News in 2020
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Geomatics World/GIM Internation asked FIG President Rudolf Staiger three questions:
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What impact is the worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus
having on the geospatial industry? We asked the International
Federation of Surveyors (FIG) how it is coping with the corona
crisis. President Rudolf Staiger shares his vision on the
current situation, zooms in on the cancellation of the FIG
Working Week and concludes with an optimistic message for the
mapping and surveying business. |
What is your business continuity plan to overcome the challenges of the coronavirus?
As President of the International Federation of Surveyors, I can only
answer on two different levels:
The first one is the view of our members. One of the strengths of FIG is
the heterogeneity of our stakeholders. Our members work in small and
medium-sized private companies, but also in big private enterprises like
Esri, Trimble or Leica Geosystems. In addition to this, the challenges
will not only vary from country to country but will also depend on the
type of products and services offered. It is therefore very difficult to
talk about a general plan.
For the moment, the economy as a whole is almost standing still. Therefore, the most important task is to keep the business (in terms of contracts) alive, irrespective of the size of the enterprise! In Germany (my home country), the government is promising generous financial support, especially for small enterprises, but we all know that these promises are often too bureaucratic when it comes to reality and seldom fast and efficient.
How is the coronavirus outbreak impacting your business?
The second level we have to look at is our Federation itself. Today, we had to announce the cancellation of the FIG Working Week 2020, which was planned to be held in Amsterdam from 10-14 May. This is the direct impact of COVID-19. The local organizing committee and FIG are very disappointed because they had received a promising number of registrations and preparations were well underway. They evaluated a postponement to August 2020 but finally discarded this idea as it is not known what the long-term effects on international travelling will be.
What would be your message to the geospatial industry now that the coronavirus has brought the world to a standstill?
The current situation is unique. There are no text books from which we can learn how to master such a crisis! For the moment, the majority of us are sitting in their “home-office” and we are all being told to avoid physical contact with our colleagues. One ideal and positive way of looking at the current situation could be to decide that now is the right time to start with a new idea, with a new project, or with a new piece of software, which we hadn't had time for until now.
It would be ideal to find the space for the development of new ideas. And, once the crisis is over, these ideas could become new products and services. I know this sounds quite simplistic but there is also a chance within a crisis!
Please bear in mind: COVID-19 is the origin of a totally new global world of uncertainty and unpredictability! The answers as given on 24 March may be seen as totally obsolete or even strange in two weeks' time.
Read the Q&A in GIM International/Geomatics World (pdf)
Visit Geomatics World:
https://www.geomatics-world.co.uk/content/article/how-is-fig-dealing-with-the-coronavirus-crisis
Louise Friis-Hansen
25 March 2020
