Pyramid of industries

Whether you call it pyramid of industries, trades or branches, the name is not really important, but I was looking for such a pyramid for a long time, which shows which industries and trades are interdependent and in turn build on each other. Since I could not find such a graph, ChatGPT (GPT-4) helped me to build such a structure.

At least in Germany, the Abitur and university studies were set as the goals for students for many years, the parents practically educated the children to start studying, because apparently only with a degree you could find a well-paid job.

This statement is true in certain sectors, such as medicine or law, but do we need more business economists or gender studies theorists? Why does society need Anglicists or Germanists in large "numbers"?

One problem a society gets is when there are more higher professions, which are for lifestyle and convenience, than people working in the trades.

Normally I like to use the comparison of a house whose foundation must be stable, however a roof is also important, so this comparison does not fit and a pyramid is better.

The industry pyramid shows which industry sectors build on and depend on each other, for example, the IT industry is not feasible without a stable energy supply and 3D printing is also not feasible without plastics, IT, manufacturing and electricity.

Each industry has different dependencies and we should therefore keep a good eye on this picture of the industry pyramid, because the base is the most important thing, if there are more IT people but fewer farmers, then it brings chaos because there are too many people in one industry and too few in the other, and that in turn then has to be balanced out by imports, etc.

The pyramid is not meant to discriminate against anyone in their field, but it is a reminder of the importance of the industry to society. And so the basic industries should never be forgotten, because everyone who works in these industries is responsible for the downstream, higher, advanced, specialized and future technology industries are possible.

To create as big a picture as possible, and clearly there will definitely be industries missing now, I have commissioned ChatGPT (GPT-4) to identify these groups:

Pyramid of industries from Petr Kirpeit is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond this license can be obtained at https://petr-kirpeit.de receive

Pyramid of industries from Petr Kirpeit is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond this license can be obtained at https://petr-kirpeit.de/kontakt receive

The following is a list of industries and their dependencies on other industries

Base industries

1. Agriculture: The production of food, without which no society can survive.
2. Craft: The creation of buildings, furniture and other essential infrastructure.
3. Water management: The supply of clean water for drinking, cooking and cleaning.
4. Energy supply: The production and distribution of energy required for lighting, heating and operation of machinery.
5. Education: The transmission of knowledge and skills necessary for the functioning and growth of a society.
6. Healthcare: The care of the health and welfare of the population.
7. Transport and logistics: The organization of transport and distribution of goods and people.
8. Communication: The provision of telecommunications services that enable the exchange of information and the networking of people.
9. Trade: The exchange of goods and services that promotes economic growth and prosperity.
10. Financial Services: The management of money and capital to ensure the smooth running of the economy and the financing of projects.
11. Law and public administration: The creation and enforcement of laws and the provision of public services for the functioning of society.
12. Environmental protection: The conservation of natural resources and the ecosystem in order to preserve the quality of life for future generations.

Downstream industries

1. Manufacturing Industry: It requires energy, raw materials from agriculture and mining, as well as crafts and logistics to produce and distribute products.
2. Tourism and hospitality: This industry depends on transportation, communications, infrastructure and healthcare services to serve and satisfy guests.
3. Information and communication technology (ICT): The ICT industry relies on energy supply, education and communications infrastructure to grow and drive innovation.
4. Art and culture: Cultural institutions and events rely on basic industries such as education, crafts, and transportation to conduct their activities and reach audiences.
5. Retail: Retailers depend on commerce, logistics, communications and financial services to maintain the flow of goods and serve customers.
6. Research and development (R&D): R&D activities rely on education, healthcare, communications and financial services to drive knowledge and innovation.
7. Real estate and property management: This industry relies on skilled trades, financial services, and legal and administrative services to enable the development and operation of real estate.
8. Insurance: Insurance requires financial services, legal and public administration to hedge risks and provide protection for individuals and businesses.

Higher economic sectors

1. E-commerce and online marketplaces: This industry depends on information and communications technology, logistics, retail, and financial services to enable the online sale and shipment of goods and services.
2. Fashion and textile industry: It depends on manufacturing, trade, retail and logistics to produce, distribute and sell clothing and textiles.
3. Entertainment Industry: Film, television, music and video games rely on arts and culture, ICT, education and distribution channels such as retail and e-commerce.
4. Advertising and marketing: This industry needs communications, ICT, media and retail to spread messages and engage customers.
5. Automotive industry: The production and sale of vehicles depend on manufacturing, energy, trade and logistics.
6. Pharmaceutical industry: Pharmaceutical research, development, manufacturing and distribution rely on research and development, healthcare, education, manufacturing and commerce.
7. Sports and fitness industry: It depends on education, health care, crafts (for the creation of sports facilities) and art and culture for the organization of events and the promotion of activities.
8. Consulting and professional services: The provision of expertise in areas such as management, law, technology and finance relies on education, ICT and financial services.
9. Environmental and renewable energy management: This industry relies on research and development, energy, environmental protection, education and craftsmanship to develop and implement technologies and solutions for a sustainable future.

Advanced industries

1. Smart home technology: This industry depends on ICT, electronics manufacturing, energy and crafts to provide connected and automated home solutions.
2. Educational Technology (EdTech): The development and delivery of digital education solutions depends on ICT, education, communication and research & development.
3. Event and conference organization: The organization of events, trade fairs and conferences relies on communication, transport, art and culture, tourism and hospitality.
4. Beauty and wellness industry: The provision of beauty and wellness services depends on retail, healthcare, manufacturing (e.g., beauty products), and education.
5. Cybersecurity: The development and deployment of security solutions for IT systems relies on ICT, research and development, education, and consulting and professional services.
6. Sharing Economy: Industries such as car sharing, ridesharing and peer-to-peer platforms are dependent on ICT, transport, the automotive industry and communications.
7. 3D printing and additive manufacturing: Manufacturing products through 3D printing relies on ICT, R&D, manufacturing and education.
8. Personnel and employment agency: The placement of workers and the provision of human resource management services rely on education, ICT, communication, and consulting and professional services.
9. FinTech and digital financial services: The development and delivery of digital financial products and services relies on ICT, financial services, research and development, and consulting and professional services.

Advanced industries

1. Telemedicine: The delivery of medical services via digital platforms is dependent on ICT, healthcare, educational technology, and communications.
2. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR): The development and application of VR and AR technologies rely on ICT, R&D, entertainment industry, education and gaming.
3. Drone and aviation technology: The development and application of drones and aviation technologies depend on ICT, R&D, transport, energy and crafts.
4. Smart City Technologies: The development of technologies to improve the quality of urban life depends on ICT, energy, transport, environmental protection and crafts.
5. Biotechnology and genetic engineering: The research and application of biotechnology and genetic engineering solutions depend on research & development, healthcare, agriculture, pharmaceutical industry and education.
6. Robotics and automation: The development and application of robots and automation technologies rely on ICT, R&D, manufacturing, crafts and education.
7. Circular economy: Creating sustainable, resource-efficient economies depends on environmental protection, manufacturing, energy, trade and education.
8. E-sports and professional gaming: The e-sports and gaming industry is dependent on ICT, the entertainment industry, communications, art and culture, and education.

Specialized industries

1. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning: The development and application of AI technologies rely on ICT, research and development, education, robotics and automation, and biotechnology.
2. Space Industry: Space exploration and development depends on aeronautics technology, ICT, R&D, energy, materials science, and education.
3. Health and fitness technology: The development and delivery of technologies to improve health and fitness depends on ICT, sports and fitness industries, healthcare, biotechnology and wearables.
4. Nanotechnology: Research and application of nanotechnologies rely on R&D, ICT, material sciences, energy, biotechnology and education.
5. Logistics and supply chain management: Managing and optimizing supply chains depends on transport and logistics, ICT, retail, manufacturing and e-commerce.
6. Food Technology: The development and production of food with improved properties or sustainability depends on agriculture, biotechnology, research and development, manufacturing and environmental protection.
7. Blockchain and cryptocurrencies: The development and application of blockchain technologies and digital currencies rely on ICT, FinTech, financial services, research and development, and consulting and professional services.
8. Data protection and compliance: Ensuring data privacy and regulatory compliance across industries depends on ICT, legal and administrative services, financial services, consulting and professional services, and cybersecurity.

Industries of the future

1. Smart Agriculture and Precision Farming: The application of technologies such as IoT, AI, drones and sensors in agriculture depends on ICT, space industry, energy, environmental protection and biotechnology.
2. Digital media and content creation: The creation and distribution of digital content and media depends on ICT, arts and culture, communications, advertising and marketing, and the entertainment industry.
3. Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0: The digitization and automation of manufacturing processes rely on ICT, robotics and automation, artificial intelligence, materials science and education.
4. Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing: Identifying and remediating security vulnerabilities in IT systems depends on ICT, cybersecurity, research and development, and data protection and compliance.
5. Travel and tourism industry: The organization and implementation of travel and tourist activities depends on transport, hospitality, art and culture, communication and event and conference organization.
6. Battery and energy storage technology: The development and production of batteries and energy storage systems depends on materials science, energy, ICT, R&D and environmental protection.
7. Car rental and fleet management: The provision and management of vehicle fleets for business and personal use is dependent on the automotive industry, transportation, sharing economy, and logistics and supply chain management.
8. Smart grids and energy management: The development and application of smart grids and energy management systems rely on ICT, energy, research and development, environmental protection, and consulting and professional services.