Business Forum Olten 2019: Corporate success thanks to change and stability
"Everything is moving faster and faster," was the unanimous opinion among the 160 participants at the forum at the FHNW School of Business. Under the title "Corporate success thanks to change and stability", the question was explored as to how much change is actually necessary for a company.
Switzerland has been ranked first in the Global Innovation Index for years. However, we should not rest on our laurels, because this ranking does not tell the whole truth, said Peter Grünenfelder, Director of Avenir Suisse, at this year's Economic Forum in Olten. Other facts should not be lost sight of: the increase in trade restrictions, the growing importance of China (at the expense of the USA), migration and digitalization. Switzerland is not flexible enough in dealing with these megatrends, he said. Grünenfelder therefore called on Switzerland to reduce the reform backlog and introduce a dynamic foreign economic policy. In addition, universities should react more quickly to the needs of the economy in order to provide the necessary skilled workers.
#LifelongLearning
Remo Ankli, member of the cantonal government of Solothurn, gave the Swiss education landscape good marks. Thanks to their practical orientation, the universities of applied sciences in particular have a close relationship with the economy. He also pointed to the #LifelongLearning campaign launched on the occasion of Swiss Digitaltag and emphasized that one of the main tasks of schools is to teach children, above all, how to learn and retain the joy of lifelong learning.
Company of the future
Roger Wüthrich Hasenböhler, Chief Digital Officer Swisscom, presented Swisscom's strategic approach. In order not to become a discontinued model, companies are well advised to invest in the future: 80 percent of the funds for the core business, 15 percent for adjacent business areas and 5 percent for groundbreaking innovations (disruptive). Only by consistently separating the core business from the innovation business could fundamental changes and new ideas be successfully realized. Otherwise, these "growing plants" would be neglected too much as soon as the core business was not running optimally. Wüthrich also rejected the idea of going it alone. Cooperations and prototyping are indispensable in order not to innovate without consumers in mind and to quickly realize new ideas.
The next Olten Business Forum will take place on September 2, 2020 held. Information: www.fhnw.ch/wirtschaft
