By

David T Kinnear

President & CEO, Lisnagol Ventures & Co-Founder of The Global Sourcing Council

 

I have been a strong advocate of global sourcing for some time – long before it became topical and popular to be so – for both fiscal and socio-economic reasons. I like the truly opportunistic and forward-thinking economy that this creates – with a focus on innovation, hard work, value and tangible results. I envisage the earthy fragrance of a real marketplace where goods were bought and sold of yore – and how this actually has so much relevance now.

Traditional work structures and office environments seem to do little to promote focus and efficiency for many businesses. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.  This inefficiency has worked – to a point – in a less than global environment. But now, we can see, things are changing and the consequences of inefficiency and corporate bloat are laid bare. 

As such, I believe there are enormous consequences for all businesses of the shift underway in global sourcing toward global virtual sourcing – and that the tools of virtual sourcing will create new and tremendously important economic and socio-economic opportunities for individuals – at home and abroad. And for businesses and governments also – at home and abroad. 

Change is ultimately a good thing for all. The fear of change is what we have to address. If we believe in our abilities and we believe in our fundamental ability to compete and win business globally, then we must enter the frey and compete. And in a global economy, that means communities small, large, urban and rural – individuals and small businesses – entering a virtual marketplace – just as surely as walking into the market squares of olden times to sell one’s wares.

And that means governments have a fabulous opportunity to engage, support and equip all their constituents – not just those that work in big businesses in large cities. There is something here for everyone.

Too much time has been spent in archaic debate and manoevring to delay or prevent the change that is inevitable – the social change that outsourcing brings. But this is also to delay and undermine the opportunity for advancement that it also represents. We go nowhere by standing still. New tools and toolsets must be used to move us forward competitively. And that means finding ways to bring our entire community to the table – to use technology to create a level, global playing field that is market-driven and competitive. 

The requirement to live in a big city or work in a big building to do certain jobs is silly in the age we now live in from a technology perspective. And this archaic premise denies many the opportunity to compete and develop further on a global stage.

 

David Kinnear

New York