Professional Documents
Culture Documents
• At the same time we had an online brainstorm of which the results will be presented in a
separate document, together with the results from our social media strategy (which had as
goal to gather input for the vision on the Dutch competitiveness agenda as well).
• We have decided to have both the brainstorm and this document in English, because a large
part of our network is international. Besides, one of the first remarks that came to us as a
comment through our social media was that we, as the Netherlands, could consider to open
up more to international ideas, concepts and people, through for example making English the
language for conferences, meetings, documents, etc.
• We enjoyed working on this theme with our network and have noticed their interest to
become involved in such “a co-creation way” on this subject. We are looking forward to see
how our ‘dreams’ can be translated in an action plan on the 24thof March!
We can say ‘we want to create money/value’, but for WHOM do we really want this?
Money/financial
And/ or focus on Non-financial value, like:
o Human capital
o Social value
We should ask ourselves: what leads to more happiness?
Sustainable value (wealth that simultaneously drives us toward a more sustainable
world; or 3-dimensial wealth)
Collaboration and Co-creation (creating great work by standing together with
those for whom the project -vision- is intended)
Congruence (the coming together of the way we make money and the way we
spend money)
We should focus more on adding value than money
OR could we think in and/and? Value and money
What are the key elements of the economy we would like it to be? - I
Technology, but also people who are able to use it. Technology will
eventually be an answer to everything. So far, technology also has
been the cause of all problems. Because of people not being able to
use it optimally (they were not allowed or did not have enough
knowledge/ vision on the possible effects).
Building, we are not good builders. The Chinese and Brazilians know how to build.
Labour intensive industries
Labour population is aging; high labor costs
Small home market
There is a gap between R&D and technical business development (applying knowledge)
No breakthrough policies
No green industrial policy
Poldermodel used too much: too much talking too little action
We are too risk-aversive, rooted in our calvinism
Absence of status (is both a weak and strong element)
We are too rich (too comfortable) to stimulate entrepreneurism. There are little incentives to
become an entrepreneur
We are not proud of what we do
We do not earn enough money from the Hub location we have as the Netherlands
Mass production
We should focus more on entrepreneurship and scouting (niches) than creating/ producing
(especially mass production, which is not a good idea when you have so little space)
What are the current strong assets of the Dutch economy/people?
Dutch Design
Sports
Agro technology
Architects
Climate and resources: what are our (im)possibilities?
Transport of knowledge and managing it: mainport
Good geographical location: a hub
Become knowledge assemblers
Use international ambassadors to promote NL (the Dutch that have emigrated/are
planning to emigrate)
Branding of it all
Main themes
From the input on the last 3 questions we have identified the following main
categories the group likes to work on further:
• Give more thought, dive deeper into the different themes/ categories with experts
in those fields and involve (even more) the stakeholders you are creating this
vision for (co-creation in the process).
• OR: No more thinking and talking, just start doing!
• Pick a top 3-5 of topics/areas. Focus versus covering all topics
• Create the right conditions for innovation/ entrepreneurship, and not say where to
innovate (in which sectors)
• Stress what is already happening and make this public, show this. Be proud and
share!
• Change name of ‘agenda’, this is a set up for a new meeting, not inspiring to let
people act.
• Double the budget for education
The participants:
With thanks to
Hans-Jan Rijbering, live cartoonist
Milah Wouters, facilitator
Max Sweikert, volunteer new media
Michael Frans, intern communication