[Quousque tandem…!] “Transformation as a Challenge for the Future,” by Carlos Etxeberi

NSIt is always good that they speak well of someone, but on top of that, let the teacher of the leading British economic newspaper do it financial timesMartin Wolf, setting the Basque Country and its economic and industrial transformation in the past forty years as a splendid example of the renewal that such regions of the United Kingdom as Scotland, Wales and other parts of England need, in the face of the centralization of economic activity and wealth that takes place in the Golden Triangle, formed by London, Cambridge and the south of England, are collectively satisfied with what is supposed to be that in this country, despite the internal contradictions that may exist, things are well done.

Martin Wolf, Senior Economic Commentator and Associate Editor of The Journal financial timesLast day, wrote 1 article titled Settlement lessons from the Basque Country (Lessons from leveling from the Basque Country), showing that the effort from within the community, through significant public-private cooperation, within the framework of the autonomy afforded by the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC), can be a benchmark for revitalizing those regions of the United Kingdom that are in the process of Deterioration due to its dependence on the decisions of the London government. A great example is that central governments, in general, tend to have a very centralized view and very distant from the reality that surrounds them.

Noting that the challenge facing the Basque Country at this time is related to the energy transition, – as of 2008, a commitment to advanced manufacturing technologies, biosciences and nanosciences – Martin Wolf stated that the history of the Basque Country is marked by its ability to respond to what is happening in the world. “Successful development requires the creation of a number of vital public goods and depends on development-oriented government and the ability of private companies to seize opportunities. It is like a competitive cooperative alliance within an open global economy.” , as stated in the report.

Main Columnist at financial times It attaches great importance to autonomy so that the regions can carry out their own economic projects from within and without dependence on external parties. “No daring effort would be made without greater autonomy. In the United Kingdom, in particular, for too long the decisions made in London have been relied upon. This is not the way the Basque Country prospered. Autonomy is important. We must learn.” From that,” he concludes.

The mistake the teacher said financial times He viewed the Euskadi experience and its economic development as an example of application in the regions of the United Kingdom that needed to get out of the state of decline in which they find themselves, did the Orkestra-Basque Institute for Competitiveness, which presented the Basque Country as it is in today Promote inclusive growth to achieve UK levelOrganized by the Center for Foreign Policy that brings together experts in this field and Aston University (Birmingham) and held a week ago.

The work presented at that symposium, carried out within the framework of the Competitiveness Report 2021, recently presented by the Basque Orchestra Institute of Competitiveness, focuses on how to achieve competitive economic development aimed at the well-being of society. Wolf who was participating as a listener at the conference was interested in the presentation and contacted the Basque Research Entity to expand the information and even be able to use some of the graphics that accompanied the presentation in the newspaper article.

The Basque Orchestra Institute for Competitiveness also presented the issue of the Basque Country last Friday, at a conference organized by Harvard University’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness (USA). A very important step for the Basque Country to be increasingly recognized in the world for its economic and competitive model and commitment to science and energy transition, beyond the realm of gastronomy and pintxos.

And in the context of the constant readjustment to the changing economic situation in which we live, we must highlight the proactive nature shown by Lurauto & Co, by transforming its facility in Donostia, not only into the first 100% electric BMW brand. But also the first of these characteristics found throughout the Basque Country. This commitment to electric mobility is embodied not only in the German manufacturer’s four-wheeled vehicles, but also in two-wheeled vehicles with a display of motorcycles, scooters from four different brands and bikes of its own brand.

And all this is accompanied by a conceptual change of what will be, from now on, agents, which will not only focus on sales activity and Leasing, physical and Online, and after-sales service for vehicles, but in a wide range of services that open up around a new form of mobility that demands aspects hitherto unimaginable. An innovative challenge in customer service.

Car dealerships are going through a radical transformation, apart from switching from the combustion car to the electric car, where they will become just agencies dedicated to vehicle maintenance, as the brands intend to sell their cars directly, so the concept of distribution, so far a concept in this sector, is disappearing. Dealers will not have to buy cars from the brand as before, with the strong financial leverage that this implies, but they will receive a commission for the sale.

To this case must be added the strong interruption of the sales process Online In the sector that caused 95% of people entering the dealership do it only once and to formalize the purchase of the car already configured at home through the computer. It is estimated that 5% of new vehicles are purchased online, and according to a study conducted by the autos.net portal, one in four respondents was willing to carry out a new car purchase digitally.

In this sense, Lurauto & Co, in this concept of a vending model to provide solutions to customers with a 360-degree view, takes the lead and positions itself competitively, as it not only offers electric vehicles, but also provides customers with services such as traditional rental, flexible leasing and car sharing, whether corporate or co-op, and they are paid for when the vehicle is used. The offer is complemented by the installation of a network of charging points not only for customers, but also for the general public, given the limited supply offered by this infrastructure throughout the country. It is a new ecosystem that tries to cover the needs of customers.

This all-new paradigm opening up into the world of automobile distribution requires a fresh readjustment of the role that dealerships have to play in the new mobility. As CEO of Lurauto & Co, Luis Miguel Garcia says: “As agents, we will be important agents of change in the transition process that mobility is undergoing.”

A commitment in which collaboration between the public and private sectors must once again be important when advancing this new concept of mobility that is more sustainable and more respectful of climate change. It is about applying the old concept of the driver so that all actors such as companies, institutions and citizens are the protagonists of this new mobility transformation. A challenge related to the sustainability of the planet as this collaboration between the public and private sectors, admired beyond our borders, becomes a reality.