“An absence of fear of the future and of veneration for the past. One who fears the future, who fears failure, limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunitv more intelligently to begin again. There is no disgraceful honest failure; there is disgrace in fearing to fail. What is past is useful only as it suggests ways and means for progress.”

Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company

“An entrepreneur can make a profit only if he anticipates the future conditions more correctly than other entrepreneurs.”

Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973) philosopher, Austrian School economist and classical liberal

“Most sales people see their CRM systems as a managment application that is designed for executives and number crunches rather than a tool that can be used to increase sales and help to perform tasks more effectively.”

John Golden, US Author and CEO of Huthwaite Read more →

Well into the 20^th century, we were confronted with companies with production processes that had not changed for decades. Certain crafts and trades were—and are—proud that their processes for making certain products have remained unchanged for extended periods of time. Things are still the same today as they were a century ago. Many might hope that things will remain the same in the future. Then that would mean they do not have to adjust, do not have to demonstrate innovative powers and can simply remain in the same old production rut as before. And they can sell their products at high prices and, if possible, without unpleasant competition.

Were it not for globalization, that is, the much-discussed process whereby the world is growing closer together economically. It serves as a prosperity generator and has freed entire regions—large parts of Asia, for instance—from poverty and dependence. However, it does have the unpleasant side-effect of globalized competition.   Competitors can pop up from anywhere with the same products or better ones. Most importantly, they can charge much more favorable prices for the same products or even for better ones. This new globalized situation with competition offers new opportunities yet also creates uncertainty for businesses. They can no longer be certain that things will be the same tomorrow as they are today. Read more →

In a word, humankind has used technology to come to grips with the world for millennia now. Today we are entering a new dimension. Technology is now bearing down on us, quite literally. Anyone who has looked into the future of medicine knows that technical implants and IT will have an instrumental role to play. Biotechnology is yet another chapter in the future story of medicine and is causing us to question our very understanding of what is human. But medicine is just one staging area for the technological revolution that will far overshadow the Industrial Revolution.

The financial sector is another area where technology is bearing down on us. IT has a key part to play. This fact, too, gives rise to a question. Are we handling technology correctly? What standards guide our thinking and action? Read more →