Business Summit: "Shift in economic wealth from West to East"

The Oregon Business Plan held its almost-annual Leadership Summit yesterday (12/13/10) at the Oregon Convention Center. After doing my placard vigil from 7 to 9 am (and using my new placard “More Study Abroad + More Mandarin = More Exports = More Jobs”), I attended the morning and part of the afternoon sessions. Most of Oregon’s leading political leaders were present.

As the Oregonian reported it, the Summit was preoccupied with our state’s poor economy and the looming public budgetary crisis (here):

Oregon is headed for a fiscal catastrophe unless its leaders make dramatic changes in the way the government spends its money and delivers services, business leaders told state officials Monday.

Gov. –elect John Kitzhaber agreed and said he is willing to work with the business community on specific actions to boost the state economy and make state programs more efficient.

"On its current course, Oregon is literally on a death spiral," Kitzhaber told about 1,000 business, political and community leaders at the annual Oregon Business Summit.

But, from my perspective, the attendees did not even begin to grapple with the important opening remark of its first guest speaker. Lenny Mendonca, Director, McKinsey and Company, spoke on “The Five Crucibles of Public and Private Sector Innovation.” Right off the bat, as his first crucible of innovation, he cited “the shift of economic wealth from the West to the East.” He spoke, and showed visuals (see several photos) of the growth of Asian economies. He did not make any suggestions about how Oregon could or should respond, nor did attendees at the Summit. Pity.

I have in a previous post criticized this year’s draft Oregon plan on similar grounds (here):

There are no international dimensions to their initiatives. This flaw will have serious consequences for Oregon’s future.

President Obama, in calling for a doubling of US exports over the next four years, recently said “This is where America’s jobs will be tomorrow.  Ninety five percent of the world’s customers and fastest growing markets are beyond our borders.” Obama’s view is not reflected in the Oregon Business Plan’s initiatives.  

I am pleased that the Oregon Business Summit brought in a speaker to point out the rise of the Asian economies (thus suggesting the need for innovations in how we engage with and sell our goods and services to them).  I did not note any movement by the attendees, Oregon’s business and political elites, to respond to or embrace his suggestion. They are still in denial. And they are, as the Oregonian rightly reported, preoccupied with jobs (very narrowly envisioned) and the state budget. Pity.

Part of the response to the shift in wealth from West to East, IMHO, should be more Mandarin and study abroad in Asia programs in our public schools. Unfortunately, I don’t think these issues were on the Leadership Summit agenda. Pity.

 

 

Comments

[pandora]

from my perspective, the attendees did not even begin to grapple with the important opening remark of its first guest speaker. Lenny Mendonca, Director, McKinsey and Company

[christian louboutin sale]

Oregon is headed for a fiscal catastrophe unless its leaders make dramatic changes in the way the government spends its money and delivers services, business leaders told state officials Monday.

[louboutin]

President Obama, in calling for a doubling of US exports over the next four years, recently said “This is where America’s jobs will be tomorrow. Ninety five percent of the world’s customers and fastest growing markets are beyond our borders.” Obama’s view is not reflected in the Oregon Business Plan’s initiatives.

[christian louboutin shoes]

I did not note any movement by the attendees, Oregon’s business and political elites, to respond to or embrace his suggestion. They are still in denial. And they are, as the Oregonian rightly reported, preoccupied with jobs (very narrowly envisioned) and the state budget. Pity.

[christian louboutin]

Part of the response to the shift in wealth from West to East, IMHO, should be more Mandarin and study abroad in Asia programs in our public schools. Unfortunately, I don’t think these issues were on the Leadership Summit agenda. Pity.