Finland, Wayne Gretzky and Technological Disruption
MONCTON–Finland’s former prime minister, Esko Aho, was in Moncton last night to discuss how places like New Brunswick can survive and prosper in a period of massive technological change.
Aho spoke to a group of technology leaders gathered for the annual TECNA CEO retreat. TECNA represents more than 50 IT and Technology trade organizations that in turn represent more than 22,000 technology-related companies in North America.
Moncton’s Venn is one of six Canadian organizations that belong to the group and brought them to New Brunswick, the first time the group’s CEO meeting has been held in Canada. Venn’s Doug Robertson says the TECNA event also creates an opportunity to showcase New Brunswick innovators to a key group of innovation-based economic development organizations.
Esko Aho became the youngest prime minister in Finnish history when he was elected in 1991. Under his leadership, Finland joined the European Union and established an innovation strategy that helped the small country become a world-class technology hub.
Aho was also an executive vice president with Nokia, the Finnish company and one-time mobile phone champion. Nokia traces its history back to 1865 when its business began as a small pulp mill. In 2013 Nokia sold its mobile and devices division to Microsoft.
In his speech, Aho said that people attempting to create successful business strategies should follow the teachings of what he called the “great philosopher” Wayne Gretzky, noting that when the Great One was asked about the difference between a good hockey player and a star, he said that “a good player goes where the puck is, while a star goes to where the puck is going to be.”
So how do companies, or places like New Brunswick, score like Gretzky?
“Everything is about balance between your own concept and the context you are operating in,” said Aho. If your concept is in line with the market expectations, you can make money. But Aho says context changes in unexpected ways. That means businesses need to be agile enough to change their concept.
“The key driver of change is always technology.”
Aho pointed to the book The Second Machine Age, from MIT professors Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee. “The first machine age made it possible for mankind to cross the border of physical power of human beings and animals. But the next phase is going to be based on the second machine age making it possible to go beyond the limits of our brain power. That is going to happen now.”
“It doesn’t mean that technology is taking over mankind, but technology is going to provide us with fantastic new tools…there is a wonderful world waiting for us.”
“That is the next big thing that will be taking place and that’s exactly what Wayne Gretzky’s story means. We have to understand it is coming and we have to prepare for it.”
New Brunswick premier Brian Gallant met with Aho earlier in the day to discuss Finland’s success in creating a strong tech sector. In his remarks to the group, Gallant pointed to recent news that IBM is setting up 250 new cybersecurity jobs in the province as an example of New Brunswick’s potential in the technology sector.
Aho also spoke on the need to have a more effective education system, something that resonated with New Brunwickers in the audience. While he noted that Finland has a strong education system, he said greater emphasis needs to be placed on informal learning. With technology, he says, “We can create schools based on personalized teaching and learning.”
Venn’s Doug Robertson agrees. “It all begins with education. We’ve got to reform an education system that was invented a long time ago in a whole other set of realities. That’s a fundamental message.”