3FOOD

Third Industrial Revolution Consulting Group
Interestingly enough, Luxembourgers are less engaged in the Sharing Economy than many other
countries, but are likely to increase their participation in the years ahead. According to a 2015
survey of Luxembourgers by ING Luxembourg, 24% of Luxembourg residents know about the
sharing economy, 33% would consider sharing their household appliances for money, 8.9%
would be willing to share their holiday home, and 20% believe their participation in the sharing
economy will increase. 337
The Social Dimension
The shift to a prosumer Sharing Economy is as much about the values a society shares as it is
about the technologies it introduces. The future configuration of Luxembourg society and
economic life is not fated, but the result of today’s choices and decisions. Technological
changes are not an end in themselves, but tools to ameliorate our society. Public authorities,
businesses, social partners, civil society and citizen movements must work together to jointly
shape the transformation of society. The human dimension must be considered to ensure the
acceptance of the TIR process. The transition to a Third Industrial Revolution will not be
achieved by technological development and innovation alone. Societal issues must be
considered as well. Technological changes are inextricably linked to changes in mindset. A
broad approach allows taking all actors towards TIR and helps explain both the opportunities
and concerns related to upcoming changes. In summary, the empowerment of the consumer
and societal aspects set the frame for the working group “Prosumers & Social Model.”
Living together is based on ethical and moral values which are essential and vital elements of
our society. For instance, human rights are an integral part of these values, and compliance
with them should never be taken for granted, but rather be seen as a process to be continually
monitored. It is, therefore, necessary to assure that the respect of common values frames the
transition to the TIR. In a recent nation branding process, conducted by an inter-ministerial and
inter-institutional coordination committee and involving a wide variety of Luxembourg society
as well as the general public, participants crowd sourced a profile of Luxembourg’s citizenry.
Reliability, dynamism, and openness were identified as the country’s most distinguishing
characteristics and core strengths. Reliability refers to the solid foundations on which
Luxembourg performs its activities and to the stability of its economy. Dynamism reflects
Luxembourg’s ability to reinvent itself and adapt to changing surrounding conditions. The way
in which Luxembourgers make decisions and take action is characterized by pragmatism and a
commitment to constant improvement. The country’s openness is a key component of its
337 See: https://www.ing.lu/web/ING/NL/Particuliers/News/NEWS_20150723_SHARECO_NL
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