227/08 Social challanges s the basis for foresight - Gaia

Figure 4.17. The roadmap for preparation for the challenges of the aging society
eration between the groups is not well managed.
The worst case scenario is that a new organisation
level has been created to further make the
funding of research and development more fragmented
and uncoordinated. There is an unchallenged
belief in the ability of named organizations
and committees to create new innovations
from nothing. How we can get rid of this devastating
belief of the superior capabilities of organisations?
The funding of R&D must be increased
considerably and it should be addressing
new ideas which change the established
ways of operating. The present way to support
the projects only if they are accepted by the established
companies will not lead to the positive
goal that is desired.
There are some necessary operations to be
made to respond to the future challenges. These
are summarized as a roadmap shown in Figure
4.17.
4.5 Conclusions
Finland has a risk to fall into both an economical
as well as a demographical trap. The current innovation
mechanisms are ineffective and clumsy.
The population is aging rapidly and the leaders
hesitate. The situation demands that real actions
are started immediately. Otherwise the future capability
to take care for aged people and to prosper
from a health economy will no longer exist in
Finland’s bleak future.
The health continuum should be adopted – the
operations of preventive health care are fast to
take into practice and very cost effective.
The present status of the situation must be analyzed
and the decisions should be made to turn
the recognized threats into opportunities. An
overarching plan to exploit the opportunities
must be made.
49