vision session ip enviu final

8/9/2019 Vision Session IP Enviu Final

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Vision session

Dutch competitiveness AgendaHow can the Netherlands increase its competitive power for 2020?

Results of the Enviu Vision session on 8th of March 2010



Introduction

• In this document you can find the summary of the results from the vision session on “How can the Netherlands increase its competitive power for 2020?” , which was held with a groupof 15 young entrepreneurs and professionals from the Enviu Network.

• At the same time we had an online brainstorm of which the results will be presented in aseparate document, together with the results from our social media strategy (which had asgoal to gather input for the vision on the Dutch competitiveness agenda as well).

• We have decided to have both the brainstorm and this document in English, because a largepart of our network is international. Besides, one of the first remarks that came to us as acomment through our social media was that we, as the Netherlands, could consider to openup more to international ideas, concepts and people, through for example making English thelanguage for conferences, meetings, documents, etc.

•

We enjoyed working on this theme with our network and have noticed their interest tobecome involved in such “a co-creation way” on this subject. We are looking forward to seehow our ‘dreams’ can be translated in an action plan on the 24thof March!

• For any questions or remarks, please contact us at 010-2887970, [email protected].

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



Summarizing quotes from the session:

“We should focus more on adding value than money”

“We should ask ourselves: what leads to more happiness?’”

“We see decentralisation on all levels: government and business (e.g. food, energy,

even production (3-D home printing), etc.)”

“Is the Netherlands too rich, to be really entrepreneurial?”

“We have the climate and the expertise for developing and exporting good agro-

technology knowledge.”

“The government needs to set 1 extremely ambitious (intelligent) standard: Complete

sustainable cycle. And stick to it for at least 10 years!”

“Let’s become a nation that asks questions instead of just answering them. This leads

to new combinations/ solutions, i.e., innovation.”

“ We need a mentality change: be more proud of what we achieve and dare to ‘stickour head above the mowing field’.”

“Duurzaam inkopen, duurzaam verkopen en duurzaam investeren: alle transacties

duurzaam!”

“Reward risk-taking, instead of being so risk aversive. Don’t punish ‘failed’

entrepreneurs. Learn from the failures but do not stop trying.”



Time Subject Details

16.00 Introduction -Introduce main question and objective:

How can NL increase its competitive power for 2020?

Objective: identify focus areas and elements which represent a vision

on the Dutch competitive power in 2020.

-Introduction and background question by Innovation Platform

16.45 Discuss

starting points

-For whom do we want to increase value? (stakeholders)

-What kind of value should the competitive power create? (identity/

culture)

-What are the key elements of the economy we would like to be like

(system)

17.10 Identification

themes/ topics

-What are the current strong assets

-What are the weak elements

-From your expertise and focus what should be interesting areas for the

Dutch economy to develop further?

17.45 Categorization

and selection

Categorization in 5 top themes

Selection of top 3 and group division

18.00 Brainstorm

part I

Get into own theme and identify key elements

(mindmap and brainwriting)

18.30 Brainstorm

part II

Reflection and imagination 2020

Vision formulation: where are we now, where do we want to go?

19.30 Presentations

and closing

Presentations, analysis/ wrap up and evaluation



Starting points

Exploring the basic principles of the

economy we would like to have



For whom do we want to increase quality/value

with a vision on competitive power?

We can say ‘we want to create money/value’, but for WHOM do we really want this?

The whole Economy: national and international

For Dutch citizens

Developers/producers and users of technology

Whole world, we should be better but not at the cost of others. If the open

economy is the core to our vision, it would be strange to hurt others: make it a

win-win situation

Focusing only on money would exclude a lot of other people

For a better / more sustainable world

In general: we should have an AND – AND attitude



What kind of value should the competitive power create?

Money/financial

And/ or focus on Non-financial value, like:

o Human capital

o Social value

We should ask ourselves: what leads to more happiness?

Sustainable value (wealth that simultaneously drives us toward a more sustainable

world; or 3-dimensial wealth)

Collaboration and Co-creation (creating great work by standing together with

those for whom the project -vision- is intended)

Congruence (the coming together of the way we make money and the way we

spend money)

We should focus more on adding value than money

OR could we think in and/and? Value and money



What are the key elements of the economy we would like it to be? - I

Decentralization on all levels: not only on government level, but also oncorporate level and in different sectors as food, energy, production, etc.

Sustainable entrepreneurship: use creative, innovative business organizing to

solve sustainability-related problems through bringing a solution to the market

by creating an efficient organization.

Flexibility: be able to readily adjust to the needs of the time. Have knowledge as the currency of the future

A high degree of transparency and openness

Level-playing field: all players should be able to compete fairly, play by the

same set of rules

Include all costs and benefits in prices

More inclusive cost/benefit valuation

(A more) Equal distribution of value



Identifying themes

What will we focus on today?



What are the weak elements of the competitiveness

of the Dutch economy?

Building, we are not good builders. The Chinese and Brazilians know how to build.

Labour intensive industries

Labour population is aging; high labor costs

Small home market

There is a gap between R&D and technical business development (applying knowledge)

No breakthrough policies

No green industrial policy

Poldermodel used too much: too much talking too little action

We are too risk-aversive, rooted in our calvinism

Absence of status (is both a weak and strong element)

We are too rich (too comfortable) to stimulate entrepreneurism. There are little incentives tobecome an entrepreneur

We are not proud of what we do

We do not earn enough money from the Hub location we have as the Netherlands

Mass production

We should focus more on entrepreneurship and scouting (niches) than creating/ producing(especially mass production, which is not a good idea when you have so little space)



What are the current strong assets of the Dutch economy/people?

Adding value/complementing others: we are good at adding value and clearlyidentifying why we are using it/give context around the product. This drives the Dutchto push their products/ ideas around the world. There is a difference betweencompeting with other countries and complementing them.

Strong view on purpose i.e. Value for money

R&D

In some production areas we ARE good: e.g. Food and boats. Here we are specialized increating high value, NOT mass production.

Highly educated and internationally oriented population

Co-creation method fits well with poldermodel

Creativity > seeing opportunities and developing them

Assembling: bringing necessary elements/ people together

We are travellers and traders, these skills could be used even better Physical location (gateway to Europe) and logistics

Tradition of cooperation

Absence of status (both weak and strong)



From your expertise and focus, what are interesting areas for the

Dutch economy to develop further? - I

Use human capital and co-creation method more

Money is not per definition the driver

Arts and creative industry (drama, arts, creativity): use this knowledge. NL as a

cultural centre. Our diplomas, compared to other countries, are not going to make

us unique; we have the money and the opportunity to compensate this i.e.,with

arts (it adds value) Sustainability: long tradition of working for/ with the environment (water/energy),

cradle2cradle, Club of Rome. We have a long tradition of using nature to our

advantage, use that.

Green fiscal and financial systems.

Become a nation that asks questions instead of just answering them to find newcombinations/ solutions, i.e., innovations (more than just inventions!)

Pride, proud on accomplishments, positiveness. Show the younger generation.

This also means to sometimes be content with what we have.

Education

Dutch Entrepreneurial Spirit



From your expertise and focus, what are interesting areas for the

Dutch economy to develop further? - II

Dutch Design

Sports

Agro technology

Architects

Climate and resources: what are our (im)possibilities?

Transport of knowledge and managing it: mainport

Good geographical location: a hub

Become knowledge assemblers

Use international ambassadors to promote NL (the Dutch that have emigrated/are

planning to emigrate)

Branding of it all



Main themes

From the input on the last 3 questions we have identified the following main

categories the group likes to work on further:

A. Culture/Attitude/Way of thinking (Group 1)

B. Industry/Entrepreneurship (Group 2)C. Location/Climate/Resources (not chosen)

D. Opportunities in issues (focus on sustainability as potential) (Group 2)

E. Education/Knowledge (Group 3)



Division of groups

Mindmaps & brainwriting



For the complete results of the brainwriting exercise see the Appendix.

Most important results have been taken along in the vision statements.



Vision statements

Where are we now?

Where do we want to go?



Education as guide to help you

look for your pathCategory Education/ knowledge:

Where are we now?

• It is not as bad as we think, education in the Netherlands is pretty good already, however: – It still needs to develop further: it should become “great” instead of just “good”.

– There is still much reliance on books, which get outdated by the time the study is completed.

Where do we want to go? • We need more challenging assignments

– These assignments should be skill-oriented instead of knowledge-oriented. Knowledge gets outdated, thusfocus on for example the skill “to ask good questions, instead of just coming up with an answer”.

– Should be ‘glocal’ (global thinking, local acting), for example: use of software applications that areconnected to a world-wide students community working together from their own home.

• Stimulate an open mind and curious attitude.

• Prevent that a degree set up walls around people. Allow students to develop their own curriculum

and degree, let them be an integral part of the development of their own lessons, curriculum anddegree description.

• The added value will be the people themselves.

• Education in 2020 will guide students to find their own path and they will be encouraged tospecialize in their own paths.



Knowledge assembly country with a

real sustainable economy

Category Industry/ Entrepreneurship and sustainability:

• The key is knowledge assembly – Innovation in business model, instead of one specific business group

– Don’t focus on mass production, become specialized in combining elements instead of discovering/creating them.

– Develop small and specific hightech R&D units (Examples are Apple & TomTom,companies that bring together existing technologies in a successful product)

• Sustainability has to happen – In 2020 we invest, sell and handle procurement all100% sustainable. All transactions

sustainable!). We already have a lot of knowledge about how, now it is time to apply.• Sustainability is still seen as a niche in the market, which needs to change.

– Set clear and much higher minimum tresholds for 2020 to speed up incremental innovation.• E.g. the deadlines set for car-manufacturers on emission-levels.

• Support incubation for entrepreneurs and facilitate risk-management – Eliminate the persecution of failed entrepreneurs, which doesn’t mean rewarding failure but

don’t disable them either.



Cultural attitude: From fear to melting pot

Category Culture/Attitude/Way of thinking:

Where are we now:• Closed, pessimistic, risk avoidance, defensive, insecure, and most of all the key word is ‘fear’, fear for

difference, fear for failure/, fear for taking risk, fear for being different than the norm.

• The current culture is characterised by fear to lose the wealth/ prosperity that we have reached. This leadsto lack of entrepreneurship, defensive beahviour and fear for migrants.

Where do we want to go:• bubbling, open, diverse, revolutionary, start-ups, collective minded, happy, together, honest, satisfied.

•Use diversity instead of fearing it.

How do we reach that:The influx of migrants offers an opportunity. They are entrepreneurial and can strengthen the weak points inDutch culture. We have to search for cross-pollination between cultures, so that the best element fromdifferent cultures will be combined: A sort of melting pot.

• Make use of Storytelling on the level of the Dutch society to promote this (e.g. After the 8 o.clock newsrun a Postbus 51 commercial wtih a story every day)

– Promote individual (and eventually national) success-stories.

– Start as early as possible, e.g. with education/ university, prevent segregration:

– Collect dreams of new generation (even in crèches/kindergartens)

– Switch children after birth?

• Facilitate more contactmoments between people from all cultures/ layers

• Do not focus on regulation, this implies there is an issue and does not inspire. Do we need (quick)evolution or force by rules?



Analysis

What stands out?

What should IP do next?



What stands out of the 3 vision statement?

• All foresee and dream of a more open society

•Make use of Co-creation methods

• Break with fears (fear for difference, fear for failure/, fear for taking risk, fear for

being different than the norm)

• ‘Intelligent’ regulation can stimulate at least incremental innovation (give a level-

playing field with a higher treshold, as in the car industry). However, there should

still be room and encouragement for revolution as well (and not only evolution,

can go too slow).

• An idea could be: come up with 1 rule with a high ambition: e.g. “Have a complete

sustainable cycle”. AND stick to that for 10 years.

• Can we find a way to trigger the market/consumers so that they want the right/

sustainable products, isntead of pushing the companies?

• Knowledge assembly

• Making use of diversity

• Govern good marketing about dream/vision culture

• Facilitate Inventions without owners; Match them or promote/show what is there

• Establish Open Source intellectual property rights



Suggestions for the IP what to do next

• Give more thought, dive deeper into the different themes/ categories with experts

in those fields and involve (even more) the stakeholders you are creating this

vision for (co-creation in the process).

• OR: No more thinking and talking, just start doing!

• Pick a top 3-5 of topics/areas. Focus versus covering all topics

• Create the right conditions for innovation/ entrepreneurship, and not say where toinnovate (in which sectors)

• Stress what is already happening and make this public, show this. Be proud and

share!

• Change name of ‘agenda’, this is a set up for a new meeting, not inspiring to let

people act.• Double the budget for education



The participants:



With thanks to

Hans-Jan Rijbering, live cartoonist

Milah Wouters, facilitator

Max Sweikert, volunteer new media

Michael Frans, intern communication

vision session ip enviu final

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