How to be successful in the future world?
5. How to be successful in the future world?
When we look back in the history, mankind has developed all the time and at an ever accelerating speed. This follows the life spans and their stages that I have presented here. The length of a life span depends on the intensity and magnitude of each activity. Short life spans take place in the world, life spans which give support and maintain larger development lines that are taking place around them. One should try to see entities. The development story of Finland in the 1990’s with the IC technology and Nokia’s strong life span are a typical example of a life span giving uplift for a whole country. Nokia employed subcontractors to manufacture less innovative parts in large series for their cell phones. Such subcontractors were Perlos and Elcoteq among others. When Nokia became an international business enterprise, it wanted that also their subcontractors should become international and grow. Nokia took care of the assembly and brand management in an excellent manner. When the shark grow big, the smaller fish following it took advantage of the leftovers hanging out of its mouth giving a boost to Finland’s own ITC life span. One must remember, however, that the main life span no longer can stay up unless the life spans supporting it no longer are effective, meaning that the supporting businesses make contribution margin. In such a case, it has happened that the life span has become longer. The small life spans supporting the main life span have been transferred to lower production cost countries due to high costs. The extent and location of market area are, of course, other causes for a decision to transfer. Total logistics is an important cost factor when decisions of location are thought over.
Finland’s future should be contemplated against such a development background. Does the development of a nation’s welfare in the future depend on a branded product where a so called shark employs subcontractors in the neighbourhood and by way of this makes the country blossom? Can this kind of a strong life span be found in the earlier mentioned possibilities? Will this kind of way of thinking be relevant after ten years or will market dynamics work otherwise then? Probably competition will be between areas and not between countries.
There have always been revolutions of technology like the cycles of Kondartieff show in about every 200 years and examples of such are steam engine/railway, electricity, oil and car. A revolution of technology is going on which is steered by information and communication technology.
A small country cannot live by being big, but it can be agile, flexible and a fast pioneer. People must commit themselves into continuous self development, maintaining welfare and life here and now! A human being must be seen as a holistic being. Man being used to wealth wants welfare in his everyday life.
People are now almost crying for a society based on social capital and trust. One has only to realise small changes easily and have a response for them quickly. People are looking for new kinds of alternatives for their life together as well as solutions for the challenges dealing with humanity.
In the future the same factors as before will be the decisive ones. Success has been decided by education, intelligence, experience, hard work, intuition and chance. Real success will follow the one who can see possibilities and knows to grab them. Many do not see possibilities but look at the stern of history and complain about their losses. The successful ones are the first ones climbing on the trajectory. They can see both the dangers and possibilities already in advance. People who visualize seize the moment. They don’t just let future happen but they create it.
(to be continued on Page 55)
Nov. 2010, Volume 7, No.11 (Serial No.61) Journal of US-China Public Administration, ISSN 1548-6591, USA