Somos todos alemães

No primeiro dia deste novo ano, a Eslováquia aderiu à moeda única.
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Á Eslováquia foi um dos países do leste europeu que mais aproveitou a última década para se tornar numa boa opção para o investimento directo estrangeiro em unidades fabris. Assim, muitas fábricas foram sendo deslocalizadas para o país tendo em conta as condições oferecidas.
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Desejando o melhor para os nossos amigos eslovacos, espero que os seus políticos e empresários já tenham descoberto o que me demorou cinco anos a perceber.
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Um país que adere ao euro torna-se ... numa nova Alemanha.
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Um país que acorda com uma moeda forte a circular dentro de si, deixa de ser um país que pode assentar a defesa da sua economia na desvalorização 'política' dessa moeda.
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Um artigo útil para os gestores eslovacos é por exemplo este "The German Miracle Keeps Running: How Germany's Hidden Champions Stay Ahead in the Global Economy" de Bernd Venohr e Klaus Meyer.
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Segue-se uma selecção de recortes do referido artigo que vêm sublinhar os apelos e achegas que tenho dado neste blogue:
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"Germany’s privately-held medium size companies have been a source of much envy and mystery. They have been a driving force behind the German miracle of the 1950’s and 60’s.
In the mid 1990’s the competitive strength of these ‘Hidden Champions’ featured in a high profile study by Hermann Simon, a German strategy expert." (não estamos a falar de multinacionais nem de empresas cotadas, estamos a falar de PME's)
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"Yet, he points to important enduring success factors that correspond to our own findings: (1) Hidden Champions benefit from ownership and governance structure based on family-business and long-term relationship with key stakeholders. (2) On this basis, they develop long-term strategies aimed at global niche market dominance, based on strategic positioning that combines superior product quality with a focus on customer needs. (3) These strategies are implemented with a persistent focus on operational effectiveness of the value chain." (pensamento estratégico, paciência estratégica, nichos e diferenciação, concentração nas necessidades dos clientes)
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"advantages of patient investors to pursue niche strategies that combine product specialization with geographic diversification ... In their niche, they can isolate themselves from competition by serving the special needs of a very narrowly defined target segment." (este "narrowly defined target segment" cheira, tresanda a clientes-alvo)
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"Hidden Champions are typically positioned as “value leaders”, combining superior quality of products and services with a careful attention to customer needs. Many businesses may
subscribe to such a positioning, yet the Hidden Champions back this strategy up with major resource commitments in R&D, sales and distribution" (o pormenor que é um pormaior, quem ama a sua fábrica não fica a olhar para o umbigo e a desejar comprar máquina atrás de máquina e a apostar no aumento de capacidade produtiva. Produzir é o mais fácil, difícil é a diferenciação)
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"Another pillar of the strategies of the Hidden Champion is their commitment to customer needs. They typically sell their products and provide customer service and training through wholly-owned distribution channels." ... "employees of Hidden Champions engage directly with customers twice as often as large German corporations" (concentração no cliente)
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"As product complexity increases, customers require more support in operating and maintaining the products. For many of the Hidden Champions personalized customer support services have become an important part of their value proposition."
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"Targeting a global niche is an ambitious strategy for comparatively small firms. They need the support of long-term oriented investors and other stakeholders, and a persistent focus on enhancing operations. They thus emphasize continuous improvement of products and processes, in close interaction with R&D and customers. Hidden Champions typically succeed through persistent and coherent implementation of many small steps. Few if any engaged in large acquisitions and other risky game-changing strategic moves."