K Miles from Guelph writes: Andrea, what is it about the Canadian psyche that limits our growth and makes Canadian business so unwilling to be the first to try anything? Has business been spoiled by years with a low dollar and socialized healthcare? Or is it something more foundational. My company created a new way to bring strategy into complex, knowledge roles - it boosts performance quickly but it is new. Our sales have been 90 % in the US. US executives will try a new idea ('This will create an impact in 12 weeks which lasts for 2 years? Let's give it a whirl.')- while the Canadian execs pause, comment they haven't seen it written up in US magazines, then deline. Other Canadian business face the same rejection of the new. One Ottawa business has a better way to do e-commerce by forwarding the transaction to a person's online banking which keeps from having to reveal personal information. I spoke with the COO and when I asked if she'd tried selling it to Canadian companies she replied, 'We can sell this really quickly to US businesses, we've tried and we just don't have time to try to sell here in Canada.' Andrea, what's the root cause of the Canadian reluctance that so hinders our innovation and will hurt our standard of living?
Andrea Mandel-Campbell writes: It is definitely something very deeply rooted and goes back I believe to the very foundations of this country. If you think about it, we've always had a fear of the unknown and never really believed in our own judgment. Take the American Revolution- the Americans decided they didn't want to live under British rule anymore and were ready to make their own decisions. Canadians preferred to remain a colony, while those Americans who wanted to retain the status quo - the American Loyalists - moved wholesale to Canada. We've always preferred to play it safe, while the Americans are revolutionaries. And unfortunately you see that in Canadian business. Many businesspeople have told me that Americans, if they are introduced to a new technology, are ready to overhaul their entire system, while Canadians say, why see fix it if it ain't broke? We prefer to tinker at the edges, make very incremental change, because we are inherently conservative and we are always waiting for someone else to tell us it's alright.
John S. from Toronto writes: Canadians need a complete mindset change if they wish to compete in the world economy. The government, corporations and academia need to team together to create more research, investment opportunities that can lead to more companies, more employment, training -- training of both academic leaders in the humanities, sciences, engineering, and other important areas -- including doctors which there is a shortage of, and also of more 'blue collar' jobs including the trades. In the global economy, people work harder and longer and there is more to lose and more competition. Canadians need to understand this and realize that things move quickly. The government also need to lower taxes for businesses -- at least small and medium size to encourage growth and foreign investment and job creation.
Andrea Mandel-Campbell writes: I agree wholeheartedly. In my book I point to the example of Finland and it's 'three-legged stool' of government, business and academia working together. Unfortunately we are a long way from that in Canada. While the three worked together in Finland unashamedly, here in Canada there is a significant disconnect between the three and an anti-business rhetoric that is quite pervasive in government and academia. As a result, government funds academic research chairs that might not necessarily have anything to do with the innovative needs and demands of business. I compare the results to toddlers who parallel play - they may touch the same toys, but never really interactive.
Unfortunately, we've been able to coast for a really long time. My fear is, unless we make these changes, we will die the death of a thousands cuts - where we don't notice until it's too late.
Noel Hulsman writes: Andrea, that's our time. Thank you so much for your insights. We really appreciate it. Cheers.
