From left Magnus Henrekson, IFN, Maryann Feldman and Pontus Braunerhjelm, Entrepreneurship Forum.
Anders Borg, Minister for Finance presented the Global Award for Entrepreneurship Research 2013 to Maryann Feldman.
Maryann Feldman explained in her lecture the importance of clusters, but also regional / local initiatives for businesses to be founded and sustained. She took several examples from her research in the United States. These included the Viking Range company that originally manufactured cookers abroad but later in a successful manner moved production to its "home town" in Mississippi. Something that spread like ripples in water, generating local co-operation, including a community college customizing training of personnel.
Maryann Feldman spoke of successful companies that "do business in a slightly different way." She explained that these companies and the communities where they are located have a few commonalities, including a transparent business environment that allows breakaway firms. Failure to do so might lead to the same fate as that of Eastman Kodak in Rochelle, New York, explained Feldman. Both the company and the town are "fading away".
Minister for Finance Anders Borg presented the Global Award 2013 to Maryann Feldman. He also gave a short speech and explained that trust is an essential element for society to be innovative. Although Sweden is now a multicultural nation the social climate is characetrized by trust between people, Borg said, showing obvious satisfaction with this state of affairs.
The award ceremony was concluded with a debate where both Maryann Feldman and Anders Borg were part of the panel. Other participants were Philippe Aghion, Professor Harvard University, Pontus Braunerhjelm, CEO Entrepreneurship Forum and Professor KTH and Maria Strömme, Professor of nanotechnology Uppsala University. Pernilla Ström moderated the ceremony and the debate.
By: Elisabeth Precht
