Previdenziali Privati “Technology Transformation and the Future of Professional Roles"
The project aims to explore the impact of socio-economic trends and technologies (e.g., Cloud Computing, Internet of Things and Sensors, Big Data and Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Cryptotechnologies and Cryptocurrencies, Biotechnologies, Nanotechnologies, Genomics, and Imaging) – with the greatest potential impact on the future of regulated professions. These trends and drivers of change were identified through a review of academic and managerial literature concerning the evolution of roles and skills of future professionals, divided into three clusters of analysis: socio-healthcare, legal-economic, and technical-engineering areas. To achieve these objectives, the X.ITE research team developed a multimethod research approach adopting a unified view but always considering the specificities of each analyzed cluster:
- a text mining analysis of conversational evidence using machine learning algorithms aimed at identifying technological trends, influencing dynamics, and ongoing or emerging transformations;
- interviews conducted using the Delphi method to identify convergent opinions of experts from each professional cluster;
- Three focus groups (one for each area of investigation) aimed at validating and enriching the obtained results.
The project was contracted at the end of 2019, but activities were developed and completed in 2020 and 2021 due to the health emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The research results were presented and discussed during the "General States of the Professions' Pension" event held on October 22, 2021.