So What's The Problem?
We all support the idea of a better thriving economy in Northwestern Ontario. As much as we can afford, we try to keep up with Technology because we know that Technology makes us more competitive. It makes great economic sense to seek an expert to deliver the best solution. We even try where possible to develop that skill in-house or import that skill through training. Yet somewhere in this train of thought, jobs, technology and prosperity are slipping through our fingers.
Trade Exports are products and services that we develop regionally and sell abroad. Thriving economies tend to have a large trade export. So what are we as a region doing to support or hinder this process.
Northwester Ontario has done pretty well in the past. Selling our high valued natural resources has supplied us with a good income. The question is: Can we expect the good times to continue if we simply maintain things as they were? I suggest not because times are changing and resource exports are becoming a foolish mans trade.
So what direction should we take to build a better future?
We need to sell high valued low tonnage products. The best of all are ideas and technology. Goods such as consulting, software solutions, highly manufactured products, and information are the key to a prosperous future.
So you say this concept is not new. Yes I agree, we are starting to get our heads around the idea of making these types of products.
Gaylen Duncan, President of the Information Technology Association of Canada was in Thunder Bay last fall. He spoke to a group of 40 individuals about IT Clusters and explained the ingredients and time frame required to develop Technology Clusters. In short it takes some idle Technology Research Professionals and about 30 years. It also requires the opportunity for people (entrepreneurial types) to work with technology.
So you ask how we can make this happen faster and where should we start.
What do we need to change?
We need to get the purchasers of Technology working with the suppliers of technology. We need to use more consulting. We need to involve the local entrepreneur (the consultant) in design projects so that he can learn and later resell the technology as an export. Consultants in return need to make their price competitive so that companies can use their service.
Do you know an institution in the north that has created a partnership in the interests of Importing Technology? What about Exporting Technology?
Who is really a good corporate citizen?
There are lots of marketing dollars going into making you think various Businesses are Green and have green processes. We need to take a more critical look at how truly green these businesses are. What are the true benefits of their actions, are they just sustaining themselves or are they spinning off business opportunities, helping others to succeed.
Next time someone at a trade show hands you a key chain, a cup holder, or a pen think about whether that product was bought, or even better produced, locally or if it came from some telemarketing operation out of southern Ontario or even the USA.
As a consultant, one thing that I struggle with is the so called experts coming in from somewhere like Toronto to zip in and fix a problem. Other groups have wonderful canned solutions. Organizations will pay millions to purchase a product, often far more than they ever invested in their original home grown product. Reality is that if they had invested that money in refining their original product they would have a marketable solution themselves. Who knows, they might even create a trade export.
So who's responsibility is it?
Should I purchase everything local or are some products OK to purchase elsewhere?
That's a hard question, some things are just not economically viable.
How do we Police against this stupidity?
What can I do to check and see if a local vendor exists before outsourcing?
(More on this topic later...)
