Prospects for the Bosch Group
Agility as a basis for shaping change
Fundamental direction
Our ambition is to develop products that are “Invented for life,” that fascinate, that improve quality of life, and that help conserve natural resources.
A wealth of opportunities
Many areas of business are set to change radically over the next decade. Shaping change is now one of our strategic focal points.
Connectivity
On the basis of our expertise in many business units, of our software and sensor-technology competence, and of an extended IoT portfolio, we want to develop new products, services, and business models.
Automation
As traffic density rises, automated driving can help reduce the number of accidents and minimize traffic jams. In Industrial Technology, increasing connectivity and flexibility of production offer a wealth of opportunities.
Electrification
Electrification is of particular importance for our biggest business sector, Mobility Solutions. We anticipate that around 20 percent of passenger cars and light trucks produced in 2025 will be hybrid and electric vehicles.
Energy efficiency
The demand for energy-efficient products in all business sectors is increasing. We aim to boost energy efficiency both in our products and in our own value chain.
Emerging markets
Emerging markets will experience higher rates of growth than the advanced economies over the long term. There is demand for affordable products that often have to meet special requirements of the local market.
On the way to becoming an IoT company
Our goal is to become one of the world’s leading IoT companies. We will use connectivity to develop our traditional business and seize new opportunities.
Broad diversification
Working on all levels
Intelligent and connected devices, software platforms, as well as applications and services provide additional benefits to customers. Our competitive advantage: a broad diversification and expertise along the entire IoT value chain.
Bosch IoT Cloud
Proprietary IT infrastructure
Our own IoT cloud gives us greater speed and flexibility while enhancing data security. We are also continuing to refine our Bosch IoT Suite (software platform) and opening it up to third parties to make it more attractive to customers.
Partnerships
Cooperations and alliances
Collaboration with other companies and participation in leading consortia are very important in areas such as connected manufacturing. In 2016, Bosch entered into a number of such agreements.
Artificial Intelligence
Pooling and expanding expertise
The Bosch Center for Artificial Intelligence went to work at the start of 2017. As well as conducting research, it will make artificial intelligence expertise and methods available to all Bosch units and increase its applicability for them.
Business sectors
The Bosch Group is divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods and Energy and Building Technology.
- Mobility Solutions
- Industrial Technology
- Consumer Goods
- Energy and Building
Mobility Solutions
Bosch aims to become one of the leading suppliers in the promising areas of electrified, automated, and connected driving. We are also developing integrated mobility services, i.e. involving a combination of different modes of transport.
Industrial Technology
Industry 4.0 is a subject we are championing throughout the Bosch Group. Our aim is to become a leading user with a focus on reducing costs, increasing quality, boosting flexibility, and meeting delivery commitments at our own plants. At the same time, we want to be a leading supplier to the external market.
Consumer Goods
As well as connectivity and automation in the home, key trends in consumer goods include urbanization, a growing services market, and developing business in emerging markets.
Energy and Building Technology
We continue to systematically develop this business sector with the goal of becoming a systems supplier and service provider for smart energy and building technology.
Further expansion of our global presence
As well as expanding our manufacturing facilities around the world, we strengthened our global presence in 2016 through a variety of new activities.
Manufacturing facilities
Increase in capital expenditure
In Asia Pacific, we expanded locations and set up new ones. In China, for example, these included a new manufacturing site for combined instruments and head units, and a dishwasher factory for BSH Hausgeräte.
Engineering locations
New locations in Sweden and Israel
At our engineering location in Sweden, the first such location in Scandinavia, 80 experts are working on new software and hardware for applications such as connectivity in vehicles. We also opened a research center in Israel in 2016.
Research alliances
Committed worldwide
In China, we have been collaborating since 2016 with the Development Research Center of the State Council. In Japan, Bosch now is part of the IoT Acceleration Lab, which promotes the spread of smart mobility and connected manufacturing.
Sales offices
Global presence expanded
In 2016, we expanded our global presence through new sales offices in countries such as Iran and Pakistan, having focused in the previous year on Africa. We also reinforced our presence in Southeast Asia.
Opening up new areas of business
We firmly believe that large companies such as Bosch need to create space for entrepreneurial spirit. In recent years we have succeeded in establishing a start-up culture, particularly with a view to completely new fields of activity. Some examples are presented here.
Strengthening our start-up culture
Internal initiatives and partnerships
Bosch start-up platform
Robert Bosch Start-up GmbH, Stuttgart, plays an important part in strengthening our start-up culture and supporting internal initiatives.
Robert Bosch Venture Capital
Through Robert Bosch Venture Capital (RBVC) and our investment in start-ups, we gain access to disruptive innovations from an early stage.
Partnerships
Our culture of innovation also takes the form of partnerships with start-ups and start-up accelerators, for example in Australia and South East Asia.
Working in the Bosch Group
With the market changing fundamentally, Bosch is increasingly developing into an agile organization in order to stay adaptable. New job profiles are being created and specialist qualifications spanning various domains are growing in importance. Additionally, associates can be flexible in shaping their career paths.
Leadership and Agility
Increasing expectations
Our new “We LEAD Bosch” leadership principles point the way to new forms of leadership and collaboration that are connected and transparent and reach across hierarchies and units. Agile working methods facilitate faster, more flexible work.
Tomorrow's workplace
Shaping tomorrow's workplace
Connectivity over the internet of things is changing Bosch's business, and thus also what is expected of the workforce.
Training and development
We invested around 250 million euros in continuing professional development in 2016. Over 7,300 young people completed apprenticeship schemes at Bosch. Our “Digital Learning” project aims to develop solutions for flexible learning.
Commitment
Commitment to society
To support the integration of refugees, we offer internships preparing them for working life. Four hundred such internships were offered in 2016. We are also proud of our associates' involvement in a wide range of projects.
