Ott Pärna: More than a million dollar question

The 90th year of Estonian Republic's existence was the year of looking back. We appraised the past and felt justified pride over our accomplishments.

Among other things we realized that if we fail to make substantial structural changes our sources of growth will be exhausted. Our competitiveness decreases. We work too much with our hands and too little with our heads. We work in simpler sections of the value chain and in less productive sectors. To keep growing our export has to double and become more profitable. How?

For all that we need a vision. A vision of the kind of Estonian economy we wish to see in ten years; and strategies to make it real. John P. Kotter, Harward business school professor, has said, "Without a sensible vision the efforts made to bring changes can easily fall apart as numerous incoherent and discordant actions, which take us to the wrong direction or nowhere at all."

As a vision we can take the desire to become one of the wealthier European nations, make our economy knowledge-based, increase the export, adopt euro, etc. But none of those tells us what kind of economy provides us wealth. In which areas can we succeed? How do we develop them fast and as a whole? How do we reach world-level educational environment supporting us in reaching our goals? Where might the future markets of our businesses lie and how do we need to prepare? Which decisions our politicians make support following the desired course? With what mission we send our representatives to Brussels, Beijing or Ankara?

A common future vision
The Development fund will conduct in this and the following year a series of monitoring which will provide the background for Estonian Growth Vision. We will analyze development opportunities for Estonia's processing industry and export oriented service economy. We will also look into how to use information and communications technology more efficiently in the economy. In addition we'll gather the analyses we have made so far and join them in one whole. Estonian Growth Vision 2018 will be ready by the end of 2009, offering growth opportunities for the economy for the next decade, and a strategy to realise this vision.

 The vision will be effective when the critical mass of people influencing our economy agrees on Estonia's goals. It is not a one man project.

I picked up a book, "We and Our Government" published 1922 in the US. It says that a state must be governed by intelligent citizens who understand the government organization and its processes. "Democracy is teamwork in the widest sense of the word. /---/ we can't maintain or develop modern society without cooperating." A good example of these thoughts, written 86 years ago, are the Finnish. They agree on their nation's values and future goals in the different corners of the country. Every day decisions are based on the same vision of the future. In Estonia's case - growth vision and its implementing strategy are not only important on paper. At least as important is the process of forming the vision or practicing our common options as a team.

The 90th year of Estonian Republic is the year of reflection. Let the 91st year be the year of finding and deciding our future options. As president Ilves put it, "so that we would have something to look back on with pride on the Republic's 100th anniversary as well."