Information folder (pdf) - IVA

Number of Swedish company acquisitions
outside Sweden 1989-2004
Proposed measures
• Organisation development. There is consensus among the business leaders
interviewed that, in the future, organisational innovation will be as
important as technical innovation.
• The signifi cance of customers and brands. An important competitive factor
in the future will be focusing on developing brands. Increasing the
customer value of a product or service and involving the consumer or
end customer in development work is seen as crucial.
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Source: Thomson
Sweden is facing major challenges that, to some degree, confl ict with traditional
values. Much of the growth in employment in the future will, for
example, very likely be in the service industry, although the traditional and
major industries in Sweden will continue to be important for economic
growth. It is therefore clear that policies are needed that support the growth
of new industries and, at the same time, support the established corporations
in their efforts to develop. It would be unfortunate if these two groups
were pitted against each other. The nine proposals are as follows:
Increase investment in lifelong learning
Proposals: Additional and vigorous initiatives are needed in the area of
competence development in Sweden. Competence development initiatives
should, to a greater extent than today, be aimed at and adapted to the future
needs, and particularly the international needs of industry. If this is to
happen, we need greater interplay and more distinct division of responsibilities
between the players in the “education infrastructure.” The quality of
vocational programmes and higher education also needs to be improved.
Finally, the labour market players should join forces to develop a system
for “individual competence development” taking into account the needs of
industry as well as the individual.
Increase the Government’s civil initiatives in research to at least 1 per cent of the
BNP and provide incentives for universities to engage in entrepreneurial activity.
Proposals: Bearing in mind future competition and in relation to critical
mass requirements within various sectors, the resources that are being invested
in research in Sweden are too limited. Government investment in civil
research therefore needs to be increased as soon as possible and brought
in line with the previously established goal of 1 per cent of the GNP, and
signifi cantly more in the future. Investment is needed in areas such as IT and
telecoms, automotive engineering, medicine and life sciences, care, energy
and the environment, forestry and materials. Faculty grants should also be