Breakthrough: The Nokia Effect

Inglehart's modernization theory predicts that nations undergo economic transformation from industrial to post-industrial societies. This transformation coincides with a cultural shift from material (standard-of-living) to post-material (quality-of-life) values. A rule of thumb based on the Eurobarometer values survey is that post-material countries tend to express pessimistic views of technology while material countries are optimistic. Concern over the impact of technology, like environmentalism, appears to be a decidedly post-material value.

Rusanen has highlighted one interesting exception to this rule, Finland, a post industrial society with very high support for applied biotechnology in both agriculture and industry.

Rusanen attributes this support for technology to culturally specific aspects of Finish economic, social and political history. For example, historically climate and geology has combined to make agriculture difficult thus creating demand for innovation. The spirit of innovation has persisted with information technology representing one third of the countries industrial output. The biotechnology research and development sector is among Europe's largest.

Nokia, Finland's largest company, is a model with regard to uptake of new technology and innovation. Nokia started as a wood products and paper company. Over 150 year it evolved to include metals, chemicals and communications products. In 1992, the company underwent a strategic makeover focusing solely on telecommunications. The company's success is a source of national pride.

The Nokia story is one of pragmatism illustrating how strategic initiatives consistent with a nation's core social and historical traditions can appeal to post-material values. These values are strikingly universal, and in an era of global warming preparedness, perhaps it is time to take a page from Nokia's book. You make the call.

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