I know this sounds a little crazy. Survival is on most people’s mind’s. It’s compelling to focus on getting through this current economic turmoil because it’s so immediate. It’s easy to think about cutting costs and re-prioritising projects. But we will survive – albeit a little poorer.
So the thinking that comes up with cutting costs is easy. But it ignores the opportunitities. Lets assume there are some. Already there are two books out on surviving/prospering in the 2009 Depression. Gee that was quick!! Someone saw an opportunity!
Two groups of opportunities exist:
- Taking advantage of lower costs, if you have the cash.
- Creating new value propositions for the new world that follows.
We should be thinking about option 2 ( as well as taking care of survival). So far, the general response has been along the following lines – “how does Govt stimulate the economy (by borrowing) to counter the expected reduction in consumer spend so that we return to acceptable levels of economic growth”. Am I the only one thinking that debt spending is what created the problem in the first place!!
The real upside for NZ in this depends of what the new world looks like. I’m interested in what people think that world will look like. Because I don’t think it will look like it has. I think it will be a world that puts a higher value on:
- smart thinking rather than smart marketing.
- low cost effective solutions rather than high cost effective solutions.
- local rather than global.
- long-term sustainable rather than short term financial.
- Emotionally humane rather than clinically rational.
I think NZ is well positioned on these. The question is how do we create the capability to seize those opportunities. Let’s not forget that, because here is an opportunity to climb the OECD ladder as others head down!!
0 Responses to “Prospering from a NZ Depression?”