Short-termism prevails – longer terms are needed

-Short-termism is the most vital issue in the existing thinking. We think quarterly and it is wrong. The present takes 5-15 years, not four to six months. We have to build the visions of our companies for a longer period – and they have to create the credible stories based on their services or products. This is the key issue for the success of companies in developed countries like in Europe and Scandinavia, professor Rolf Jensen emphasized in his presentation. He kept a lesson in the event organized Royal Society of Arts in Finland and Baltic Countries.

Dreams are necessary for the growth
-We are between our dreams and it means a low economic growth. In the eastern part of the world, the people are seeking better life, more wealthy and improving their life conditions. They have dreams and they try to fulfill them as effective as possible. Our problem is that even the western politics have no big dreams and it is an important shortcoming. For example, in China there are over 80 million people defined as middle class families. Their total yearly incomes are 36.000 euro and with this money they realize their dreams. This is one main reason for the Chinese economic growth. Their BNP has grown for consecutive 30 years– and it is impressive development, Jensen continued.

Individualism grows
-Our societies live their second renaissance. We appreciate individualism. We try to create our own future without a big societal help. We want the customized and personalized shoes, clothes and other things in our everyday life. The green is important, everywhere. We appreciate a clean environment and it enables some new business ideas. The biggest share of BNP is service, more than 75 %. There are the three biggest areas; learning, health care and tourism. They are growing strongly in the future. In the health care industry, the cure mental illnesses are the big challenge for the societies. At the same time, the progress is an impressive possibility to the new companies and service providers, Rolf Jensen declared.

Shopping as a theatre
-The retail shopping is as a theatre – it is a lifestyle and in this act there are roles and manuscripts. You can see the development in our newest and biggest shopping centres. But is this way of living offering the happiness to people? Maybe not in the best way but there are not very many politicians who promise to add the happiness index in their home countries. The last one is a very strong political program if some politicians promise this. It would be more important for citizens than the offering of the shopping paradises, Rolf Jensen clarified our future.

Start-up firms and their stories
-The start-up companies as well as the established ones need to create their own stories. This is the only way to manage the competition environment. It is easy to copy products or services but the story, it is unique. And the firms have to understand that the presence, the existing moment takes five to fifteen years, not a quarter, Jensen ended his very interesting presentation.
Professor Rolf Jensen and doctor Mika Aaltonen, Aalto University have published a new book named “Mr and Ms Future". The presentation of Mr Jensen was a part of the publishing program.

The stories also for Protomo teams
-The content of professor Jensen’s lesson suits very well to the idea groups in Aalto Protomo Helsinki. We try to create and support the teams building their business stories. It is the most unique thing they can create. The other main issue is to understand that the presence takes some years, not months. This is really demanding people just started their businesses and in this phase there is not very much money. But still, you have to develop your idea very patiently, Seppo Rantalainen, a member of the Royal Society of Arts and the facilitator in Aalto Protomo Helsinki, told after the event.